March Reports
31 March 2009- Omeo Highway
Distance: 83 km
Word of the Day: Gradient (How many words can you think of that begin with grad...?)
It's going to be a day of gentle riding in the hills, waving to farmers and enjoying the fresh air. That's what I told myself this morning as I chewed the oats and sultanas for breakfast. Close, but not quite. The first 7km were all up hill and I was dripping with sweat before the day had barely begun. I reached Omeo a little behind schedule and hunted someone down for advice on the Bogong walk. Eventually found the Park Ranger who was very helpful. Off into the Alpine National Park I went, and the gradient was gentle enough. Then to Glen Valley where the sealed road ends and, this bit hurts to remember, up a dirty long hill past Glen Wills (photo- what happened at Glen Wills in about 1896?) and beyond. Sweat, puff, sweat. I spent a lot of time pushing and a little eating blackberries from the roadside. A few log trucks coated me in fine dust but otherwise it was a surprisingly quiet day. So all in all, a beautifully exhausting ride in the hills. On the walking track on the way to Mt Bogong tomorrow, how exciting!
30 March 2009- between Swift's Creek and Omeo
Distance: 103 km
Word of the Day: Horizon (Is there an opposite word to horizon? If not, make one up that makes sense.)
Smoke haze from fuel reduction burns in nearby forests has made the sky muddy all day. The sun never moved past the sunrise orange colour on its journey to the western horizon. For the first 25km out of Bairnsdale I was on the 'Rail Trail' which is a car-free track that runs right out to Orbost I think. My turn-off was the town of Bruthen, where I rolled back onto the main road. After a long climb up Mt Elizabeth and a thrilling race down the other side, I followed the Tambo River past Ensay and Swift's Creek. I asked the shopkeeper at Ensay if the water out of the river was okay to drink because I'd filled up my 4 litre water bladder earlier in the day. He said it was okay but if you don't hear from me for a while I might have a tummy bug. I'm camped behind a few bushes beside the road. The cars are zipping past so quickly I doubt they'd even notice me in here.
29 March 2009- Bairnsdale R&R (Granny Grace's)
Distance: Stationary
Word of the Day: Stationary (Can you be stationary as you travel the stationery supply shop?)
This tangle of wires and batteries and gadgets is how I keep in touch with you through the website and email. The black box is a 12 volt 12 amp/hour battery that is usually charged up by the solar panel. The big battery then charges the computer, phone, sat phone, AA, AAA and camera batteries. While seakayaking it was difficult to get the solar panel doing its job because it wasn't set up to be used on the water. I'd get it out as soon as I landed on the beach, but sometimes that was only for a few hours late in the day. That meant that the battery was slowly being worn down and never fully recharged. It was getting difficult to gather just enough power to send out the daily reports, the camera was virtually out of juice and my phone was dead. So today I have plugged into the wall and given everything a huge zap. Now that I'm back on the bike it shouldn't be a problem because the solar panel sits on the trailer and is hooked up to the battery for the whole sunlit day. Whatever power I use during the evening should be replaced as I ride along. Also went shopping for pasta, cheese, sardines, chocolate, sultanas and rolled oats (plus a few more bits and pieces). Then I raided Granny's supply of dried fruit and I'm ready to roll out in the morning with full batteries, a full food bag, and clean clothes. Bring on the hills!
28 March 2009- Bairnsdale (Granny Grace's)
Distance: 145km
Word of the Day: Mission (Find out what this means and then go on one if you can.)
At the beginning of the day I thought maybe I'd have an easy ride halfway to Granny's place in Bairnsdale. It was a cool morning as the farmland slipped past and the road stayed smooth and flat. The steady thrum of traffic put me into a mild trance as the kilometres fell away. By the time I reached Sale for a late lunch I knew the lure of Granny's jam and general preserves cupboard had gotten the better of me. In the last few hours, my left knee began to ache and my mouth dryed up no matter how much water I drank, but I was on a mission. Cups of tea and sausages and eggs filled my mind. The ache went away and Bairnsdale arrived. I had the camera ready to capture Granny's surprised face when she saw me a day early. Instead I was met with a relaxed, 'Hello there, I saw you coming up the driveway.' At 90 years old it is hard to surprise Granny. I'll have the day here tomorrow, spent cleaning the kayak for storage and resupplying for the week ahead. I expect a few relatives might pop in at some stage too!
