Archive for January, 2009

relaxing on deck

Next day was tha crossing from Johnny Souey tp Ninety Miles Beach. If I would have been aware of those nasty breakers going into the inlet entrances…the first entrance at Bentley Harbour before Townsend Point still scared me a bit, but giving it a wide berth was the solution as usual. Just a bit more paddling to do…

Campsite at Johnny Souey Point

The forecast for the day was VERY strong winds at lunchtime – the morning looked still quiet and I had a go relatively late at 8.30am – see how far I would get…enough beaches to land on were around.

Beautiful pile of rocks – South East Point, topped by a lighthouse

First day with light winds all day, even almost some following! 65 km for the day, 10,5 hrs only…I cut across to the most southerly point of mainland Australia, already Tasmania in sight – well, at least some islands belonging to Tassie. Rounding Wilson’s Promotory  was beautiful scenery allover, I would have loved to pull in here and there to have a closer look.

My first univited deck visitor – this tiny fish suddenly appeared on my mapcase! Cute…

Crossing over to Cape Liptrap that day, 50 km - not much to tell, light winds first, then strongest headwinds again…still spending way too much time on the water! 13,5 hrs that day for such a small distance…going around the Cape and searching for the next best beach to land on. It turned out to be the first corner at Maitland Beach, a fancy holiday house towering above…I was thinking about asking for fresh water, but didn’t find a way through the bush up to the house. Well, I was fine without as I expected to find water next night.

It was supposed to be *Cassie* Wright at Cape Patterson- sorry Cassie I missed you! Thanks for offering me your help anyway.

It turned out to be *Karl* Wright who me me at the beach in Hermes Heaven – by incident! Not related to Cassie – but he was watching me going through the reef break in last light at his home beach near Hermes Heaven, about 40 min left to Cape Patterson beach. It was scary for him from his perspective, but my GPS showed me a clean gap through the reefs, and it really looked allright to pass through and not to give the last rocks it a wide berth. Still in mind:”If in doubt – stay out!”

Les Bognar is loading my boat on his car Saturday early morning – a big thanks to Les and Anne helping me to get going and hosting me in Melbourne!

Paul Caffyn’s memory plaque – it was a pleasure to chat to you on the phone, Paul, sitting on that historical site! See you in person there in less than a year on my arrival…

For German speaking blog readers:

http://www.ndrinfo.de/media/kajak116.html

…kind of scary and horrible to hear my voice! But thanks to Ilka Steinhausen/ NDR Info who did a graet job to do the best out of my stumbling answers!

I put up a Media Feedback site where I try collecting all those links…help with links always welcome!

A cheers from Peter Costello, current VSKC president, to my trip start on Sunday!

Thanks for all your help!

Compass on the front deck sponsored by VSKC membership officer Andrew Campbell.

Thanks!

 Peter Treby, my Melbourne “logistic manager” for the next year, and Les Bognar, former VSKC club president and my Melbourne host for the last three days, together with his lovely wife Anne. She was busy sewing some silky things for me at midnight before the trip start…thanks!