There was a nice nor’easter when I logged on with Lake Macquarie marine rescue at 6.30am so the first hour was terrific. No slewing down waves, no stress on my toes, no frantic maneuvering to stay upright, just paddling and ticking over at about 8km/hr. Then it stopped. Then it started from the North West. Then it stopped. Then it came up from the South West. Then it stopped. I passed Warren at 9.00am but although he could see me from way up high I could only see the car. Last comment was that I would race him to Nora Head.

At 9.30am I passed a small island and the wind was up again, quite strong, but with enough west in it to allow the sail to work on a tight reach and still aim for Norah Head. We didn’t connect at the 9.30 radio sked, nor at the 10.00am nor the 10.30am by which time I was almost at the lighthouse. Bugger I thought, and turned right to Nora Head beach. There was a crowd on the beach so I went to the western end and slid up onto the beach behind a half metre wave. When I called Warren on the phone I learned that he was concerned  that I might be ahead and had gone to The Entrance. Same thing happened with Andrew in England at the Deal Pier and Lyn and I had that problem, so I really should have briefed Warren. Anyway he knows now that I don’t go past the point we last talked about, particularly after three missed radio skeds.

I took the time to eat and drink and headed back to the water. The shore dump was a bit difficult so I stayed up the beach, knuckled down into the surf after stretching the skirt over the cockpit and promptly had a wave wash the front of the kayak back up the beach so that I was sideways. No alternative but to release the skirt, get out and start again. With the nose aimed slightly left the next attempt was more successful but crashing through a couple of head high dumpers washed the tow rope back onto the skirt. Minor problem.

The wind had dropped to nothing so it was an easy paddle around the lighthouse where I could see The Entrance. At 11.30am Warren and I connected and we had no problems with half hourly skeds for the next four hours but the wind came from dead ahead and kept progress to about 4km/hr. Eventually I got behind the point south of Bateau Bay and out of the wind. With no wind it was bloody hot and the smell of the land was strong.

A really interesting experience during the day was that the southerly winds were hot. Westerlies can be hot but southerlies? As the westerlies were building north of Norah Head  a heat haze shimmered on the water like you see over a hot road. I have never seen that before either.

Warren had gone ahead and confirmed with Doug that we were behind time but would 4.00pm at Terrigal be OK? Doug said yes so I aimed directly at Terrigal and blasted into the breeze. Doug met me just after 3.30pm out on the water and pointed me in the right direction to the surf club where everyone was gathering. His was a white water kayak, way slower than mine so he had a harder time battling the breeze but we made good time and rolled onto the beach before 4.00pm.

When I was doing an interview the phone rang twice but of course I couldn’t answer it. Got back to them about 4.10pm. It was the Terrigal Marine Rescue checking with me. I had said ETA 16.00hrs. Man are they on the ball.

51.3km on the log with 7 out of more than 9 hours against the wind. Not a bad day even if I say so myself.

Warren is writing about the welcome people. I’m going to sleep.

Surely that flat top outcrop into the sea is man made

Catherine Hill Bay wharf but what is that concrete structure?

Looks like a new subdivision. Moonee Beach won’t be the same with that there

Company on the high seas

Norah Head light house

“Hi Steve, after you” says Doug

Welcome to Terrigal. Hale, Doug, Cath, Wolf.  Cath was the petition warrior gathering signatures from the beach. Go Cath! Doug was the contact and organiser.

Telling stories. After a word from my daughters Heidi and Amanda I have been telling the grandkids stories from my trips. Their parents can read them books. After 12,000km you do gather a few good ones

Warren      DAY 2   Today started with some trepidation about the forecast of 42 degrees, and a very long paddle for Steve. Still being an apprentice with the camera, I didn’t get as many good photographs as I would have liked, but I’m getting better. The trick for me was anticipating where Steve would be for the radio checks, and how long it was going to take to drive to good strategic points such as headlands for the radio checks, and the ever hoped for but elusive photo shot. Today was my real opportunity to get to know my role, and its importance for Steve

It was a great day, the heat was a real factor, but after a nine and a half hour paddle, Steve reached Terrigal, the destination for the day.

As Steve approached the appointed landing place at Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club, Doug Williamson paddled out to meet Steve almost out of site from the beach, and to escort Steve in. It was great to see them arrive together, and to be met by a group of supporters, Hale, Cath, Wolf, and of course Doug, who had arranged the welcome. I know Steve was very appreciative of the welcome, particularly in light of his arduous day on the water. A number of other supporters joined the group as we sat and chatted in the shade of a tree.

A special thank you from me, to the welcoming committee, Doug Williamson, member of the Central Coast Greens and of the Community Environment Network, to Hale Adasal, Convenor of Central Coast Amnesty International and member of Central Coast Greens, and who live videod an impromptu interview of Steve by Doug,  to Cath O’Connor, Co-Convenor of Central Coast Greens and member of Save Wyong Trees, who collected many signatures while we were there, and to Wolf Messthaler, member of Beyond Zero Emissions and Central Coast Greens, who took many photos which he is forwarding for our use.

Very successful day even if the start was less than ideal. 6.00am and ready to hop into the car at Lyn’s place 25 minutes south of Ballina when I realized that I had not put Warren’s stretcher and mattress in. Tempted as I was, I did not say a rude word but just went straight home chucked them on the back seat and was back where I was 50 minutes later.

