Category: Members

Story and photographs by Martin Burgoyne

Following a poor winter in terms of rain and river levels, a few of the club’s ‘white water warriors’, or should that be geriatric warriors, were eager for some action.

WA doesn’t have too much white water that you can count on.  There’s the Avon, an overrated drain, and a magnet for wana-be marathon boaters.  The Collie, which at least has some decent rapids, is worth the drive, but the level depends if the cows down around Harvey are feeling thirsty enough for there to be a water release from Wellington dam.  There’s the Murray, now that’s a decent river, easy above the infamous Boy Scouts spout, entertaining in its middle section, and in its lower race down the scarp to Pinjarra, it’s a classic piece of white water, with enough technicality to test any white water junkie.  There’s also the Blackwood, well at least it has some moving water sections, though hardly white water.  There’s the Donnelly, an esoteric gem, that’s rarely paddled, and then getting to the put in through the brambles is a good grade 5 before you even start to paddle. The Frankland, hmmm, in flood it’s challenging and well worth a look, but watch out for the very large Karri trees across the river. The Pallinup, somewhere between Albany and Esperance, is supposed to be good if a little short – it’s still on my list of things to do.

Then there’s the Murchison!  It’s spectacular sandstone gorges are a real tourist draw, with spectacular walks along the dry river bed, but when the occasional summer cyclone fills these to capacity, it provides WA’s biggest white water run.

So with poor winter rains, I only managed one lower Murray trip last year, compared to the dozen or so in the previous year.  In need of an adrenalin fix a trip to Thailand was suggested.  A friend had been the previous year and enjoyed a few days white water paddling with a company based close to Chiang Mai.  He reported good grade 3/4 water, a pleasant ‘jungle’ camp, good equipment and a safety conscious set of guides.  So plans were made for a white water fix.  Al Hale, Rod Coogan, Dave Oakley and myself decided to give ‘Siam Rivers’ a try.

We booked four days on the Mae Taeng River, based out of their camp about an hours drive north of Chiang Mai, and added a trip on the more isolated Nam Wa River in the far north east of the country on the boarder with Laos.  Our two week trip would be rounded off with some down hill mountain biking.

The week before we were due to leave for Thailand, the news was full of tales of severe flooding in central Thailand, oh dear, what had we let ourselves in for? Eager to practice my roll in readiness for the trip, I managed to split my eyebrow on the edge of our pool resulting in 9 stitches, which fortunately came out the day before we flew out.   Meanwhile Dave had arrived in Chiang Mai, and his first email said that Chiang Mai was flooded.  Al arrived next, and his emails said that Siam Rivers had reported that they had just lost two kayaks on the river due to the high water, and some over confident American paddlers!  What were we letting ourselves in for?

Rod and I flew out together on Air Asia.  An additional charge for sporting equipment, levied on our paddles had me fuming at Perth airport, but to no avail.  We just called them ‘umbrellas’ on the flight home, and got through OK. Nook our guide, picked us up at Chiang Mia airport and having collected Dave and Al, we drove straight to Siam Rivers camp on the Mae Taeng.   The drive up the heavily rutted road to the camp in an ancient combi-van, with no 4×4 was interesting, who needs big tyres and lots of ground clearance!  As we drove up the valley Nook suggested that we took the opportunity to look at the main rapids. A good move!! While not in flood the river was certainly high, and the rapids we inspected looked particularly ugly.  They were long and technical, certainly grade 4+, and with very little space between the main features to recover bits, pieces, bodies or your breath!  I think the others were pleased when I said it looked too much for me!  But Nook assured us that while this was the difficult middle section, the top section just below camp was an easier grade 3, with fast water, a few technical moves, some long catching pools, and plenty of time to get out before the middle section that we had seen!

Once settled into camp and with kayaks sorted out from the range of battered specimens that they had, we paddled the top section of the Mae Taeng. It was certainly bigger than most things in WA, and with a few meaty rapids to keep us on our toes, it provided us with good paddling and few swims over the next few days.  We decided to raft the middle section with Siam’s guides, and were thankful we were in rafts rather than kayaks, as we watched their safety kayakers cruise down it with ease.  But then they were half our age and did paddle it twice a day at least!  The middle section had plenty of sticky pour-overs, some tight technical lines, and a distinct lack of eddies in which to catch your breath.  However, having run it in the rafts, it seemed that the last rapid of this middle section was a possibility for the geriatric worriers, if we could just keep to the correct line!

So on the last day before we left for the Nam Wa, we decided to give it a go.  We managed a short warm up paddle to the top of the rapid before giving it a quick inspection.  Spray skirts on and away we went.  Straight down the middle, avoiding the boulder garden on river left, a few power strokes to punch the stopper at the bottom, angle the kayak to river left as you punch the stopper to ensure you are lined up for the final race down the steps on the left, and that was it!  It was an exciting run, and a more exciting swim for those intent on inspecting the river bed, and bruising their anatomy!  But Siam’s safety boys were there with throw bags, so we all got to the bottom safely, if a little battered!

Next day we had a long drive to the regional capital of the Northern Province at Nam.  An overnight hotel and then we were on our way again, getting to the Nam Wa river around lunch time. Our small expedition included two rafts, Nook and two more guides from Siam Rivers, and four more ‘sub-contracted’ guides from a rafting company in Nam.  Seven of them, and four of us – a good ratio!  One raft carried all the gear, food and camping equipment, while the other was available in case we decided to raft rather than kayak.

As we were almost on Thailand’s northern border with Laos it seemed that the monsoon rains which had flooded central Thailand, and given us a fright, had not reached that far inland.  Our river was at its usual autumn level, and quite clear after the murky muddy waters in the Mae Taeng.  We had three days on the river to look forward to. Nook suggested that it would be around grade 3+ with the occasional grade 4 that we might want to look at.

We started after lunch on the first day, and enjoyed the pristine jungle that the Nam Wa flowed through.  We didn’t see any wildlife, but the swarms and variety of butterflies were amazing.  All the rapids on the first day were ‘read and run’ which didn’t require us to get out of our kayaks.  At every horizon line we paddled carefully forward, always ready for a sprint to the bank if we didn’t like what we saw.  But everything was OK, and though it did result in a few rolls and swims, there was always a long pool at the bottom for us to gather up our bits and pieces.

Our first night’s camp was on the east, Laos’s side of the river.  The rafting company from Nam had developed a rustic standing camp, complete with a benched eating area, a thatched camp kitchen with running water, some level ground on which to pitch tents, and three dunnies – quite impressive for the middle of nowhere!  Our guides prepared supper while we erected tents, sorted sleeping bags, and hung our wet paddling gear out to dry.

Day 2
The guides where up early and had breakfast prepared while we packed our tents and gear.  Nook said it was a 25 km day with some big rapids that we would be inspecting. The water was clear and so was easy to read, which was good as there where lots of grade 2/3 rapids that kept us entertained.  None required any inspection, and we were able to creep up on them, scan the rapid from our kayaks and then hope we had sorted the best route down.  There were a few rolls and swims but all was going well.  The jungle was particularly lush and thick on the left bank, while on the right there was the occasional trace of human tracks.

We eventually came to the first rapid that Nook and the boys said we needed to inspect.  It was formed where a particularly large side stream entered and which at some time had flooded and deposited large boulders across the river.  The rapid was a one drop wonder, and took the form of a 2 metre drop over a boulder ledge into a river-wide stopper, which fortunately had a tongue in the middle. Our guides ran it and made it look easy – don’t they always.  I ran it and decided yes it was easy, but the others declined to try.  A little further and we had the second rapid to inspect.  Formed by a similar boulder garden dumped by a side stream, it was more technical than the first and probably grade 4.  It required some manoeuvering to weave around boulders and holes, but there was a good run out at the bottom.  The guides did their stuff, and I ran it and had a roll at the bottom.  But the roll worked – my first serious roll, since my out of boat experiences in New Zealand back in February.  So I was pleased.