27 March 2009- near Yarram
Distance: 43 km (15 kayak + 28 bike)
Word of the Day: Summit (where did this word come from, it sounds French?)
Uncles Bob and Ian with Aunty Di, came to meet me off the water at Port Welshpool to swap one orange plastic seakayak for one grayish bicycle with trailer and flags. Putting it back together again was not as easy as taking it apart and there was plenty of head scratching and at least one spare screw. But after a warm up 20ish kms this afternoon it all seems to be holding together. Have pulled in at a rest area and am already missing the beachside camping that kayaking demands... sand and all. Now the first mountain awaits, Victoria's Mt Bogong. To celebrate on the summit, should I get there, I will pose like an animal native to this State, snap a photo and post it with the dispatch. Go to the forum to suggest your animal, I will choose one with a good description. For example if you suggest a Warty-nosed Wombat I will need to know how many claws to hold up and how many warts are usually found on the nose. Battery is low and in need of lots of sunshine so will not be able to reply to forum for tonight.
26 March- Lighthouse Point
Distance: 20km
Word of the Day: Charred (what word comes immediately before it in your dictionary?)
Walking amongst the charred and twisted sticks that used to be a thick coastal scrub, I wondered how it will ever recover. Wilson's Prom was burnt badly in the Victorian bushfires just a month or so ago. Ducking and weaving so I didn't get covered in charcoal my eye caught these seed pods, pictured. The same fire that destroyed this tree has released the seeds for the next generation. And then I spied a grass tree with fresh green shoots and decided that it would be okay after all. Short paddling day with strong westerly wind. Camped on the sand at Lighthouse Point with sand raining down through the mesh inner. Yuck. Port Welshpool and back on the bike tomorrow.
25 March 2009- Sealer's Cove
Distance: 52km
Word of the Day: Reception (what's the difference between a warm reception and no reception?)
Beep, beep, out of the way massive ocean going cargo ship, small plastic sea kayak coming through. Between Hogan Island and Wilsons Prom (mainland Victoria- yay!) there is a shipping lane that takes these ships in and out of the port of Melbourne. From a fuzzy speck on the horizon to right in front of you takes about 20 minutes. That means a quick calculation to see if you're in the wrong path and some even quicker paddling. But only a few went past today and always with plenty of room. A great relief to be over Bass Strait and in Victoria. Just another one and a half days more in the kayak to Port Welshpool. When you see these dispatches with the smaller photos it means I'm using the satellite phone to get the message out. No internet reception in here tonight.
24 March 2009- Hogan Island
Distance: 39km
Word of the Day: Pod (when animals gang up together we give them special names- which animals have the best gang name?)
A pod of dolphins poddled in to the bay this morning while I loaded the kayak. They didn't seem to take life very seriously with lots of jumping and flapping of tails (what is the correct name for a dolphin's tail?). Leaving Deal Island behind it wasn't long before Hogan Island came into view on the north-west horizon. The sea was flat with no wind and it stayed that way all day. Halfway on the 40 km crossing I stopped for a muesli bar. Putting the paddle to rest I realised there was absolutely no other sound, not a whisper. Sitting there for a few minutes the silence was broken by another pod of dolphins surfacing for air. I arrived here on Hogan mid afternoon. This island is owned/leased (?) by a family who run cattle here. There's not a tree to be seen! Forecast looks good for a crossing to Sealer's Cove on Wilson's Prom tomorrow. By the way, it has been suggested that the border between Tasmania and Victoria is an island called Boundary Island. Can anyone confirm this, and if so, where is it?