Uneventful drive down and Warren’s train arrived at Broadmeadow (Newcastle) right on time at 2.05pm but I was in the carpark, which was the wrong side of the track. Warren’s phone wasn’t working but two extremely clever engineers sorted it all out and I left Horseshoe Beach at 3.10pm, albeit wearing my spare hat because unbeknown to me mine had hidden itself under the seat.

There was a good nor’easter blowing and against that and the tide it wasn’t until after 3.30pm that I cleared the breakwall. That wasn’t the end though because when I wanted to turn right there were waves braking on rocks so to be sure, to be sure, I battled out to sea for another ten minutes. Sail up I was away, slewing down waves and reaching a top speed of 19.3km/hr. Yee haaaa!

Radio sked was at 5.00pm. Warren had just arrived at Red Head and could see me straight in front of him. We decided to check in again at 6.00pm and then 6.30pm but the latter was not needed because I was already there. Three hours to cover the 26.5km to Swansea Heads.

Warren seems to have it covered except for a couple of minor details like changing camera lenses.

Note to two beautiful girls: Tawny, the feather must be working because it is still there. Chloe, yep, never give up. Ever.

Getting ready to dash down the coast from Newcastle

Warren     DAY 1    Well, after  my train trip from Sydney to meet Steve in Newcastle, I arrived in a very relaxed state, to be brought back to reality with the realisation that my work was about to begin. This is a role I volunteered to help Steve with some time ago and which I have been looking forward to.  After a short drive to Horseshoe Beach, it was time to begin my support crew experience. After watching Steve prepare himself and his kayak, I strode down to the waters edge in my official photographer role. After a few quick photos Steve disappeared out around the headland and I drove south, hoping to catch him on route to Swansea. I arrived at Redhead and took some photos as he passed, but sadly I hadforgotten there was a zoom lens. Pity, because I’m sure they would have been award winners. Anyway, Steve arrived in Swansea in good time and I thought I had the role figured out, apart from the camera. Exhilarated by the day, sleep was easy

 From Colin Hargreaves (PhD)   Act on Climate NOW  http://www.aoc.org.au

Maximum Temperatures At Williamtown RAAF, next to Newcastle Airport, 1951-2016  These have risen nearly 2 degrees but note this is mostly over the last 20 years and so faster than global averages.

Minimum Temperatures At Williamtown RAAF, next to Newcastle Airport, 1951-2016. This has risen over 2 degrees but steadily over the whole period.

Diurnal Range.  This fell for the 40 years as minimums rose but not maximums, and then it has risen ever since. This is a fairly standard result that minimums started rising earlier but now maximums are rising much faster.

Rainfall At Newcastle Nobbys Signal Station   A very long span of data back to the 1860’s. Rainfall has generally fallen over this whole period from around 1300 to 1000mm, about 23%.

 

 

 

Lyn    DAY 21   (My last day as support crew on the ocean leg)

8am – We put Old Yella in at a small wharf nearby and Steve headed out to await the radio signal to come in for the official welcome at Horseshoe Beach.

In the meantime I went to Horseshoe Beach and met the organisers, I received a call from NBNnews and organised for them to be there at 10am to film Steve and the flotilla coming into the beach.

The crowd began to swell and many kayaks arrived; Emma Giles one of the organising party arrived on board the safety Boat. The call went out over the loudspeaker from the M.C. Jack  Thieme for all crafts to take to the water to accompany Steve into the beach.

It was a great setting with Steve in the forefront, Nobby’s Lighthouse in the background and  numerous watercraft accompanying him to the beach.

The feeling amongst the crowd was very spontaneous; there were about 100 people there. Then out of the crowd a lady stepped towards Steve to welcome him, Steve got a surprise when he realised it was Kerry Chalmers, an old school friend from Grafton High School days.

Steve recorded an interview with NBNnews and then gave an impromptu talk on the beach to a great reception. Thank you to NBNnews who have covered Steve’s journey all the way from Ballina.

Today marks the halfway point to Moruya; while it has had its tough moments Steve’s journey to this point has gone well.

I now pass the support crew baton onto Warren Birkinshaw, an old uni mate of Steve’s.Have fun, look after him Warren, I will see you both in Sydney on the 28th January at the Opera House Man O’ War Wharf.

One final thank you from me to all the amazing people I have met along the way, they gave us shelter, support and friendship. I also thank them for all the work they are doing in their local areas  to make this world a better place.

Lyn           

Not bad to get most of them together eh.

Even gottem back to the beach . NBN were great again (see FB page)

MC Jack

Fantastic surprise. Kerry Chalmers (nee Arndell for you Grafton lot) came down the beach as I got out of the kayak. We went through school together and competed academically. She has been lecturing at Newcastle uni for many years.

Beware the nannas. They are everywhere. See what I am wearing Rosie!

Way too many people to thank. It was a great turnout, terrific organisation and really motivating for me!

 

 

 

Easy set off from Boat Harbour at 7.30am after two great nights with Marny. The wind was up early and from the east, supposedly shifting from the north and building to gale force. Yee haa bring it on! Passing round the rocks I took a photo thinking that it might be my last chance because the wind was only twenty knots. It died a little and I got another shot down the sand dunes that run for a very long way…. boring.