At our lunch stop, we watched our guides turning over every stone by the river looking for some sort of insect larvae.  Evidently they were to be used as fish bait once we reached camp.  We had a short stop in the afternoon to enable the guides to go fishing up a side stream, while one stayed behind and searched for bamboo grubs!  Again to be used as fishing bait!

A few more read and run rapids and we reached camp two after a long day on the river.  It was another remarkable site, with camp kitchen, dining areas complete with tables and benches and shade, level map sites and this time four dunnies!.  The guides went fishing, and we were amazed at the size of the carp that the insect larvae had attracted to their lines.  Dinner started with the small fish that the boys had caught that afternoon; the big monster was for them.

I retired early, a mixture of sun and dehydration.  Dave and Rod decided to sleep out on the dining tables under the thatched roofs. It seemed a good idea. There had been a heavy dew the night before and we had woken to damp sleeping bags, but I was too tired to worry tonight!

Day 3 was supposed to have a couple more rapids worthy of inspection but they all looked OK from the top and we ran everything on sight.  The river opened out, the jungle-clad banks receded, and we were in farming land. A streamer stretched high across the river marked the approach of the take out.  More guides for Nam were there to greet us with picnic lunches and bottles of Coke!  It was all over.

We had a two day drive back to Chiang Mai to look forward to, but this time we were treated to the best hotel in Nam for our overnighter, and a sumptuous banquet with our guides on the banks on the Nam River.  It had been a great trip and I had been surprised at the quality of the rivers we had paddled and the professional approach that Nook and his guides had displayed.

Back in Chiang Mia we had three days of the most memorable down hill mountain biking or more correctly jungle biking to round off the trip, but that’s another story!

Both Dave and Rod contracted Dengue Fever, or a close cousin, possibly as a result of their night on the dining table.  While Dave ended up in Chiang Mai hospital, far from home, Rod was more fortunate and ended up in Mandurah hospital.

Born-again bikers.

Mae Taeng base camp.

It rained!

Mae Taeng River.

 The first of the Nam Wa drops.

First camp on the Nam Wa River.

A small moth.

Nam Wa grade 2-3 rapids.

Al Hale.

Rod Coogan.

Dave Oakley.

Nam Wa rapids.

The team.

Thai Wat.

Sue Harrington (All photos by Sue unless otherwise indicated)

Sea kayakers will know that overnight ‘expedition’ paddles have a number of distinctions from our more usual day paddles. The planning, preparations and packing are much more involved, not least the provision of three interesting and wholesome meals for every day that you are to be away.

With this in mind, I thought it might be instructive and amusing to document the range of stunning dinner cuisine produced one evening by eleven hardy paddlers resting overnight at Betty’s Beach during a trip off the Albany region.

But before the chefing began, we gathered around the tray of Bob’s ute parked by a rusting beach shack, and snacked on biccies and cheese, washed down with ice cold TEDs, generously proffered by Bob. Time slipped by while amicably yarning about the paddling adventures of the previous days. Photo by Russ Hobbs

Once down to cooking the main dish, the cauldron of choice was predominantly the trusty Trangia stove, to the extent that our club could approach the company for sponsorship! Spurred on by skilled camp chefs, the Trangias fried, boiled and heated the pre-planned ingredients to produce a remarkable array of curious creations as evidenced in the photos:

Rod – savoury rice and tuna (followed by fruit tub and chocolate rice pudding);
Sue and Russ – spicy salami, rice, peas and onion – a reliable camping favourite (photo by Pel Turner);

Pel – tortellini with bacon rice (Pel seemed to go for multicultural surprises);
Adrian (our invited paddler and tour guide from Albany) – satay rice, Canadian pink salmon, peas, corn and capsicum;
Wolfgang – bami goreng in a foam cup (non-Trangia hot water involved in the complex preparation); and

Martin – Indian chickpea curry (packaged and apparently horrible!), followed by fruit cake offered around;

Kevin – curried chicken pasta (‘creamy, full-bodied and delicious, 8/10, he claimed!);

Royd – fresh courgettes, red capsicum, tuna and pasta (with the ingredients separately prepared prior to combining);

Bob – packet dhal and spicy rice, washed down with a good red;

Dave – chunky  stew (brings back memories of KP’s Chum…) and homemade bread.

It would be difficult to dispute that Royd’s was the superior meal, when considering the overall freshness and complexity of ingredients, lengthy cooking time and amount of fuel used, appealing food aromas and level of interest from others.

Lessons learnt from this small survey? Fresh vegies are possible on longer trips, other people’s food can look much better or much worse than your own, and lastly, anything will do when you are hungry enough, especially if you have taken along a cask of reasonable red!

Dirk Hartog Island, July 10-15, 2010  Royd Bussell

Judy, Helen& Kevin sail to Dirk Hartog. Photo Royd Bussell.

Linda& Kevin pass giant Osprey nest. Photo Royd Bussell.

Overlooking South Passage. Kevin, Linda, Helen, Ken and Judy. Photo Royd Bussell.

Ken & Kevins’ catch of the day. Photo Royd Bussell.

Helen crossing to Bellefin Prong before breakfast. Photo Royd Bussell.

Helen& Linda explore the Bellefin mangroves. Photo Royd Bussell.

Have kayak, will paddle. Photo Royd Bussell.

Sunset on Heirisson Prong (Day 5). Photo Royd Bussell.

Judy approaching Heirisson Prong (Day 1). Photo Royd Bussell.

Leader:     Kevin Piper (aka “Pyro”)
Followers:     Judy Blight (radio DJ), Helen Cooksey (chief cake baker), Ken Burton (team spokesperson), Linda Glover (anti-sail campaigner), Royd Bussell (scribe).

Linda, Judy, Ken, Royd, Helen and Kevin at Denham.

The journey north from Perth coincided with a severe weather warning as WA’s first major winter front passed through. Kevin & Ken nearly lost their roofrack on the journey north, but engaged “Heath Robinson” skills to ensure the critical load reached its destination. The team rendezvoused as planned in the Shark Bay Campground, where a 1 star cabin had been booked. Royd& Linda opted for the 1.5 star tent-outside-cabin accommodation option, as a mitigation measure against predicted snoring from un-named team member/s. The local pub provided a good meal and beverages assisting initial team bonding.

Saturday arrived as a cool and overcast but calm day. We drove down to the beach with my fear of the amount of time required to pack the kayaks shared by most others – Kevin of course had his kayak packed in a jiffy. We were on the water ~10.15am with a light easterly breeze and it was good to finally be underway. We could use sails for a short period until the wind died away altogether and we were blessed with stunning calm conditions. It was 20km to the first landing at the tip of Heirisson Prong which we achieved in 3.5hr. We had lunch and saw shovel-nosed rays and small sharks in the shallow waters centimeters from the shore. Ken was quick to cast some tackle in the water and this became a regular habit on the trip. We had seen little marine life on the route over, due to both the prior day’s storm and the cooler July water temperatures. We decided to make use of the excellent conditions and continued on a further 7km to camp on the end of Bellefin Prong. Both “prongs” are narrow north-south oriented peninsulas, comprising mainly sand-dunes. Older, lithified dunesand forms rocky platforms and low cliffs in places. We camped at the back of the beach with only a short kayak haulage required. It was a nice spot and warm conditions. Kevin confirmed our position with the ACRM base lady in Denham. First day teething problems followed ….. numerous sandflies came out to plague us but they preferred the ladies and disappeared after dark. Ken finally managed to work out how to put up his tent and sort out where he had packed the stuff he needed. Royd discovered he had brought the wrong fuel (Shellite) along for his Trangia stove when black fumes emitted from the burner and coated the kit with carbon that seemed to quickly get over everything and stuck. Linda was not impressed. Kevin remedied the disaster by providing a spare bottle of metho thus saving Royd from 5 more days of Linda’s wrath. We enjoyed a period around the campfire and listened to the Dockers footy game on Judy’s radio (nothing like getting away from it all!). Delicious cakes were produced by Judy and Helen (how do they pack it?).

