That's got to be the sexiest thing on the water!!

I'm not kidding! This is the first and only Tahe Marine Greenland in Australia and I do wish there was one more for me. Brian who has also been feeling a little flat since our return from Bass Strait has found a new kayak to rekindle his love for kayaking and quite frankly, I'm envious.

Now this looks every bit like a typical traditional skin on frame but it's not, this one is a composite version and it's very well made indeed. This was Brian's first time in it and I dare say that he didn't know exactly what to expect but while it may appear a little challenging, it wasn't long before he was right at home. After playing around Wavebreak Island for a while we paddled out through the Seaway and surfed some gentle waves on South Straddie where it's surf ability soon became obvious.

I couldn't wait to have a paddle and when I did, I instantly felt comfortable. The ocean cockpit and general tight fit was a bit of an initial challenge but soon forgotten as I settled in and tried a few rolls, needless to say that it rolls like a dream. One of the first things you notice is how low the freeboard is and how well it sits in the water engaging it's hard chines, you also feel 'closer' to the water (and I'm a Nordkapp paddler!). I'm looking forward to paddling with you more often Brian ;)

Now What??

Well it's been five months since completing our Bass Strait Crossing and one of the most commonly asked questions I get is, where will your next paddle be? Well it's not that simple! I've since been on the water only a handful of times and it was on one of those occasions that I found this guy pictured here- I spotted him on the beach as I was carrying my kayak to the water and noticed that he looked as confused as I felt. I stopped to talk to him to see if I could learn anything but sadly he revealed nothing, although he was kind enough to let me take his picture. Seriously, it has been very hard to get excited about doing any paddling at all since Bass Strait and trying to understand why has been a challenge in itself.


The first reason is an obvious one- Bass Strait is simply magnificent! The Islands, the crossings, the rock pools, the views and the energy that you feel the moment you put your kayak in the water is something that I may be looking long and hard to find again. The other reason however, took me a little longer to work out. For about a year and a half prior to the trip, every time I put my kayak in the water was with a purpose in mind. I was either trying a new boat or paddle, some cold weather gear or new camping kit with Bass Strait in mind or I might have been trying new tricks and developing new skills, trying to paddle further each time or see what size surf I could handle before cracking. It actually goes back even further, I remember when I got my very first kayak, I knew that one day I would do a serious expedition. That's right, now I don't have any more reasons to paddle!

Well that's not right. There are a thousand and one reasons to go for a paddle and unfortunately there aren't as many days available, but having discovered the problem has definitely helped in overcoming it. I simply need a new goal! A new expedition to work towards and quite simply, I can't think of anywhere else other than going back. No, not Bass Strait as I couldn't handle the logistical side of things again but I definitely think that Tasmania is on the cards for me. There are so many places to see by kayak around Tassie that I could be planning a trip every two years until I'm simply too old to paddle.

Now it hasn't been all that bad to spend some time off the water, it's given me a chance to re-discover my family. Not having to disappear every Saturday and/or Sunday, sometimes even before Skubi or Saskia were even awake, has been a welcomed change. And now we are planning an expedition of our own, we will spend almost two months driving around Europe catching up with family and visiting new places without a kayak on the roof.

As for kayaking, the Bass Strait trip is not officially complete. We are are currently working on a presentation that will be shown for the first time at Queensland Canoeing's 2nd National Sea kayak Symposium on the Gold Coast. What good is an expedition if you don't bring back heaps of photos and share them with other paddlers? http://www.qld.canoe.org.au/default.asp?Page=17376

Anyhow, that all for now as I have to go and wash the dust off my kayak.

We Made It!

Today we crossed Banks Strait and landed on the shores of Tasmania. The conditions were just right; rough enough to feel like we earned our passage but not too rough so it would make us regret it, but let me say, you wouldn't want to be out there at the wrong time. The energy was just amazing, the 5 hour crossing was like a non stop surf session. Both the wind and seas were on our beam for the most of the time and you had to remain alert all of the time constantly trying to work with the water's energy. This is one paddle we will never forget.When we approached Little Musselroe Bay, we saw John and Damian standing on a rock waving at us, so we knew we were in the right place and were relieved that we weren't faced with a huge surf landing. When we got out of our kayaks, we barely had enough energy to unload our kayaks and carry everything up the hill. Fortunately for us, this time we had two extra helpers. Actually, I barely have enough energy to write this report, so on this note, I thank you for sharing our trip with us and look forward to showing you some of the many photos taken on the journey. Good night.

Breakfast at Judy's

We had a great send off from Cape Barren Island with fresh coffee, muesli, warm toast and a lift with all our gear down to our kayaks. We were on the water at 9.30, very civilized indeed. It was high tide and the water was glassy and so clear that we could see the bottom, not unusual around these parts. The sky was overcast but it was still a beautiful day. We stopped at Preservation Island for lunch, this is where we had planned to camp the previous night before meeting Judy. Then we started making our way to Clarke Island for the night when the wind picked up, before we knew it, we were punching into a 20 knot headwind coming from the south. Thankfully there wasn't much fetch as we were fairly close to the islands but this still made hard work for us for the next couple of hours and by this time, we had a serious chop to deal with. The wind was relentless.
The rock formations around here are really something else. It's as if some fancy landscape artist has carefully placed all of these massive granite boulders throughout Bass Strait and then went crazy with orange and a yellowy green paint. Then a gardener came along and planted all sorts of weird and wonderful plants amongst these rocks followed by a sculptor who started carving animal figures but never completed any. We saw one rock, the size of a two story house that looked like an unfinished rhinoceros. As you can see, I've been quite moved by this landscape. Tonight's camp on Rebecca Bay is our last camp on Bass Strait before crossing Banks Strait in the morning and we are all feeling mixed emotions. We are all looking forward to getting home to our families but we will definitely miss paddling around these magnificent islands.

Wow! What a Trip!!

This is way more than just another paddling trip. This morning was business as usual... pack our wet tents, get on the water soon after sunrise and paddle a few hours across Franklin Sound, the wind against tide made it quite an enjoyable ride. When we arrived at Cape Barren Island we started looking around for a shop or somewhere to top up our water bladders, Brian and Craig walked ahead as I lingered behind taking photos, they were soon out of sight. Moments later I hear a vehicle and voices approaching, it was the guys sitting in the back of a ute..."Come on! Jump in" one of them yelled. I sat in the front and introduced myself to the driver, "Hi, I'm Judy, I'm the high school teacher on the island" she said & went on to tell me that most of the people were out of town "birding". This apparently, is an age old tradition where the local Aborigines go to the Island's rookeries and hunt for Mutton Bird.
Before we knew it, we were having chip and dip with Judy and some of her friends in her back yard. "You can set up your tents here, I've got plenty of flat areas and you can have dinner too, I'm cooking a lamb roast for some of the elders". We didn't take long to accept such an offer, so it was back in the ute to fetch our gear and secure the kayaks for the night.
During our short stay we were given a guided tour of the high school and the surrounding community. We were impressed with Cape Barren's rich Aboriginal history and to learn that the people living here are the ancestors of the Tasmanian Aborigines who were brought here because their skills as expert sealers. It's these types of experiences that is making our trip so special.