We had bought a large bacon, mayo and cheese scroll and I had a piece of that for morning tea at 9.00am. By 10.00am I was really feeling tired. Everything hurt, the wind had stopped blowing and I still couldn’t see Newcastle. I thought I knew what the trouble was so had a banana and a sugary drink. Within ten minutes I was powering on again. So much for white bread and some tasty crap. Next meal would also be a banana.

A couple of planes came and went from Williamtown airport. There was a roar from behind my left shoulder. When I looked for the plane I found it already ahead of me and streaking towards its base. Must be bloody fun to fly one of those airforce jets.

With a strong northerly wind forecast and hardly any wind at all I looked at the clouds over Newcastle with a bit of trepidation. Maybe the southerly was coming. The BOM has been wrong before, even on this trip, so I hurried to Newcastle as fast as I could, arriving about 1.30pm after 38.5km

That’s halfway for the paddle leg and the end of paddling with Lyn. She goes back to work for three weeks and Warren does the support down to Moruya. What a great three weeks it has been with her. I have loved it.

Reception at Horseshoe Bay 10.00am tomorrow.

There are a number of ways to get started. You can go out through the waves first and then put the skirt on but that is after you sponge out the water that gets in. You can sit right near the water and have the waves drag you out with the skirt half on and fill up with water or you can put the skirt on above where the waves come and knuckle push into the water. I like the latter.Seagulls wave goodbye

Bit of swell still about

Boring… these sandhills go on forever

This guy dredges toxic sand for a new coal port facility and dumps it off shore. He is on his way out here

Look really closely. That’s him getting rid of his muck  at maybe 2km offshore, maybe less.

Coming back to get some more

No wonder the walk out to Nobbys is popular. Who could resist such an enticing sign

Into the Hunter

Lyn likes this one

Paddling towards Horseshoe Beach

The rain arrives just after me

Lyn       DAY 20     We said our farewells to Marny and planned to get together when Gordon and her were resettled back in Alstonville.

Steve left Boat Harbour with the Seagulls waving him off at 7.30. No stops in between today, our radio call is scheduled for 1pm at the break wall in front of Nobby’s Head Light. Steve’s guestimation for landing at Horseshoe Beach is 1.30.

It took me an hour and 15 minutes to get to Nobby’s Beach. Interestingly they have a large ocean pool tucked in the southern corner. I have seen a few along the way; as well as the netted pool at  the entrance to the Lakes at Forster. The Forster pool was by far the busiest. With all the interest back home at Ballina re an ocean pool it was good to see which was the most popular.

I sat and watched the surfers at Nobby’s Beach for a while, then I set out to find Horseshoe Beach. It was just on the other side of Nobby’s Head Light. It offered an easy entry into the Hunter River and Newcastle.

As I was there early I had plenty of time to explore the area. There were numerous historical buildings and old cottages mixed amongst the high rise apartments and hotels looking over the ocean. After being caught out a few times during the trip with Steve arriving early I didn’t want to get caught short on time today, my last official day as support crew, on water. So I returned to Nobby’s Beach got a salad sanger and a cup of tea and chilled out for a while.

I set out along the path next to Nobby’s Light at 12 noon, thinking that I had plenty of time. At 12.15 my phone rang, the voice said “Gedday.”

“Where are you?” I asked.

“About 2 km out from the Lighthouse. I’ve been paddling like buggery to get here before the storm hits.”

Like I said, be there early (note to Warren).

We had both been watching the storm brewing, but fortunately it was not too bad just a bit of rain dumping on us. It took Steve about 30 minutes to reach the breakwall and by the time he got there it was raining.

We packed up “Old Yella” and headed for our hotel, very wet and bedraggled.

We drove to the address we had been given for the Hotel Aspire. This was a little out of the way  but Steve had spent a stressful previous night dealing with the third party hotel booking company  (Advice always  book directly ) so in the end he just booked this one.

We stopped out the front, in the rain, and Steve got out to find reception….”No reception here”…so I suggested we look around the corner…”no reception here.” But we did find the car park! “No reception here” … another car pulled. Steve said “Do you know where reception is?”

“No we have just arrived.” So off they went in search of reception.

We pushed doors looked through windows…but no reception anywhere.

Mind you it is still raining and we are progressively getting wetter. We looked up the hotel in white pages and online but all that came up was the booking service.

I decided to go back and have another look. I looked through the doors and read a message which said,  if you are now in you have used your code correctly. What the …

Then I remembered my brother in law, Peter telling me some years ago about the new style of hotels where you just book online and turn up and let yourself in. I can UNDERSTAND why they never took off! However there was a number under the message so I rang it…no answer just music, this went on for ages so I hung up and rang again…more music, THEN a voice. It turned out that they were supposed to have sent us and the other people a text message with the code for the front door and another code for our room. Guess what no one received a code! She said I will send it to you. “Please just give it to us now.” She did, and then I gave my phone to the others and they could get their code and HEY we were all inside. She did resend us all our codes BUT I didn’t close the door until we received them.

As this is my last on water blog I want to thank the many people who have helped and supported us along the way. I also want to thank all the people who have signed the petition and hope that many more will during the rest of the journey.