Day 2 commenced with a nice sunrise and a light easterly breeze. We were on the water by 9.30am for the 9km paddle SW to Dirk Hartog Is. The wind turned to the NE and strengthened, such that we were able to use sails (except for anti-sail campaigner Linda who was normally in front anyway). Kevin detoured to score the weather forecast from a lone fisherman before we had early lunch on a pretty beach, we named “half-moon bay”. We then sail-paddled south along low rocky cliffs, enjoying great scenery. The highlight was a massive osprey nest and bird flying above. Our destination was the last big bay on the SE side of the island. The forecast was for ~20kn SW winds later in the day and through the next as a front passed through. We opted for the shelter of low hills at the southern end of the bay. Here, mosquitoes joined the sandflies for an all out onslaught on the ladies. The blokes did not find them that bad. Ken & Royd tried their hand at fishing in the bay. We had some modest success with a flathead and garfish that ended up cooked in lemon juice on the campfire later on. A pod of dolphins out in the bay entertained us in the evening. Wind and rain squalls started overnight.

Day 3 was consistent with the dismal forecast and it was a “no-paddle” day. We had intended to paddle around to South Passage and see Steep Pt etc that day. Instead we hiked overland, initially following a dirt track, then bush-bashed over to the south coast for views of South Passage, Steep Pt and Surf Pt from the dune tops. Dirk Hartog is not as stark as we were led to believe – there is plenty of vegetation, though no large trees. Wirrida (salt pans) occur in places. Dunes dominate the landscape and goats (soon to be poisoned by CALM) have caused considerable erosion of the dunes. A few wildflowers were out, including a nice red myrtle. Back at camp, it was time for more fishing. Helen quickly caught a bream from right near our campsite. After a couple of hours we had 4 bream and Kevin had caught a large flathead and a large bream from the far SE point. The wind stayed with us but it was hot and we could dry our gear out. In the twilight, Ken caught a small shark on a handline that Kevin had set. It was photographed and released. We had a 3 course meal around the campfire that night, followed by Royd’s quiz which Kevin ‘won’. People started going to bed earlier each night, so Ken & Royd were left to solve the world’s problems around the campfire when a rain shower sent us scurrying off as well.

Day 4: Kevin had us up early to ensure we got across east to Bellefin Prong, given the forecast easterlies. We were on the water by 8.05am and 6km into a mild headwind. A pleasant beach awaited us, with shrubs growing right down to the water’s edge. After breakfast, some of us clambered up the hill for the view. We spied mangroves to the south and elected to detour on a drift-paddle with the now northerly breeze pushing us lazily along. We saw lots of marine life in the shallow, clear waters – rays, sharks, bream, mullet and occasional turtles. We reached the end of a prominent point and could see out to South Passage. After a quick break, we paddled back up the Prong for 14km to our campsite in a small bay. Flat rocky ledges bound the bay and formed a platform for fishing. Royd caught a small flathead, then later hooked a shark on a very light line and inevitably lost all tackle after 10mins of playing the beast… Ken caught a bream. The fish ended up in the frypan over the fire later on as Ken continued re-counting his life story and dramas for our entertainment. A new moon lit the sky across the water on a calm and pleasant evening.

Day 5: After a cold and dewey night with brilliant stars, we had a leisurely start to the morning. We were on the water by 9.15am with a stiff, cool ESE wind allowing us to sail up the prong to our former campsite near the tip. We had a morning tea break and searched for Ken’s lost paraphernalia from the earlier visit. Ken tended to leave gear scattered around various strategic parts of Shark Bay…. We continued on and rounded the prong before paddling directly into a 12kn ESE headwind 6.5km over to Heirisson Prong. Kevin had us adopt a group diamond formation, in order to maintain communication and group strength in the event of the conditions worsening. This worked well and we practiced swapping positions in the formation. We reached our destination in one hour. We selected a camp just south of the prong tip and had most of the arvo to set up camp, lunch, then leisure in sunny, sheltered conditions. Kevin checked-in with ACRM in Denham and received a weather forecast of 13kn ENE headwinds for the following morning, declining only in the afternoon. Fishing yielded little catch with Helen landing one bream. The final meal for many was dehy. Ken’s life stories continued before we retired to bed.

Day 6: We awoke to a fine day and a light E breeze. We packed up for the final time and talked through scenarios should conditions turn rough for the 20km return crossing to Denham. We were on the water at 9.30am and after a warm-up, we started in a group diamond formation again with Judy leading us into an initial 12kn headwind. This soon lightened off to <8kn and decreased further. We paddled in loose formation and had breaks every 5km. Kevin taught us the phonetic alphabet en route and we played eye-spy to wile away the kms. 8km out from Denham, we entered into a zone of strengthening SW breeze and were able to put sails up for a lucky push home. It was great to reach land again after 3.5hrs sitting in kayaks and to safely conclude the trip. After unpacking gear into vehicles, we returned to the Shark Bay Campground via the bakery. The local pub provided us with a pleasant last supper together before we parted ways the following day.

We completed 105km of paddling overall and were quite lucky with the winds, apart from the one day the front came through. For me, the trip highlights were the great group camaraderie and the fact that we had this massive wilderness area to ourselves, with only a couple of fisherman seen in the distance most days. A special thank-you to Kevin for organising and for leading the trip with a balanced style that blended flexibility with safety. The voluntary ACRM base support in Denham was much appreciated.

Jane Perkins

The entire paddle group. Launch from Lucky Bay. Photo Rod Coogan.

Thistle Cove from the track to Lucky Bay. Photo Bob Bright.

Martin, Wolfgang and Pel, en route to Thistle Cove from Hellfire. Photo Rod Coogan.

Camping at Lucky Bay – Martin, Bob, Rod, Jane and Pel in conference over gear. Photo Julie Turner.

Jane and Martin flying a kite – honestly! Photo Bob Bright.

Wolfgang paddles his Greenland kayak around the point from Le Grand Beach. Photo Rod Coogan.

Rabbit Rock. Photo Rod Coogan.

Helen at Lucky Bay, with Phantom Cave behind. Photo Martin Burgoyne.

We left Martin’s house at about 7:45am having a lengthy discussion about paddle lengths then settled into a comfortable silence. After driving for 30 minutes, circumstances required that we take a little break for a short discussion on the method of securing boats to trailers.

On Saturday those that had arrived early went for an exploratory paddle in Lucky Bay – beautiful fine white sand that squeaked under your feet, between granite boulder headlands, with granite islands dotted across the horizon. We poked our nose outside the bay to feel the force of the Southern Ocean before heading back to camp.

Wolfgang’s Greenland kayaks attracted plenty of interest.  Photo Julie Turner.

The afternoon was spent exploring our surroundings (the coastal walk offered stunning views and variable terrain), before waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.   The remaining tents were put up in the dark – 2 McMansion tents, 5 regular tents, and 3 campervans.

On Sunday the paddle was from picturesque Hellfire Bay around to Lucky Bay. Given the weather forecast was unfavourable for the remainder of the week we got a good turnout for what looked like possibly our only paddle for the week. We experienced quite “clapotis” seas with around 1m vertical waves in the open ocean. We were all ready for the pleasant break when we got to Thistle Cove. The decision was taken to follow the coast around inside the cove and some of us played in the shore waves.  Paul and I survived a larger than usual bongo wave that got the adrenaline running. I then caught a larger wave in the dump zone at 45 degrees and was duly capsized, and seeing a second wave about to break on me quickly separated from my boat. On reaching the beach I found I was missing my forward hatch cover. Bob followed me in while the others stayed outside the breaker line – no Bob, I was not worried about my hat , it was the hatch cover I was looking for. Bob radioed the group to report the problem, only to be met by silence. Shouting from the rocks was a more successful communication method and it was decided that Bob and I would carry our boats up a rather large boulder to be collected by car, while the remainder of the group paddled for home and then collected the cars.

