Report: March 28
Confounded Canoe, Lonely Kayak, and Moby Dick
Looking cold and gloomy- might stay in the tent! Photo: Matthew Larcombe
Wind dropped off the surrounding ranges like swooping magpies. Lake Gordon bucked and grimaced with every burst of fresh energy. Feathering fans of small white-caps foretold the gust that was about to hit. "You can hear 'em coming too." Larks yelled across to me. Before I could reply they veered sharply to the right, out of control and at the whim of the tempest. Matthew Larcombe (Larks) and my brother Matthew (Matt) were in a home-made canoe, I was in my kayak... I had a rudder, they didn't. We were trying to paddle to a remote corner of the lake for some bushwalking. Their instructions to each other were lost to me on the lake, but it wasn't hard to interpret. Something like, "Left... left... HARD LEFT...HARDER...Are you going LEFT?"
Matt Hughes getting comfortable for dinner in the tent.
They headed into the dead trees that ring the flooded lake and I followed. Matt wasn't feeling safe, Larks maintained his composure. Neither of them had paddled a canoe before. I convinced them to let me attach a rope to my stern so I could try and act a pilot ship. We jerked along for a few metres before they went left and I went right. I glanced back just in time to see the look of impending horror on their faces as the rope tightened and nearly pulled the canoe over. "Abort, untie us, we're going back to the car." Matt made the obvious call and we retreated. We'd lasted nearly half an hour of a planned five day journey.
From camp we looked over Lake Judd and Schnells Ridge.
The new plan was to walk to Mt Anne and spend a few days camped up high, well away from the water. The photos in this report are from our revised excursion in southwest Tasmania. It turns out that was the last paddle for me in the Hope and Grace. Yesterday (27th March) I packed what I could into the rear holds, wrapped it up, and dropped it off to the shipping agent. It will be in Melbourne today and on its way to Port Moresby by early next week. As I prepared the detailed packing list for customs in PNG I wondered if I had everything in order- lifejacket (check), paddles (check), deck chair with umbrella and ice-making machine (check). The next time I'll see it is when I step off the plane in Kiunga. It suddenly seems very close!
Lightning Ridge frames the Lonely Tarns.
In the last fortnight I ticked a huge box with the arrival of my expedition computers. I settled on the little ASUS EEE. After exchanging emails with Luis from Global Marine Networks in the US, we decided it would be best if he bought the computers (I'm taking two- one for backup) and set them up all ready to go. He accurately sensed my inability to do the most basic computer related tasks. I tested it with my satellite phone yesterday and BINGO, I sent and received an email. Wherever I am in the world, if I can see enough satellites to get a strong signal, I can communicate with you. From an education point of view, this is critical. I need to let you know what's happening in PNG, and I need to be able to find out what you're up to with the climate change lessons.
We dashed up to catch the sunset over lake Pedder from near camp, and then dashed right back to the tent.
A couple of finishing touches will appear on the website in the next few weeks with the updateable map being finalised and more teaching links and resources. Huge thanks to Rebecca Skeers and Peter Jerrim for their continued input into the development of the website. Another exciting announcement is the forum that is being set up by Elaine Stratford. It's a place where students and others will be able to share what they're discovering (or just their thoughts). It should be a great way for teachers and students to stay involved and form collaborative networks. (Did I just write that? What's a collaborative network? I must be going mad!) Anyway it WILL be excellent, so when I get the details out in the next few weeks make sure you get onto it.
The two Matt's playing cards and sucking up the serenity.
I was in the second hand bookshop last week and found a book to begin the expedition. It's called Moby Dick, about a cranky whale and a crazy captain apparently- ever heard of it? If you've got other suggestions for good nautical reading let me know. I'll also be taking a few climate change related books for reference. If I expect you to be learning about it I suppose I'd better find out more too. There's a good book for high school readers by Tim Flannery called 'We Are The Weather Makers'. It's a slimmer version of his popular 'The Weather Makers'. And finally, the good folk at Wild Magazine have published an article from the 2006 east coast expedition. Should be on the newsagent shelf now.
Next report due 14th April.
Until then, Andrew
Beep, beep, make way little whip snake, I'm coming through.