THIS is the chilling last photo of a kayaker who vanished after making a haunting distress call. Thrill-seeker Andrew McAuley disappeared after he tried to cross a dangerous storm-prone sea. McAuley had set out to become the first person to cross the Tasman Sea, which lies between Australia and New Zealand, on a kayak.
![[This is the eerie last photo of Andrew McCauley before he vanished]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/www-reddit-com-r-oddlyterrifying-956516702.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
His daredevil mission in 2007 took a tragic turn just one month after he issued a sudden call for help. McAuley’s kayak , gear, and a camera memory card were the only pieces of evidence discovered after his sudden disappearance - along with an eerie selfie.
![[The adventurer's kayak was discovered upturned in near-perfect condition in the sea]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/handout-photo-provided-royal-new-956517385.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
His kayak was found upturned in a near-perfect condition 30 miles offshore - but the daredevil was nowhere to be seen. The spooky photo showed his drained eyes staring into a camera - while half of his face was painted white in what appears to be sun cream.
![[McAuley spent 10 years training for the voyage that would appear to be his last]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/andrew-mcauley-training-off-terrigal-956517549.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The tired-faced daredevil was backdropped against an immense wave lurking behind him. It's the last known image of McAuley before he vanished. McAuley was no rookie to breaking records through his extreme expeditions. He had become the first person to cross the notoriously perilous Bass Strait, between mainland Australia and Tasmania, in 2003.
![[Another picture found on Andrew's camera roll after he vanished]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/missing-kayaker-andrew-mcauley-960082172.jpg?strip=all&w=840)
He successfully managed to cross the 136-mile strait in 25 hours. But his next record-breaking journey would come to a mysterious end. He set out on his last known journey on 11 January 2007 - just one month after he backed out of his first attempt to cross the sea due to freezing temperatures.