The journey has been at times, full of anxiety, both for Steve and for being there for him, full of laughter and most of all full of love.

For now it’s back to work for me for a few weeks. However I will see you in a few weeks at Moruya  for the slog up the hill to Canberra.

 

 

We didn’t leave Tea Gardens bridge until 11.30, after doing a radio interview with 2NURFM. The river heads west after the bridge so I got a little help from the sail as I sailed across the oyster beds. There is a maze of small islands so I thought it best to stick with the channel markers meaning that lots of boats and a ferry went past. The river snaked south and then I was in Port Stephens.

The icy air sliced my screaming body… No it didn’t but Iiked the idea. It was great to have a cool breeze compared with yesterday’s blistering gale. Within two hours I was at the heads and able to turn a little to the right and set the sail on a tight reach. It was very bouncy near the cliffs with lots of little peaks on the ocean but I powered on thrusting through them. Past Fingal Lighthouse on Shark Island, past Fingal Bay and then One Mile Beach, but I was unsure where I was in relation to Boat Harbour. A discussion with Lyn, who could finally see me managed to right that situation although the waves were crashing on the rocks and the entrance looked a bit tricky. Not to worry, there was a big enough gap so I dropped sail and committed. A powerful current washed me towards the southern rocks so I just powered on and easily beat it. A lot of foam on the grey sea made me feel uncomfortable but logically there was nothing to worry about. Old Yella slid onto the sand at 3.45pm with 28.3km on the clock

Bye bye Tea Gardens

Entrance to the bay. I think it might just be the Karuah River but I have always called it Port Stephens or Nelson Bay but they seem to just be suburbs

I tried hard to get the sailing boat but with the delay on the camera and the boat appearing and disappearing I only managed to half get it

Coming across against the current

Close up of the foam from the waves

Lyn     DAY 19     Not having to start out so early today allowed us to spend time with Marny. Gordon is in Lismore settling into his new job with OEH (Office of Environment and Heritage) Marny will shortly join him there and they will once again be Northern Rivers residents. They have both been and still are tireless workers for the environment.

It was interesting to learn more about Marny and to hear the history of Australian Seabird Rescue. She was there from its inception and nobody knows more about it that she does. Marny and Lance took it from a hobby of saving pelicans to the Australia wide organisation that it is today.

Just as Steve was about to shove off at Tea Gardens I received a call from Garry at 2NUR to see if  I could organise an interview with Steve. (I love being a P.A. – sounds good, bit of a hoot really) Talk about perfect media timing, ABC also rang for an interview not long after he landed at Boat Harbour.

Next he radioed in to Marine Rescue at Port Stevens so they could log him on as leaving Tea Gardens with an estimated E.T.A. Of 1600 hours (4pm) at Boat Harbour. The radio operator could have been a radio announcer he had the smoothest voice and a great presence. Although when he called Steve the  Skipper of Old Yella Steve replied “That’s a bit of a grandiose term!” Then he inquired as to the colour of the kayak. “It’s yellow like a banana.” Steve replied. “Ok that stands to reason. Have a good trip, Port Stevens out.”  Steve finally left Tea Gardens at 11.30.

I arrived at Anna Bay at 12.30 heaps of time to look around and check out the landing spot. I headed straight to Boat Harbour; Mm looks a bit tricky, only a narrow passage in and the waves were crashing over the Rocks on either side. As the tide was still quite low I was hoping it would be a bit gentler by high tide at 3.15 when Steve was due to come in.

Next I went exploring. First off I went to One Mile beach, this was just to the north of Boat Harbour. It was a nice little bay and the waves weren’t too big, but there was no beach access (only for emergency vehicles). Next I went to Birubi Point. Well what a shock. Ok it does have  a long surf beach which was quite rough today. BUT then you go over the sand dunes and it’s like ‘What the hell!’

There were 10 camels with queues of people waiting to have a ride on them. There were 4 Wheel drive adventure tours, sand boarding and horse rides. Where have all these people come? Then I noticed that there were bus tours bringing in more people. I thought this was a quiet little out of the way town. OMG.

Steve came into Boat Harbour at 3.45. It was a tricky ride through the narrow entrance up to the beach, but as he glided up onto the sand he said ” I didn’t like that, a lot of white water a lot of bouncing and a lot of foam, anyway it’s alright when you get through all that white stuff.”

And so ends another day….

Birubi

 

It was always gonna be hot with westerly winds then a southerly coming through after lunch. There is nowhere for a pickup between Seal Rocks and Port Stephens so I decided to put in way up in the Myall Lakes and paddle inland to Tea Gardens, same distance but less worry about the southerly.

Things went well at the start on what is a magnificent waterway with the westerly just starting to puff a bit. There are a few doglegs to go around and as I turned East towards the Bombah Point ferry the wind picked up. Without paddling Old Yella reached 9km/hr so I knew it was getting strong. Lyn got some photos as I shot past and then turned right towards the entrance to the Myall River that runs to Tea Tree.