Meal times at camp were always interesting as different culinary traditions were revealed. Bob believes any meal is enhanced by the addition of chilli sauce and pepper. Al opens 2 cans and combines the contents before heating. Paul learnt that a full packet of pasta is a LOT of food. Those visiting from campervan land brought exotic dips that require refridgeration. Helen makes an awesome fruit cake, reserved for those that have finished their dinner. Jane used vegetables and a knife (slight difficulties were encountered because the local kangaroos have learnt to use zippers and like lettuce and tomatoes). The variety of stoves were compared and then underwent non-rigorous scientific testing  – the jetboil was only slightly faster than Bob’s gas stove (yet Bob was heating about 4 times as much water).

Monday morning saw the creation of a new hatch cover, very sporty blue tarp with a yellow cross – thanks guys it worked well, only letting a couple of cups of water in over the next few days despite some harsh treatment.  The winds were less than forecast and we put in at our local beach and paddled around to Rossiter Bay – with two beach landings to practice our skills. This was the scene of a second popped hatch – this time only a pair of sunglasses was lost. Duct tape was duly added as a tertiary securing devise and on we paddled with a nice tail wind.

Jane’s new cover.  Photo Rod Coogan.

In the afternoon I walked to Thistle Cove for some purposeful beach-combing; no hatch cover but an enjoyable coastal walk all the same.

Wind got the better of paddling on Tuesday, so we took advantage of it and used Martin’s kites – we all had longer arms as a result, useful for all those beach launches. Who can forget the “WhooooHooo” that Helen shouted as she felt the force of the wind in that kite. We then formed a convoy and drove along the beach to Esperance – where good coffee was enjoyed.

The winds had been too strong for Mary to paddle so Laurie and Mary left the group to find some inland water to paddle on. Bob had to return to Perth early as well, so our group was decreased for the remainder of the week.

Having watched the local wind patterns at Le Grand beach (yes those boulders do create their own local wind pattern) it was decided that Le Grand Beach was a suitable launch spot for the next morning. We paddled out with a tail wind exploring the small coves, conscious we may need this knowledge on the return trip.  Around the headland we had a breather in a rock bay before rounding another 2 headlands. This brought us to yet another pristine white beach – this one with the unique rabbit shaped rock at one end. There was debate as to whether we should continue to Hellfire bay or return to the cars, and it was decided to wait until we got to the headland to see how the wind was developing before we decided. Once we were there it was clear that continuing on was unwise so we turned back to Cape Le Grand. After rounding the last headland we had a full headwind and it was tough paddling. We took a second break on the small beach that we had explored on the way out. A tough, short, but enjoyable paddle. Kites were the appropriate toy for the afternoon.

Thursday it was decided to do some training exercises in Lucky Bay. There was a very friendly shore break in a small cove on the far side of the bay. Wolfgang did his first low brace on breaking surf – and Rod reports that it was textbook perfect! There was a dolphin feeding frenzy occurring at a small opening to the bay, which was fascinating to watch. Once we were near the campsite a number of people practiced their rolls. By this time we were long stay-ers in the camping area, so much so that the local kangaroo couple ignored us totally as they had a lunchtime romp.

With strong winds forecast yet again it was decided to pack up early and use the weekend in Perth to clean all that sand out of our boats and make some repairs.

Martin did an excellent job in planning the week, and which was enjoyed by all. Thanks also to Bob and Rod who provided instructor support along the way. Last but not least thanks to those whose company made the week so enjoyable.

Jane Perkins

I was looking forward to 3 months long service leave, but being away from Perth and my kayak just felt wrong. I started hunting for kayak trips that fitted in with other activities I had planned. Greece appealed, but the travel times became prohibitive. Then I found a company in South Wales running a 5 day trip that slotted in perfectly. A few emails later and I was confident that the boats would be reasonable and I would be allowed to push my limits – I was not disappointed.http://www.preseliventure.co.uk/activities/sea_kayaking.shtml http://www.preseliventure.co.uk/adventurezone/sea_kayaking_breaks.shtml

Lunch break on a small pebble beach beneath the towering cliffs. Photo Jane Perkins.

At lunch the boats were brought onto the pebble beach. The flat seas and rock outcrops we paddled through can be seen in the background. Photo Jane Perkins.

The tide is on the way out as we prepare to launch. Lime kilns can be seen on the bank on the left. Photo Jane Perkins.

The geography of the bitches tidal formation.
Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthwatcher/2925646467/ then annotated.

On arriving at Haverfordwest train station in Pembrokshire, I was met and taken to Preseli Venture’s facility on the coast to the north. That afternoon we selected our gear (Dagger Charleston boats,  farmer Jon wetsuits, cags, helmets, PFD, booties, paddles) and did an introduction paddle in protected water at “the needle”.

The coast around here was cliffs down to the water’s edge, with inlets that allowed access. Along the cliffs there were various rock formations and we were encouraged to test what the smallest gap that could be navigated (with the assistance of the small swell). I started exploring some caves – ignoring the warning that the Irish ferry would cause a significant wake. Needless to say I was deep in a cave (almost dark) when a significant set of waves came due to the ferry. I back paddled like never before and survived (and I knew we had a good guide when I turned around and saw Jon’s boat just inside the cave – at shoulder height on the next wave). From that point on I explored caves in reverse – improving my reversing skills significantly during the week.

As the week progressed we were encouraged to find smaller gaps to negotiate, and Jon was happy to instruct us on different draw strokes if we wanted. On another day fishing lines were provided for those that wanted to try kayak fishing – Jon was the only one who was successful.

Over the course of the week we covered the St Davids coast from Cardigan to Newgale as a variety of day paddles. It was easy paddling with the wind or tide helping us along most of the time – and a pub at the takeout point most days.

On the second last day the tide and wind was favourable to do the stretch of coast near Ramsey Island, Including the feature known as “the Bitches” or “witches” depending on the tide direction – high tide was to be around 3 pm and be about 6m, meaning peak flow was going to be around 1 pm but not too strong. We were joined by the owner of Preseli Venture, Nick, and put in at Whitesands bay.  We paddled across to Black Island, learning/practicing ferry-gliding as we went. I found I needed to aim at least 30 degrees north of the island in order to paddle in a line to the island – and we were not at peak tide yet! We estimated that our speed due to the tide over the next section was 8km/hr. Having circumnavigated this small island we headed south, taking care to stay sufficiently east to ensure we went to the east of Ramsey Island (Nick has had a group split in 2 as they reached Ramsey Island and the current split around the island).

As we approached the southern end of Ramsey Island we stayed close to the coast (we did not want to go over the bitches) and one at a time went through a natural cave/tunnel. Once positioned in the tunnel mouth you were quickly swept through, and needed to make a hard right at the end to the still water of a bay. Once assembled in the bay we ventured back past the tunnel and got our first good look at the bitches. The guides demonstrated the crossing of the first current and taking refuge in the eddy between the currents. We then tried it ourselves and I was promptly chewed up and spat out into the freezing water, only to float downstream to Jon who was playing catch. I demonstrated the Australian method of assisted rescue, but Nick insisted I use the English method – I did not like lying between two boats, and then sliding up and into my boat. After that I successfully negotiated the first eddy a couple of times before stopping for lunch. The plan at the bitches was to head upstream with around a 10 degree angle towards the current coming through the rocks. The reality was as soon as the front of the boat got into the water current it swung the boat around and you headed downstream at a rapid rate, and paddled across to the next eddy. We spent some time playing back and forth across the 4 currents, and watching the water change character with the tide. Across at the mainland we could see a fishing boat making almost no progress against the tide, despite its best efforts. As the tide slaked off it was time for us to continue to the takeout point.

On the last day, we had become quite adventurous with our testing of small gaps – a little too adventurous on one occasion, and one of the boats has some serious gouges in it. The group all assisted in the rescue with swimmer, paddle and boat being separated. The Australian method of pulling up across 2 rafted boats was used to great effect, before we got towed back to where the boat and paddle had been collected to.
In all it was great to paddle in different conditions, and I would highly recommend it – the bitches was an extra bonus.  I learnt a lot of boat manoeuvring skills, unfortunately I lost most of them over the next 2 months of no paddling.