23 March 2009
Deal Island Rest Day
Word of the Day: Peace (What is the difference between a piece of Cape Barren Goose pie and having peace between myself and a Cape Barren Goose?)
The Cape Barren Goose honked once and charged. It stopped short, perhaps wondering if it was big and tough enough to follow through with the attack. We stared at each other for a moment and, I thought, came to a peace agreement. But as soon as my back was turned it charged again. I spun around and waggled my finger at the naughty goose, before continuing on my way to the caretaker's cottage.
Halfway there, on the grassy old airstrip, the wallabies were having breakfast. Most bounded away through the tussocky grass, but a few merely glanced up and continued munching. I nodded my greetings and was ignored. I commented that it was a fine day to be eating grass and was still ignored. Up to the cottage I continued.
Wes and Ethel put the kettle on and I eyed off the chocolate cake on the table. Wes told me the story of how his grandfather had been the Head Lighthouse Keeper out here in the 1940's. One day he heard an RAF plane crash into the hill. He went up to investigate and tragically found four dead airmen among the wreckage. A plaque to commemorate the men is being laid in April.
So it has been a quiet day. The wind should be okay to paddle to Hogan Island tomorrow and perhaps the next day I'll be in Victoria. Deal Island is a splendid stepping stone on the way across Bass Strait. If you know any more interesting stories from here, I'd love to hear about them on the forum.
22 March 2009- Deal Island
Distance: 60km
Word of the Day: Fatigue (Do as many push-ups as you can, take a break, do more etc. You will discover the meaning of fatigue.)
Get a fan and turn it on full. Close your eyes until just a few specks of light are coming in. Sit on a chair set up on a water-bed with your feet up on another one. Sprinkle water in front of the fan so it blows into your face. Now imagine it's 5.30am in the morning and you're 5 kilometers off the northern tip of Flinders Island. The only light you can see is the size of a penlight and it flashes on and off. NOT MUCH FUN! Ooh, it was a tense in the wee hours of this morning. A strong northeasterly change came through at 8pm yesterday and was forecast to drop out at around 5am this morning. I needed to get a pre dawn start to give myself every chance of making Deal Island in one piece. As you can tell from the description above, the strong northeasterly hadn't quite dropped by 5am! But it was close, by dawn all was peaceful and for the rest of the day it was light and often helpful. The hours dragged by as I passed Cliffy Island and then Wright Rock. ASll the time Deal Island loomed larger and larger on the horizon. After 12 hours (some pretty lazy ones in there), I pulled into Garden Cove. I've come up to say hi to Wes and Ethel in the caretakers cottage and will return in the morning for coffee and water. There are many furry wallabies and a few Cape Barren Geese on the island also. And just to correct my correction from yesterday- the island I thought was Deal was in fact Cliffy, and the two more distant were actually Deal. And I referred to Ranger John the other day, it's Ranger Wayne. I will blame fatigue.
21 March 2009- Killiecrankie Bay
Distance: 27km
Word of the Day: Definitely (What are three things you are definite about?)
Cape Frankland (pictured) was doing strange things to the wind today. Approaching it from the Pasco Islands, funnels of powerful northeasterlies were nearly knocking me out of the kayak. I thought I'd have to pull in for shelter as going around would put me right in the full blast zone. Just as I peeped around the corner for a look it calmed down to virtually no wind at all. It's been like that for the last few days- unpredictable! With tight shoulders I slowly paddled into Killiecrankie Bay to set up camp. The old shop run by Alan and Margaret Wheatley has been turned into a delightful new café. Just as I was pondering which pie to order, the new owner, Jackie, offered to put a movie of some seakayakers on the TV. Made by Jeff Jennings it showed a group coming from Little Musselroe, up to here and back again. The footage from the top of Strzelecki Peak has convinced me to climb it on my way back south in about 7 months. The forecast looks good for the next few days, so I'll head off before dawn tomorrow unless it's really blowing in the morning. And I have to make a correction from yesterday's dispatch- Deal Island is clearly visible from sea level from here, and has been for a whole day of bobbing about on the water. Not only that, but I could see another couple of islands even further away which I'll get the map out to identify tonight. Oops, it must be that last time I was here the weather was appalling and I left in the dark- you definitely cannot see the outline of Deal Island from Killiecrankie in the dark. I'm sure of that!