A hobie trimaran scuttled out from the windward shore as I struggled to hold the line reaching across the wind. Their sail flapped and I wondered how they would get back but that was their problem. I waved but they pretended not to see me. The wind grew to more than 30 knots and I regretted not putting the skirt on as wave after wave slopped into the cockpit. I just held the line but when I got there I found that I was at Mungo Brush and had to paddle straight into the wind for 45 minutes to get to the entrance. Turning left and into the calm waters the trees roared and danced above but it was hot, very hot. Morning tea time, sat in the water on the bank and contemplated how to fill my water bottle that had turned over and emptied in the turmoil.

Just down the river I started calling to fishing houses. A big black dog started barking and ran towards me just as I spotted a human. When I pulled into the sand the dog came over to tell me to bugger off. It was close enough that I could smell his breath but I figured he was just noisy and climbed out anyway. The young bloke filled the water bottle from the tank and I was off.

The Myall River meanders a lot but most of the time I seemed to be against the wind and until it dropped below 30 knots it was bloody annoying. At 2.00pm Lyn and I had a brief chat on the phone while I got blown into the trees. Call over, there was about 300m downwind run before the next bank so I raised the sail and we took off at better than 9km/hr against a significant tidal run so speed over water had to be better than 11km/hr. Tea Gardens arrived at 3.00pm. The temperature was over 40 degrees and that had sapped my energy so it took a while to recover before loading up.

Marny, a good friend who runs the Lismore Car Boot Market met us and took us back to their place where she served a very welcome cold beer.

Before the wind

This is fun

Past the ferry

The hobie

Waves building

Three kids for this pair

The fish found my feet interesting

Water stop

Being watched

Mangroves vs Sheoaks

Lyn         Packed up at the Taree motel ready to move on. Steve said, “We seem to have a lot more to pack into the truck this time.” It does seem like this, but we still have the same stuff. When you first leave home everything it neatly packed and everything has a place. As time goes on all the spaces seem to fill up. It’s a bit like a middle age spread it’s what we all started with but it just expands.

Back to paddling. Steve had planned a 60 km paddle down the coast from Seal Rocks to Port Stephens but with the southerly predicted for early afternoon and with no alternative pick up points along the way, he decided on a change in tack, so to speak. Instead he will now paddle through the Myall Lake system until he reaches the Myall River and then continue onto Tea Gardens. I meet up with Steve as he paddles towards the Bombah Ferry. He has the sail up and is powering along at this stage.

As I follow the road I am in the midst of National parks and I find it tricky sometimes to read the wind direction accurately, I can feel the wind shift but is it true north or north west this makes a difference to Steve’s times as he can use the sail with the northerlies and this means he will get to his destination by anything up to an hour sooner. As it so happened a couple of days ago when I was placing my binoculars in their case I found an old compass, they are both about 30 years old,  and both have come in handy. I remembered buying the compass so my sons could learn some bush skills. We lived on a farm and they loved to go adventuring.

This is what our journey and the Climate Emergency Declaration is all about we want to enable our grandchildren to be able to enjoy this amazing country and have their own adventures. However if the government doesn’t address the problems of climate change future generations will be battling the elements rather than enjoying them. Please sign the Climate Emergency Declaration petition and encourage everyone you know to do the same.

I arrived at Tea Gardens at 10.15, I am early today after the fiasco yesterday. It is HOT! I drive around to check out the ramps there are numerous ones here, it just depends on where Steve chooses to come in. Then I tried to find a cool place to wait. All I could find were outside cafes, too hot to sit there. Then I spied an ice cream/coffee shop, I stepped inside and it was just right, however everyone else had the same idea and there were no empty tables inside only outside; then this friendly voice said. “Would you like to join us.”

This turned out to be an eventful meeting. We discovered that we were both visitors to Tea Gardens and chatted about our reasons for being there. I explained about our kayak4earth trip and the petition. Then Sonia who was accompanied by her young daughter began to tell me about herself. She had a farm near Dungog where she ran cattle. I mentioned during the conversation that I worked for Richmond Landcare then the conversation got even more interesting. She briefly described an environmental waste project that was going to be set up on her property, I had heard of similar projects but the one she described would take the experiment to a different level. We exchanged details and I said that I would like to hear more about the project when it was underway; Sonia said that she would check out kayak4earth and as her daughter who had been very patient was anxious to have some fun we all moved on.

Steve and I have met lots of interesting people along our journey; many of whom are working to raise awareness as we are about climate change. We hear from them about the other work they are also doing to improve their own local  environment. If only the Australian Government would listen.

3pm     Steve has had a long hot trip. When he lands at Tea Gardens he takes time to re-energise. He just lays in the water to cool off before we go about the routine of packing up Old Yella.

A friend of Steve’s, Marny Bonner who some of you may remember from the Northern Rivers has been living at Tea Gardens with her husband Gordon Fraser for a couple of years. She has come to meet us as Steve arrives. Marny has generously offered us a place to stay and Steve is Looking forward to the catch up.

As we sit on Marny’s deck enjoying a cool one, the southerly arrives, while it is a welcome relief from the heat it does not play out well for tomorrow’s paddle; luckily it’s a shorter paddle tomorrow  to Anna Bay.

 

Lyn took a video as I eased out over the bar at Forster into a glassy blue pacific at 7.30am. You follow the cliffs east so the sun was in my eyes but only threatening to be hot at that stage. By 10.00am it had made good its threat and by 11.00am I was roasting again.