Jo Foley

I was looking forward to the Rotto trip and wasn’t disappointed.  There were 11 of us staying at the wonderful house at Kingston overlooking the ocean – Jim and Di Bramley, Rod and Carolyn Coogan, Steve Foreman, Judy Blight, Helen Cooksey, Pel Turner, John Radovich, Dave Oakley and myself. Rob McCracken stayed at the Lodge and had a romantic weekend away with his girlfriend Peta.

Rod, John, Rob, Dave, Jim and Steve left Beach Street Groyne about 8.30am on the Friday morning in what I was told to be quite an uneventful paddle over with some headwind. The swell and wind were not as high as had been predicted. The rest of us caught the ferry over and we all met up at a café on the beach for some lunch before paddling over to the house. I am told that Rob listened to Metallica on his Ipod on the paddle to Rottnest and to Beethoven on the paddle back to Perth – what a contrast!

Although not the official start of schoolies there were several “party” boats of leavers with their music blaring and Judy paddled past one of those that was moored near the house to ask how long they were staying there.  As she paddled off someone threw a tennis ball and it hit Judy in the head. Judy, as you could imagine, raced back over to the boat and gave them a right dressing down.  I had visions that we would find our kayaks vandalised the next day or missing as they had been set out to sea by the disgruntled schoolies but fortunately they moved on before nightfall!

Whilst having a wine or 2 Rod was discussing emergency radio call procedure with a few of the paddlers. Helen thought she would get some practise and did a distress call only to be reminded (very quickly) that she was actually on air. She quickly got back on the radio to let anyone know that was listening that was just a test call!

That evening we cooked up a BBQ, salad and Pel made his yummy Bean Salad & Di cooked up some damper which went down a treat.

The snorers (no names mentioned – Pel and Steve) were made to sleep on the verandah and we thought it was them we could hear that night however unbeknown to us another snorer  (initials JR) was in the lounge room – right next to the girls’ room. Helen had the right idea with her ear plugs in and didn’t hear a thing.

We woke up to a beautiful morning on Saturday.  A funny thing happened as Judy was standing outside the kitchen – a bird fell on her head and landed on the floor.  It was still lying there 5 minutes after so we were a bit worried about it but it must have just been stunned and eventually flew off.  Judy, what is this attraction your head – tennis balls and birds?

After breakfast we got set to head off on our clockwise circumnavigation of the island. Rod being the trip leader was giving us a reminder of signals for when we were out on the water and Judy and he nearly came to blows over what was the correct “come to me” signal.  Hence Pel named them Punch and Judy.  Conditions could not have been better with small 1-1.5m swell and light SE winds which turned SW later in the day. The water was stunningly clear and blue. Not long into the paddle Judy spotted a turtle – well so she says but as she was the only one to see it, it can’t be confirmed.  It may have been a hallucination from the earlier concussion with the bird.

The most challenging part of the paddle was around West End but even for the less experienced of us it was not really a problem. After rounding West End we paddled in to the first bay and there were half a dozen seals resting in the water with their flippers sticking up above the water sunning themselves.  Then we paddled on to the next bay we saw some fins – was it a shark, dolphin or whale?  We decided it was either a large dolphin or a small whale.  In fact there were a few of them to greet us as we paddled in to Eagle Bay where we had a lovely relaxing lunchbreak.  While there some inquisitive lizards were trying to partake of Rod’s lunch. From Eagle Bay we had the wind behind us and those with sails took the opportunity of using them. Jim pulled out a kite and after a lot of getting the string caught around his boat managed to get the kite up flying and used it like a sail to assist him along.  Those of use without the sails just had to paddle harder and keep up with muscle power. On passing Catherine Bay we heard someone calling out.  It was Rob who had taken the day off to spend with Peta and they had been bussing around the island getting off at many of the beautiful bays along the way.

Just out from Thomson’s bay there is normally a nice surf break (which my hubby says is called Transits) so Jim, Rod, Dave and I headed over to do some surfing.  It was not breaking consistently but enough to have some fun.  I was trying to learn from the masters but have a long way to go!

While we were out on the water – Di and Carolyn had cycled out to West End taking photos hoping to catch a nice shot or 2 to sketch or paint. They had rather sore butts by the end of the day but thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Rob and Peta joined us late in the arvo and we settled on the verandah for some sundowner drinkies.  Did I mention the view from that verandah – ah the serenity! Another BBQ that evening and some more of Pel’s famous bean salad.  Di surprised us with some yummy scones for dessert.

That evening Steve and Dave played Tumbledown to settle a disagreement regarding the navigation over to Rottnest – I believe Dave won and had pleasure drawing the pine trees on the block.

I took the opportunity to bring out my new log book to see if I could work on Rod for a few sign-offs in my assessment record toward the new Intermediate Skills level (what is the intermediate skills again!?!?!?).  Rod however is a hard taskmaster and only signed me off on one item – paddling at a speed of 5km for 90 mins.

During our stay we had a rogue quokka that kept sneaking in through our barricades. People were sweeping it out (gently) with a broom and scooping it out with a paddle – it always found a way to get back in again – I wonder if it is called Houdini?

We woke up to another perfect day on Sunday.  It was decided that we would aim to leave about 10am to let the SE wind die off a bit. We packed our gear in to our kayaks and Carolyn and Di very kindly cleaned up in the house.  You girls are stars – I hope Rod and Jim know how lucky they are. While we were waiting Rado decided to do some artwork on Rod and Jim’s faces with his multi coloured Zinc.  Jim ended up with makeup looking like the lead singer of KISS – and paddled back to Cottesloe like that.  Rado could get a job doing kids face painting at festivals – he was so good at it.

Rob paddled around and met us about 10am and the girls waved the 12 of us paddlers off as we set off into the wild blue yonder.  Actually it was beautiful conditions for most of the paddle back to Cottesloe with again only 1-1.5m swell and light SE winds which turned SW mid paddle.  I couldn’t believe how clear the Perth coastline was the whole paddle back. It made you feel closer to the shore than you actually were.  We were meant to be heading slightly over to Freo way so that when the SW winds came in we could ride the swell back in to Cottesloe.  Not sure quite where we went wrong but the last part of the paddle was spent with the wind& waves side on – that’s what happens when you listen to the boys! We took about 3hrs to get back which was great timing.

Thanks to all for the great time and laughs had over the 3 days. It was great to get to know you all better.

Ready to paddle back – photo Helen Cooksey

Rob, Steve, Rod, Jim, Dave & Rado before the paddle over – photo John Radovich

 Thompson’s Bay from the house – photo Helen Cooksey

Steve on the water – photo John Radovich

Seals at the west end – photo Helen Cooksey

Pel at lunch break – photo Helen Cooksey

Rod over reef on the north side – photo John Radovich

Pel, Helen, Jim and Dave on the way back to the mainland – photo John Radovich

For more pictures, see the Photo Gallery

By Rod Coogan

The week did not start well!

The weather forecast leading up to Sunday, 19 April was not looking good. The predicted conditions were near calm. I now regard calm as a four-letter word. I was wishing for 15-20 knot winds and come 6.00am Sunday morning I was still hopeful … perhaps a miracle.
The day was a dreaded 4 knot breeze, glassy seas and clear blue skies- so much for my miracle!

I arrived at the west Cape Peron Car Park at 7.50am, certainly time enough to beat others there.

It looked like the Sea Kayak Club had booked the entire car park, only one solitary bay remaining and it was mine. On the other side of things what a fabulous turnout – 17 paddlers. It was very pleasing to see such a widespread of experience present.

The prelaunch brief was a little longer than usual and did include on-water signals. In particular whistle blasts, 1-for ‘stop’, 2- for ‘Go’ and 5-blasts for a genuine emergency. The latter would regretfully play a part later during the morning.

When we did hit the water it was in anything but rough conditions, however, there was a very nice half metre swell running and everyone was in fine stroking form.