20 March 2009- Prime Seal Island
Distance: 30km
Word of the Day: Atop (How many four letter words starting with 'A' can you think of?)
Ranger John came by on his rounds of the Strzelecki National Park this morning. He told me four kayakers are heading south from Killiecrankie, after crossing from Victoria, but more exciting than that... Wes Ford is caretaking the lighthouse on Deal Island at the moment. I met Wes and his wife Ethel last time I was making the crossing in 2006. That time the weather was against me and I spent five days on Deal with Wes and Ethel. And speaking of Deal Island, I can see it in the far northern distance from my current perch atop a sand dune on Prime Seal Island. Tomorrow or the next day I'll paddle to the top of Flinders Island at Killiecrankie. The next step is the big one (63km) over to Deal, so it's good to see the target before I get there. From sea level at Killiecrankie it's not visible over the horizon. The photo is of tonight's camp on the rocky headland I've landed at on Prime Seal Island (no seals by the way). The only tracks on the beach are wallabies and birds. The sand is whitish yellow and very clean. It's a little piece of paradise pie over here.
19 March 2009 Trousers Point, Flinders Island
Distance: 28km
Word of the Day: Eddy (If I saw an eddy while paddling, would it be a person, place or thing?)
SHARK! Paddle...run...swim...just get out of here, AHHH, not the SHARK. It's the end, the grisly sharky end. Not quite actually, it's the flipper of a seal. Paddling across from Cape Barren Island I first came across four Little Penguins sunning themselves in Franklin Sound. At that stage the wind had died away and it was smooth on the water. I paddled close and glided in to surprise the penguins, who quickly ducked away to catch more fish. Then, just as the wind began to pick up speed, I spied this seal rolling upside down on the surface with its flipper poking skyward. For a brief moment I thought 'shark', but then the fin looked crooked and I realised it must be something else. Sneaking in quietly I got within about 10 meters before the seal looked up and disappeared in an eddy of water. Continuing across to Flinders Island the current from the incoming tide began to sweep rapidly to the west. At times it was like being in a fast flowing river. I have come in to land under the Strzelecki Peaks on Trousers Point. The solar panel is out charging the battery and the tent is up under the casuarina's. If the wind is okay tomorrow I might paddle up to Prime Seal Island and see if I can find some more 'sharks'.
18 March 2009- Cape Barren Island
Distance: 8km
Word of the Day: Boulder (How big can a boulder get before it gets called something else?)
It was a battle to make headway into a fresh westerly this morning. I jumped out of the kayak to climb up the granite boulders and check the conditions ahead (pictured). The tide was running in the same direction as the wind, which was both good and bad news. Good because it flattens out the wind generated waves (if wind is blowing opposite to a strong tidal current it gets scary messy!), but bad because they had both teamed up to be going against me. After a hard fought 8km I pulled on the south side of Cape Barren Island and called it a day. There's a small township on the other side of the island but the only sign of humans here are some 4WD tracks behind the beach. As per request from stmcollegiate on the forum, I am searching for dangerous animals in my spare time. So far I have found a spider strung between the tussock grass and a few menacing looking march flies. Great to see Rokeby High joining the forum and clearing up the 'bilge' issue.
17 March 2009
Distance: 32km
Word of the Day: Preservation (how many single digit numbers can you spell using the letters in this word?)