The GPS died at 10.00am. Cheap Varta batteries last maybe three days but I change them at two. They have been very dependable for me around the world. They ran out so I bought Eveready. Silly me for not changing them after a day. Funny how attached one can get to a GPS. It is sort of like a companion. I only use speed, average speed and distance travelled. I missed it when it died. Probably nothing like I am going to miss my support crew next week when she goes back to work though. Luckily she is coming to the Opera House. I know we should not fly like that but bugger it. We don’t fly for pleasure or holidays. With a son and his fiancé in Canada I have also decided even though it is wrong, that I will fly over occasionally to see them. No excuses, I’m just gonna do it. Funny how a lot of people call themselves environmentalists and then fly overseas for their holidays.

A kilometer off Charlotte Head the waves reflected back making smooth peaks with the easterly swell. It was scorching. For relief I would take my hat off, fill it with Pacific water and tip it on my head. The cool water would run down my back but in five minutes my head was baking and my body steaming. Temperature was in the high thirties and vigorous exercise in a shirt, a sheet of plastic (that’s the skirt) and a life jacket makes one think of removing some of it. But you don’t. Shit happens. It is called shit because it happens when you least expect it. I have been caught before paddling down the coast so I make sure that I am always ready.

I paddled on. A big splash of white water materialized ahead. What’s that? A small marlin launched into the air ahead of it, and then again and again. Maybe it was enjoying a brief sauna. A large group of the brown birds sat on the water to my left. I tried taking photos as some took off and skimmed past me. The group grew to maybe a hundred and then splash. A group of dolphins came toward the kayak. There were about ten of them swimming beside me, in front of me and rolling sometimes to show their light bellies. I was exhilarated and shouted with joy as I raced along as fast as I could with them. Gradually they changed. They popped into the air in front of me steering me to the right. I changed direction. Up ahead to my left a great commotion was occurring in the water. When the dolphins were satisfied that I was headed away from it they disappeared, heading in the direction of the commotion. I must say that it made me a bit emotional. It all took just a few minutes but wow!

The wind came up just enough to raise the sail but coming into Seal Rocks I had to take it down again. It is more of a hindrance when paddling faster than the wind. I beat Lyn to the beach, paddled in behind the biggest wave I could find and beached. Gracefully I stepped out of the kayak, fell over backwards and the kayak washed back down the beach onto me, filling with water before I managed to stand and drag it out of the waves.

This is in Forster. There is a big sandhill behind the cliff. You can see the top of it. Would love to be there in a big southerly and watch the plume of sand blowing over the top of the cliff.

Look at the folds in the rocks. They have been there for millennia. See the houses behind the beach, a civilization with a very brief history. How long until the earth moves on and discards it?

Gotta look closely here. This is the first lot of brown birds. There is one skimming along midway between the horizon and the bottom of the picture near the centre of the photo

Seal Rocks. A once sustainable fishing industry destroyed by the trawlers who dragged everything and turned the bottom into a desert. Greed prevails.

Lyn    I can’t believe that it’s day 17 already; it’s easy for me to say that as I am not the one paddling 30 to 50 Km a day. Steve has a short paddle today only 36.5 km!

It all started at Forster at 7.30am. There was a gentle but consistent roll as boats approached the bar.  Steve was still a fair distance back, not long having left the boat ramp. I parked the beast and walked out the wall to get some photos of him crossing the bar. I watched as the cruisers approached the bar. It was their sound that I noticed the most whoosh…ker-thud.  Whoosh…ker-thud as they rose and fell with the waves. Then one cruiser increased its speed and lifted up and planed over the waves, rather than slop about. Meanwhile Old Yella approached, he silently rose and fell with the waves as he cut his way towards the bar.

“Where’s he off to today?” I’m asked by a gentleman also watching Steve cross the bar.

“Seal Rocks.” I reply.

“I bet he’s enjoying it.” He comments.

“He will unless the southerly hits.”

Steve crosses the bar in front of us on his way to Seal Rocks.

It’s almost 1pm, radio check in time and I should be at Seal Rocks by now. It has taken me longer to drive there than I expected. I see a sign on the right that says picnic area, I pull in as I can see a sand pathway. I think to myself that if I walk out the pathway to the water I may pick up Steve’s radio signal. As I am pulling into the parking area my phone rings. “Where are you? Did you get lost?” Can’t mistake Steve’s voice.

He’s already at Seal Rocks, been there for half an hour he tells me. I’m usually at our check in spots at least an hour early, the one day that I’m late he’s EARLY.  No problem he says I’m just relaxing and catching up with the locals getting some inside knowledge for tomorrow’s paddle.

“Ok I’ll see you soon.” And I set off towards Seal Rocks.

Some days just get worse. It takes me nearly another 15 minutes to get to Seal Rocks (or so I thought). I parked illegally so I was close to the beach track, most people are ok when I do this as the signs all over the car look a bit like an EMERGENCY themselves!

I can’t see Steve or the kayak, both of which are hard to miss. I try to phone, it just goes to message, I try again looks like no coverage. So I turn on the 2 way radio. Yes we have contact.

“Where are you, I can’t see you.” I say. (it’s only a very small beach)

“I think you’re at the wrong beach.”