The paddle armada was divided into three groups of 5 paddlers with Rado, the roving photographer, and myself commuting between groups. Group leaders swapped positions at the end of every leg to give all the opportunity of leadership and on-water communication. Effective communication was a challenge even in these near ideal conditions.

The first destination was a 2.5km leg to Collie Head at Garden Island. The armada paddled in a 3-group arrowhead formation. A total of 17 sea kayaks made an impressive sight, all 3 sub-groups held their formation well. From Collie Head next stop was South West Point, paddling in near breaking and surging waves as close to the cliff line as individuals felt was safe for them.

At South West Point the paddle groups turned north toward the beach area near South Hill, paddling just outside of glassy green breaking rollers.

Close to South Hill we decided to land. Each paddle group would organize its own surf landing. All was proceeding in a usual manner leaving just Rado and myself to land. We both approached the beach and about to proceed further when we heard one whistle blast (stop), a second blast (go) immediately followed by 3,4 &5 blasts. Something was wrong!

We immediately landed to be told Mark had dislocated his shoulder whilst landing. Grabbing First Aid kits, VHF Radio and mobile phone, we ran along the beach to find Mark already being attended to. He was in good spirits with some discomfort and I suspect perhaps annoyed with himself.

At times no matter what care you take, some things just happen. When they do it’s usually where prior training and practice comes into play. That was to very case in this situation.
Marks’ condition was assessed, he was assisted to a comfortable position with his arm supported.

It was now onto the radio to call up assistance from Rockingham Sea Rescue, who arranged for a Ranger from Garden Island to evacuate Mark by 4WD to the mainland. President Judy accompanied Mark to a waiting ambulance.

Back on the beach Group members were preparing Mark and Judy’s boats for towing to our launch site, approximately a 9km paddle. Fortunately a lone fisherman nearby was monitoring his radio, recognized our predicament and assisted taking Mark’s heavy boat on board. Our thanks go that fisherman. Brighty towed Judy’s boat, well done Bob.

The paddle was aborted and all paddlers returned safely to the launch site. Some of us found our way to Café Jane’s home for a ‘feet-up’ late-ish lunch. Thank you Jane.

As Co-ordinator for the day I would like to thank all paddlers for the roles they played.

There is no doubt that the Club’s training days are of huge benefit.

The friendly fisherman with Mark’s kayak.– photo John Radovich

• Always have a rock solid method to pin point your location.
• Always carry spare batteries for your VHF Radio, GPS and other equipment.
• Practice ‘on-water’ communication in differing conditions. It’s harder than you think!
• Gradually increase your exposure to windier, rougher conditions.
• One day you will be caught out!
• If Mark’s in pain, he smiles. If it really hurts he’d probably laugh his head off!
• Carry a chinograph pencil in your PFD to write notes on the deck of your boat.
• Wash them off later.
• Expect the unexpected.
• Be confident and practice using your VHF radio.
• Remember- when using your VHF, everyone is listening in. In our situation it was a friendly fisherman.
• No matter where you paddle always carry a First Aid Kit and spare warm dry clothes.
• An anonymous paddler launched, paddled up the face of a small shore break swell, didn’t make it to the top, slid backwards and ended up on the beach where he started …what a wasted effort!!
• Attend every training session- it will make you a better paddler and help you to save someone else.
• LISTEN: it’s an acquired skill.

The pre-launch brief – photo John Radovich

The day’s first raft up at Collie Head – photo John Radovich

Graham Lee in surging waves at Collie Head. – photo John Radovich

Mark resting and waiting for evacuation. – photo John Radovich

Comms Team atop the highest sand hill (Rod, Steve & Jane). – photo John Radovich

Mark being attended by Martin and Jo. – photo John Radovich

Bart Huntley

Anyone that has met me would have probably heard me “banging” on about an impending trip to Tasmania. Well the time finally came in January of this year and it really lived up to expectations.

Since reading an article in Australian Geo many years ago, it has always been a dream to do an extended trip by kayak and when my mate, Jason Gibbs, mentioned that he wanted to see the coast of Tassie, it just begged to be done by kayak. Initial planning began in 2007 and after a zillion emails, large phone bills (Jason lives in NSW) and what seemed like endless purchases we hit the water on 21st of January, this year.

Our initial plan was to launch on the Tamar River at a place called Low Head, paddle out the mouth and around the point, keep Tasmania on the right and see if we could make Hobart in 3 weeks. Seemed relatively simple however, Tassie’s notoriously fickle Bass Strait had other plans for us.

Setting off from Low Head late in the afternoon, we had planned on getting 10 kilometres under our keels and a bit of distance from civilisation before making our first camp. Within 100 metres of the mouth of the river, I had had three waves break over me, and the wind, now that we weren’t in sheltered waters, made its presence very well known. We made all of five kilometres and to be camping that night under the light of the Low Head lighthouse was a tad demoralising. The following day however, promised light winds in the morning with strengthening winds throughout the day. This was pretty much the weather pattern for the entire trip. The afternoon winds seemed to be either of the storm or gale force variety.

We put in a reasonable effort the next day making about 25 kilometres before the winds became ridiculous, and we ended up in Beechford. There we languished for the next 4 days! The winds were well over 30 knots and the ocean looked like a washing machine, day after day. When we did finally get away, we managed some 50 odd kilometres to Bridport. Weather forecasts again looked dodgy, with extended non-paddling weather, limited fresh water availability and with the critical Banks Strait to negotiate, it was then that we made the decision to pull out and start again from Bicheno. We had already lost many paddling days and the prospect of losing more and missing some of the East Coast sights forced the change of plans.

From Bicheno on however, we were much more fortunate with the weather. From Bicheno we paddled to Wineglass Bay, then around Freycinet Peninsular to Cooks Beach, over to Crockett’s Bay on Schouten Island, past Isle de Phoque to Maria Island, crossed Mercury Passage to Dunalley, then to Lime Bay, Blackman’s Point and then finally Wedge Bay. White Beach Caravan Park in Wedge Bay was the end of the line for our trip.

At Cooks Beach, Schouten and Maria Islands, we camped for extended periods to do some of the walks or simply to rest. Some of the highlights were climbing Mt Graham (579m) and Bear Mountain (approx 300m). The views from both were simply stunning and well worth the hard, hot slogs to the top.

On a trip as long as this, there isn’t enough space to relate all the memorable moments. There were some times however, that will stay forever in the memory banks. One such time was when we were crossing Mercury Passage, between Maria Island and Dunalley. My forward stroke had gone astray at some stage during the trip up to this point, and after 3 hours in the saddle, I was knackered. I was sitting in the middle of the Passage coming to grips with the realisation that the only way the pain would end, was to pick up the paddle, with arms that felt like lead weights, make more pain and continue on. Sitting there trying to summon the energy before the weather turned, in the fast approaching afternoon, I realised that what I needed was a distraction. Almost on cue I was surrounded by dolphins that played for at least 10 minutes. It was just the break and diversion that I needed and the next 2 hours passed quickly.

Another great memory was of our fishing exploits. We had wanted to catch fish along the way to supplement our carbohydrate heavy diet. Unfortunately, our fishing skills did not provide more than a single pike each. That night, the two great white hunters planned a fish curry with potatoes and coconut cream. After cooking everything up we knew we were in trouble when the potatoes were bristling with bones!! Needless to say, we were not very impressed, so from then on our efforts went into green lip abalone and mussels. We had some fantastic meals after that.

Something that will be really hard to forget was the feeling we had when crossing between Schouten Island and Maria Island. Our plan had been to call in at Isle de Phoque along the way. We knew it was just an overgrown rock and that their would be no hope of getting out and stretching the legs, but we did think that we might have been able to get in the lee of the island and just have lunch out of the wind. Talking to a yachtie the night before departing Schouten Island, we found out that our plan had a flaw. The rock is home to a large seal colony and some very large sharks that evidently do laps waiting for a seal to fall off the island. We did not fancy becoming another statistic for 2009 (the sharks had a very high profile summer this year) so we intended giving the Isle a very wide berth by paddling closer to the Tassie mainland. As luck wouldn’t have it, the wind and currents were in cahouts and we passed well within a kilometer of the rock, all the time hearing the theme to Jaws in our heads.