Like I said some days just get worse…..

We finally meet up and all is well. Nothing ruffles him. I said that he could admonish me in the blog tonight.

“I wouldn’t’ do that.” He says.

P.S. However he did tell me that there is no such word as ker-thud. I replied that I like it and it’s staying in.

Finally ready to leave Seal Rocks

Headed out of Crowdy Head at 7.15am with the heat already building. Rounding the headland a light south westerly ruffled the surface and cooled things a bit. Showers travelled with me but they were about 20km inland and no amount of thought control could get them to come over and cool me off.

Passing Harrington I looked again at how one might get into the Manning River but as in 2008 it eluded me. Waves broke all along the beach. There is a rock wall which probably was a northern breakwall at some stage but it just goes back to the sandy beach.

It was quite misty so it took a long time to be able to see Black Head and when I got there at 1.00pm I could just make out the buildings at Forster. Luckily a light nor’easter maybe 8knots allowed the sail to go up and stay full of wind. By the time I got to Foster at 3.30pm it was blowing properly and propelled Old Yella up the racing out tide.

The distance at the end was 48.5km and I was buggered – couldn’t walk properly and my body hurt. Luckily masseur Lyn found the knot in my back and sorted it out with deep heat and a shower. All in all a very satisfying paddle even if things started to seize up when I finished.

Oh, and by the way, it was a three shark day. One about 1.5m, one about 2m and one big one that did send prickles up my back.

Leaving Crowdy Head

Harrington with North Brother in the background. Over here rain…please!

Some sort of slick on the water with lots of blue bottles in it

Would love to know what these are. There are hundreds and they spend all day either sitting on the water or skimming along just above it.

I needed the gun again. Can we have a season when we are allowed shoot ’em?

Safely in at Forster Tuncurry

Lyn     DAY 15     The southerly came in yesterday right at the end of the get together at Westport Park with the local Climate Change group. We packed up the kayak and headed back to camp, not sure what we would find. Good news, Steve’s big tarp had done the job! All was dry he backed up the truck and rearranged the tarp and once we were settled inside we were very cosy.

It rained most of the night and was still raining in the morning. As the southerly was still blowing there was no paddling. So we packed up camp and headed for Forster, however the camp sites at the caravan park where we wanted to stay were over $80 per night. “Lets re think this.” Steve said.

So he searched the net and came up with comfortable motel accommodation for $115 at Taree, which is still central for the next three days paddling. So here we are once again drying out at another motel.

In the afternoon we found a spot for a quiet drink and then noticed that there were races on the river in front of us. It was quite a large race between rowing eights, there were 14 boats stretched across the river. It took some time for the officials to get them started. I noticed a couple at the same bar who seemed to know what was happening, so I sidled up for a chat. It turned out that they were from Mosman Rowing Club and the Lady, Linda Read was the junior rowing coach.  After an interesting chat we returned to the motel. We enjoyed a quiet night over a couple of glasses of wine, hence why this blog didn’t get written yesterday!

DAY 16     Back to Crowdy Head for today’s start. We have a routine each morning before Steve sets off, so we thought it might be interesting to film the procedure. Might I say here that Steve is no Russell Crowe when it comes to acting, although when he got lost in the skirt it did make me laugh.

We varied our usual routine today of regular radio checks. As it has now been a couple of weeks since the holidays commenced most of the media networks returned to work today. Along with the Sydney event organisers I set about making contact. I also had another couple of ideas for a quirky promotion. More on this later.

Sometimes Steve can’t make radio contact with the Marine Rescue towers for various reasons, so once he is away I will ring them and they then log him on and note his destination and arrival time. As I have previously stated . Marine Rescue have been great along the way. Today at 7am I spoke to Aron at Crowdy Head, he was keen to get all the details correct. Marine. Rescue don’t often get a kayak logging on. Then later in the day, 11am Aron rang me to see if Steve was ok, he was just checking and then was going log Steve over to Forster.

Steve had a big day, 8 hours paddle in the heat.

Packed up camp in the rain and headed for Taree. Big4 caravan park at Tuncurry had a powered site available – $90 per night less 10% club discount. Decided on a motel in Taree for a bit more. Sitting at a real desk drinking a red, contemplating 49km to Forster tomorrow and thinking about where we all are at with delivering the facts.

It seems to me that the more multi-pronged the better. Lyn is much better at peaceful persuasion and is more tolerant. That doesn’t mean that a bit of confrontation is wrong though. A bully must be confronted.

The following email this morning is from a brave man.

Dear Steve Posselt and supporters,

I have learned of your kayak 4 Earth campaign, culminating in delivering a petition in Canberra on the climate emergency.

I agree we have a climate emergency, but I do not fully agree with your statement that “for people under 20 now the effects could be catastrophic, not just the wild weather we are experiencing with just one degree of warming.”

Unfortunately, I think catastrophic effects for many are already happening, contributed to by climate change and a range of other “risk multipliers”.  Partly for this reason, I became the first, and to date the only Australian IPCC contributor to be arrested for climate disobedience, protesting coal exports at the Maules Creek mine.

I do hope the decision makers in Canberra hear you, but I think real change can only come from enough people recognising the peril we are in, and changing their behaviour; not just regarding climate change but in a host of other ways. Your unusual mode of reaching Canberra may attract some interest from mainstream as well as social media. I hope it pays off!