If anyone has ever thought of wetting a paddle in Tassie, I can strongly recommend it. The people are very friendly and helpful, the fresh produce mind blowing (especially after weeks of pasta and porridge) and the scenery oh so worth it. Beware, the water is very cold but beautifully clear, and conditions can change very quickly. It definitely pays to have a relaxed schedule and a flexible approach. We ended up with numerous side adventures as a result which only enriched the entire experience.

Further Details

• We used a “mission control” person that we kept in touch with everyday by a nominated time. This person would text through a forecast for the following day and act as a centralised contact for loved ones. We would text back our intentions and “news” and reconfirm the same the following morning before setting off. The system was great and avoided any miscommunications with regards to paddle plans.
• We also kept in touch with the various coast guard/marine rescue radio monitors down the coast. All lovely people and a wealth of information on local conditions and what to avoid.
• Although we took a satellite phone (thanks Tim!) we managed to get reception all the way down the coast with the 3G network.
• Water was always a limiting factor, however we managed to find numerous resupplies along the route. TIP: A tea towel makes a great strainer to remove mozzie larvae from tank water at the numerous old station homes.
• One of our most treasured gadgets was a solar charger that we used to keep a very power hungry phone battery topped up, as well as an assortment of camera batteries ipods etc. If anyone is interested, the one we had is called a Solio.

Sunset at Crockett’s Bay

Some friendly fins in Mercury Passage

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Bart and Jason, the two hairy mates at the end of the trip

In behind the Nuggets

Heading into Wineglass Bay

Wineglass Bay

The view from Mt Graham

Under my keel

Abalone, a bit bigger than in WA

 

Di Bramley

Images by Tim Hale

From tales told to Di Bramley (scribed around the campfire, with all care but no responsibility taken for its accuracy).

Paddlers: Wayne Stocker, Rod Coogan, Paul Cooper, Alan Hale, Jim and Di Bramley, Tim Hale, Glen Askew, Steve Foreman, Leonie Moore. Artist in residence, Caroline Coogan.

The group began gathering at Coalmine Beach Caravan Park, Walpole Thursday afternoon.

Following Gentlemen’s hours, and much careful preparation of packing for an overnight sea kayak excursion, Friday’s paddle finally set off at 11am. Weather was clear and sunny, light winds. Wayne, Rod, Paul, Alan, Jim, Tim, Glen paddled across the calm waters of Nornalup Inlet heading for the Southern Ocean. Camping destination would be determined by finding a suitable cove and landing. “We set off from the beach in light to medium winds and calm sea and made a lunch break at the ocean mouth on a lovely sandy beach. The wind had been gradually picking up and when we left, the ocean had white caps and a freshening breeze. We picked a sighting point on Rame Head and began paddling steadily.”

However, “The state of the sea overtook our expectations. We had paddled hard for about 2 hours but the wind didn’t allow the planned excursion to proceed. We got close to half way but the going was tough. We were heading into strong winds and a medium chop and it was decided it wasn’t worth the effort. The decision was made to turn back. Coming back we picked up a surf break at the Inlet mouth. Back at the sandy beach, some ate, one walked, one swam and some surfed. Alan got cleaned up by the surf twice. Tim took a mammoth swim (accidentally minus his kayak), of 300 metres, with Rod shouting “encouragement” from the sidelines.”

They arrived back at camp, not unhappy about sleeping in a warm soft bed instead of on a hard bed on a cold, wind lashed shore.
Saturday saw groups taking off in various directions.

Rod, Caroline, Jim and Di biked along part of the Bibbulmun Track to Walpole . Di crashed, as she tried to emulate Rod’s graceful sharp turn onto the pedestrian pavement (the bruise was impressive). Steve and Leonie opted to paddle up the river at Nornalup.

A smaller but dedicated group of intrepid sea kayakers, Alan, Tim, Wayne and Paul once again set out of the Inlet. “We intended to check out Saddle Island, and do some fishing on the way. Again, we were beaten back by massive winds, gnarly Southern Ocean seas , swells and wind gusts up to 30 knots. The waves were higher than the kayaks were long. We beached and walked to Shelly Beach where we measured winds of 30 knots with Paul’s German anemometer. This beach would not be a suitable landing spot, only for crash landing. We arrived back at camp tired and stuffed.”

Easter Sunday, paddlers were woken early by the excited squeals of children chasing 2 big pink bunnies who were throwing Easter eggs. Leonie scored 3 but her caring conscience persuaded her to give them to a crying child, who ran off without a backward glance.
After a leisurely breakfast, (Gentleman’s hours have been upgraded to Gentlemen’s Code with an “Event based timing system. Refer to Wayne for clarification), the group sorted out the logistics of a trip to Nornalup. Nine o’clock start time was decided to slot in morning tea at Nornalup.

The group paddled up the Inlet to Nornalup, fishing and surfing. Paul’s sail known as “the cone”, caught a gust of wind and he was in full flight. Unfortunately the wind dropped off and Paul’s sail fell over his head, enveloping him in a “cone of silence”. This was witnessed by many, as he was by now 100 meters in front. “Is he alright?” a passing boater inquired, not quite sure what he was seeing, a white cone with black arms paddling furiously. “I was back winded.” said Paul later that night, unperturbed by all the ribbing. Wayne darkly commented “That paddle was like paddling in wet cement.”

After 8 km of heavy paddling the Nornalup Boat ramp and beckoning tea rooms were a welcome stop. Steve, Leonie, Di joined in the 4.5 km River paddle . Caroline stayed on the river bank, sketching the magnificent trees.

We paddled gently upstream bathed in sunlight ,along the convoluted, placid waters, bordered by hills of tall tingle and gums. Beautiful country, as the plaque at Monastery Landing proclaimed. James Mitchell declared the land along the river an A Class Reserve. But Rod and Paul had seen enough tall trees after only 500 meters. “We were looking for some bump and scrape”… pardon?? Rod subsequently became comatose and fell behind out of sight. All worried about him and Jim turned back to find him . There he was, half a km down river, asleep at the paddle. Attempting to get Rod to step up the pace, Jim raced off with concentrated paddling strokes but was abruptly stopped by a log collecting him across the chest. Now alert, Rod then assisted Jim.

Tim and Wayne sighted a tiger snake swimming across their bow and headed for the bank to check it out as it rested in the reeds. No one was keen on falling in the river after that. We paddled on, reaching an area where a tree had fallen across, blocking access. Some nimble limbo antics were performed by Jim, Steve and Tim while the hungry paddlers abandoned them and went back to Monastery Landing for lunch. Steep sides prevented ground exits so a system of multilevel valet parking accommodated some of the boats. Seven craft on a 6′ by 6′ jetty was difficult and it ended up with some boats strung together like washing hanging along the bank. The manoeuvre took at least 20 minutes.

Rod and Paul, unable to sit and wait for their turn to tie up, went back to Nornalup boat ramp. Rod was in for a surprise which Caroline could see happening but could not prevent, choosing instead to take note of the various colours of the women’s saris. Rod said, “We positioned ourselves for a calm exit and were rudely startled by a reverse attack of Indians in a Canadian canoe, Paul almost being t-boned”.

Wayne was having his own close contact with some tourists in another boat. “Ver are not frum round zees parts. Tell us pleese “Is zis ze Franklin River?” “Yes”, Wayne “ But you must keep between the red and green markers”. He was greeted by blank stares. He tried speaking in French but their French was not as good as Wayne’s. He resorted to hand signals. Later that night, when quizzed about the couple, Wayne had a vague idea of what the fellow looked like but was able to give a detailed description of the blond, blue eyed frauline. This would explain why he spent so much time trying to explain river etiquette.