Kind Regards and good luck

Colin (Adjunct Professor Colin Butler, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra)

At Port Macquarie I spoke about bravery and I have met many brave people. Anyone who confronts their demons, who can recognize they were wrong and change their ways, who can see a really hard road ahead but still travel it because it has to be travelled, is brave.

So what is the opposite to this? What is someone who will not accept science because it does not accord with their beliefs? What is someone who so badly wants to preserve the status quo because they have a comfortable life style supported by corruption and special interest? One of these people used the words “girly man” in derogatory comments about his political opposition. To him and to all of his neo-liberal mates who are prepared to sacrifice the lives of my children and grandchildren, I say you are cowards. That is not a nice thing to say but I can’t see it any other way. Their abject cowardice places everything as we know it at risk.

Is that too harsh? If you think so please comment on the Facebook page.

Waiting to go to the Taree motel we saw a rowing carnival. To anyone who has watched kayak, outrigger or dragon boat starts please spare a thought for the starter here. He had 14 eights to line up. Took him 20 minutes!

Up at 4.00am for 6.15am start at Camden Haven. Forecast on Meteye was for strong northerlies. Winds turned out to be variable and often on the nose at about 5knots so progress was a bit slow. The day warmed up and I cooked. Then the Thai from last night wanted to exit but had to stay there for another 2 hrs of discomfort. Into Crowdy Head, a fabulously easy harbour and ramp after 4hrs 15mins and 26.5km on the log

Back to Port for the final official work where the kayak with its sail up at the markets attracted signatures. Apparently crowds were down to less than a third due to the heat. Finally a few photos on the water with a storm looming and then back to camp to see how everything worked in the rain. All good. The support crew is happy. Last effort, at Wooli, the support crew accrual said a rude word. Sure we had a bit of rain but it was only between 2 and 3 inches. Sure the mattress soaked up the leaks but I did put a space blanket over it so she didn’t have to lay in a puddle. Sure the floor might have been muddy and water was flowing down the sides of the gazebo and across the ground, but my back pack was soaking up most of it. Sure the umbrella blew away and turned upside down but I did then tie it down. But to swear…..

 A classy send-off

Not sure this worked it is hard to read on this

 Point perpendicular

High tide on our way back into Port Macquarie

The electric motor on Stuart’s yacht. You can see where the diesel engine was. Same weight with the six batteries but no need to take 150L of diesel

Paddlers practicing to be media tarts

There is a big dog under the splashing

The approaching storm is behind them

Lyn      Very early start, up at 4.00am.  We have to be at a 1.00pm flotilla event for the local Climate Change group, waiting until then to head onto the next leg is fraught with trouble as a southerly is predicted. So the decision has been made to set out really early and paddle to Crowdy Head, arrival time at Crowdy is estimated at approx. 11.00am. This will give us time to be back for the event. This is a risk but hey Steve is all about risks and he says. “This is hardly a risk.”

As an aside I am pleased to report that the beast and I are now comfortable driving up onto footpaths, navigating through large boulders, in search of close access to beaches to load the kayak, and reversing down boat ramps is a piece of cake.

6.10 Camden Haven – What an exquisite morning. Just a wisp of breeze, calm seas and the sun is sneaking over the craggy rocks of the break wall. Steve is ready to shove off the beach, as he heads towards the bar crossing a lone dolphin appears and accompanies him out of the Harbour. It’s special to share these mornings on our journey.

While Steve explores the ocean and interesting sightings along his journey, so do I on shore as I explore the many and varied coastal towns that I encounter. The towns or villages are similar in many ways yet varied and unique in their own way. There are often two parts to these towns. The original beach houses, now dated but still in demand. Then there are the oversized and often overstated new beach getaways. Then there are the towns where both are mixed together in harmony. Perhaps these towns are a metaphor for life itself?

8.30 I’m sitting in the shade of the Crowdy Head Lighthouse enjoying my morning tea. Steve is due to radio in at 9.00. What a place for a cuppa! Not another soul around, only a friendly young magpie wanting to keep me company. It begins to sing and moves closer and closer. After a short while two more magpies join us; they also begin to sing. They remind me of my sister who loves magpies and has many who visit her home. I manage to take their photo, they are not shy at all.

The ever present black helicopter appears above us, it circles the Lighthouse searching both the southern and northern bays each side, satisfied it moves on.

Steve calls in and the wind has turned more south and he is not making the miles he had hoped for. He says he will call again at 9.30, he does and then his next call is 10.00.  He says he is getting close, so I head down to the Harbour. He comes into the Harbour at 10.30.

We head straight back to Port for our arranged meeting at the Westport markets with the Climate Change group, who are holding a stall. We arrive at 12.15; Steve sets up the kayak and it helps to attract people to the stall. The group are collecting signatures for the Climate Emergency Declaration.

After the markets it’s a final gathering on the water with various water craft and it’s farewell to Port Macquarie.

Thanks Port for all your help and the many signatures you have collected for the petition

Magpie serenade

It is pouring with rain outside. Snug as a bug in a rug the support crew contemplates the next words of her blog or maybe why her slack partner has not topped up her wine glass.