After another coffee break at the tearooms, all the men raced down river to the river mouth. “I shall Hoon down the river”, boasted Tim. ”I shall zip by you all”, said Paul. A flurry of kite, sails and the cone and they were off for home.

It is significant to note that the 2 senior citizens in the group flogged them all (and are also entitled to free public transport now!). “We re-grouped at the river mouth for the paddle across the estuary, a 12 to 15 knot wind behind us, low choppy seas running in front”. Tim helped Jim to get the kite flying and Steve rafted up with Jim to make use of the pulling power. Tim collected 2 cling-ons, Rod and Wayne to take advantage of the sail but Paul, unassisted, inside his cone of silence, powered forward stealthily gaining on Alan who was under paddle power.

When the cling-ons broke free it was a mad scramble to the beach, but no one was going faster than the waves. There was no cheer squad to greet them. The wild conditions had driven Di, Caroline and Leonie back to the comfort of the campfire.

On Monday as the group broke camp the weather was glorious, the inlet waters flat glassy blue, no wind, perfect conditions for a great overnight sea kayak excursion.
HEY! COME BACK!!!

Monastery landing.

Getting ready to head out of the inlet.

Wayne at the inlet mouth.

A quick lunch before heading out.

Glen on the return.

Wayne going out for a look in 15kt plus winds.

Wayne and Paul on Shelly beach taking a wind reading.

Tiger snake we saw swimming across the river.

Wayne and Rod (bored) in the Frankland river.

Rod Coogan

They go to the Penrith White Water Stadium in Sydney.

What a great idea, couldn’t wait to get there! Our group members were Rod Walker, Dave Stuart and SKC members Martin Burgoyne and myself.

Day-1: Wednesday, 3 December 2008.
Getting there:

It was a very quick and bleary eyed rise at 4.00am to catch the 6.00am flight. Fortunately I was able to stay over at Martin and Val’s the night before saving me an even earlier rise from Mandurah.

Airport check-in was surprisingly effortless considering we all had our own boats and paddling gear. There were a few nervous thoughts about excess baggage fees but we got through check-in without incident.

Once landed we very quickly collected our gear, carrying our boats through the airport terminal and to the building across the road to pick up our rental car. Martin had included roof racks in his paddle bag which we fixed to the car carry bars with 100MPH tape. This presented our first challenge- couldn’t drive the car out with all four boats on top. However, after a reconnoiter and discussion we concluded the car could driven out with two kayaks on top provided we avoided low height RJS supports and steered a ‘cross country course’ through vacant parking bays to the building’s entrance. We then had to raise the entrance car height bar to get out. The remaining two boats we quickly mounted in the street just as a parking officer approached. Lucky escape! The journey to Penrith reminded me just how close and fast Sydney traffic is. I’ll not complain about Perth traffic again.

With an hour remaining before the Stadium closed we decided to get there and ‘run it’. WOW! What a first run! Absolutely fantastic, challenging and quite tricky in particular spots. It certainly whetted our appetites for the coming days’ paddling.

En-route to our bunk house accommodation we shopped for food and beverage supplies. Our accommodation was located at the rear of a B&B enterprise surrounded by an open lawned area and fruit trees. The bunk house contained eight double bunks with a small living area, TV& DVD, bathroom and a very well stocked kitchen thanks to numerous previous occupants. It looks to be a favourite with paddlers being less than three kilometres from the white water stadium.

Dinner was a delicious chicken and vegetable stir-fry prepared by Chef Rod C. and Sous Chef Martin. Unfortunately a kayak DVD playing momentarily distracted the Chef and Sous Chef that resulted in ‘sunburnt’ broccoli rosettes and soggy noodles. Fortunately the onset of fatigue, the result of a very long day, together with lashing of stir-fry sauce saved our culinary reputations. All slept soundly that night.

Day-2: Thursday,
Being there:

We rose sharply at 8.30am, enjoyed an alfresco brekky under our front verandah and packed lunch supplies for the day. This would be the pattern for the remainder of our stay.

The Penrith venue is impressive with café and catering service, usual shower and change rooms, boat shed and storage racks, beach volleyball court together with landscaped and elevated lawn viewing/ picnic areas. The water course is described as solid Grade 3 and the pumps move water at a speed that will fill a 50m Olympic size swimming pool in 55 seconds. The course rapids are basically concrete walls of varying heights that protrude into the water course. The nature of rapids and therefore degree of difficulty is altered by the addition of 30cm diameter plastic bollards to the ends of the protruding concrete walls. Some rapids have 1-2 bollard extensions, others up to 5 extensions in place. Other rapid features are created placing concrete blocks of varying shapes and height on the course bed. The sloping face of rapids appear to have submerged ‘steel like plates’ beneath them and in some cases the water flowing over them can be quite shallow.

The number of raft bookings governs water flow times. There is not sufficient revenue generated from individual paddlers to justify longer flow times. Rafting sessions today were 10.30am to noon and 2.30 to 4.00pm. Two, one and a half hour sessions seemed a little short, however we soon discovered that after two circuits of park and play kayaking a rest break is ‘sorely’ needed.

There are some very tricky and challenging features that tested our individual skills. All except Rod W. took an unscheduled swim. I would say one of our number more than the others- ahh hmm.
Some tricky features were very strong eddy currents, small waves and rapids with unexpected grip enough to capsize those not paying attention, some funny water, the ‘First Drop’ and next three rapids if you were not paddling or bracing enough to break through and ‘Knuckles’ where some of us lost skin. It is a good idea to wear gloves which we did. The concrete sides and bottom can leave you with lacerations and skin removed from knuckles and knees.

Dinner tonight was a mouth watering spaghetti bolognaise prepared by Chef Rod W. followed by a DVD viewing. The DVD was significant because it was the very first white water kayak horror movie made. The plot and dialogue was at best terrible but the paddling action was breathtaking, performed by paddlers who I’m sure had a death wish.

Day-3: Friday,
A big day:

The raft session times today were 9.00am to 3.30pm. We paddled all day until good sense dictated (read sore muscles and tired bodies) that we stop. Most every circuit I paddled today I discovered another course feature that required a measure of paddling respect.
Before dinner we cut down our paddling gear to a bare minimum to reduce the amount of wet gear to be dried before flying home tomorrow.

Dinner tonight was a role reversal from Day-1. This time Chef Martin and Sous Chef Rod C. created a very sumptuous pork and vegetable stir-fry without any sunburnt ingredients or sogginess.

Day-4: Saturday,
The last day:

Following breakfast we prepared for our last paddle and packed what we could for the return flight home. This morning the stadium was packed. Competitive Time Trials were being held with spectators, slalom kayaks, rafts, officials, competitors and rafters everywhere. After paddling one circuit we agreed it was too busy and decided to call it a day.

The weather was sunny so wet gear was laid out to dry on bollards, pavement and trees. We wanted to reduce the chance of excess weight from sodden gear. By the time we had showered and loaded the boats onto the car our gear was near dry.

The journey in weekend Sydney traffic was tedious. Again we had no problems with airline check-in. The return flight was about 4 hours and was particularly numbing.

In spite of skinned knuckles, a lacerated knee, sore muscles and gouges to my helmet this is a trip I will definitely do again.

An excellent venue and great company.

The ‘Finish Pool’ where rafters launch to the conveyor.– photo Rod Coogan

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The Start Pool at low tide – photo Rod Coogan

The Start Pool at full capacity – photo Rod Coogan

Conveyor exit into the ‘Start Pool’ directly above ‘First Drop’. – photo Rod Coogan

Rod W. boofs as Martin attacks ‘First Drop’. – photo Rod Coogan

Dave surfs the rapid above ‘Main Wave’. – photo Rod Coogan

Martin surfs the rapid above ‘Main Wave’. – photo Rod Coogan

Martin breaks-out at ‘Main Wave’.– photo Rod Coogan

Looking toward ‘The Deep Fryer’, ‘Last Drop’ and the ‘Finish Pool’.– photo Rod Coogan