Bass Strait crossing is go-go-go! Little Musselroe Lagoon was over half empty so it was time to leave. With dry bags stuffed into every spare space and zinc cream smeared along the bottom lip I dragged the kayak into the shallows, said a last goodbye to Nicola, and paddled on a 20 degree bearing towards Clarke Island. The wind was from behind and not too strong so it was a fast crossing to Lookout Head. The confused waves pushed against the strong tide and for a moment my heart began to race. But around the corner and up to Preservation Island I have come. Saw many Little Penguins in the water and have found a sheltered beach camp (in the background of the photo) with a great view of Cape Barren Island. Speaking of which, as I paddled to the beach, two Cape Barren Geese were playing on the sand. Walked to the rocky top of the island where I found this large rock cairn (or maybe signal fire?). There's a story of shipwrecked sailors that goes with this island but I can't remember it all. If someone knows, or can find out, please post it to the forum. Good to be on the water at last!
16 March 2009
Lots of WIND- no progress!
Word of the Day: Lagoon (think of five words that rhyme with lagoon apart from spoon.)
Not much to report today. It's been the windiest since Friday and the water is a mess. Definitely no place for a sea kayak just yet. All my visitors, except one, went home at lunchtime so it's quiet in the camp. Between rain squalls the sun has been drying clothes and giving a cheerful glow to the damp sand of the lagoon. I've been studying the charts and tide tables to be ready in case there is a small window in the morning to get across to Clarke Island. Otherwise it looks like a longer than planned (what plan?) wait for the weather to clear. On a positive note, once the wind eases back the waves quickly drop in Bass Strait. The big ocean swells, especially the ones from the south, don't hit the coast and islands here. I'm looking forward to getting out there! In the meantime I will go down to the beach and look for a wombat track to follow.
15 March 2009
Still Weathered In.
Word of the Day: Squall (Does it really mean a mix between squat and fall? Look it up to find out.)Looking out over Banks Strait puts shivers up my spine. It's a mess of whitecaps and wind swept tidal races. The wind has been up to 30 knots with 40 knot gusts and rain sweeping over in violent squalls. Not a pretty sight, but the crew up here (pictured) have kept busy and cheerful despite the damp camp. This afternoon we installed the electric bilge pump in the kayak. The old one had rusted wiring and needed replacing. The pump means I can flick a switch and empty the cockpit of water and still keep my hands on the paddle. Now with the kayak fully fitted out and the food bags stuffed full and ready to go, it's just a matter of waiting for a good forecast. The charts don't look great so it could be more than a few days. Great to read the forum on these days of little action, a delightful distraction. That's like a mini poem.
14 March 2009
Weathered In!
Word of the Day: Cocooned (Which creature, apart from a patient sea kayaker, spends time in a cocoon?)
The grizzly weather forecast has come true. It's raining and should soon be blowing a gale anytime soon. That means sitting tight and staying cocooned in the tent. After hearing news of kayakers getting rescued off Flinders Island yesterday (?), I'm being extra, super, seriously cautious with the ocean conditions. Any sniff of a northerly wind and I'll wait another day, anything over 15 knots from any direction and I'll have second thoughts. The crossing to Clarke Island is only 20km but it's a shallow and unpredictable body of water. The whole trip would be ruined if there was a mishap in the next few weeks, time to be patient. On the plus side, a team of friends and family are here with supplies and a pack of cards. And Little Musselroe Bay is a world class bird habitat and all around gorgeous little place. I'm not exactly doing it tough! Will keep you posted daily as the weather does what it does, rain, hail or shine (probably lots of rain and wind for the next 3-4 days).
13 March 2009
Distance: 53km
Word of the Day: Bilge (look it up and tell me on the forum- I don't know the exact meaning!) Just over the last brow of the lumpy dirt road into Little Musselroe Bay. A pause to peer across the bright sandy beach and into a tantalising Bass Strait. Aha, the paddling will begin soon... then I look down to see a Friday the 13th flat tyre! Fair enough, I've had a good run so far, and everything else is going according to plan. I arrived at the camp ground at the north-east tip of Tasmania at 2.30pm, shortly before my parents with the big orange sea kayak on the roof. With a few more arrivals yet to come, this place will look like forward base camp of Mt Everest pretty soon. There's an electric bilge pump to fit in the kayak for added safety, and the weather to keep a close eye on too. It looks like being a Monday launch at the earliest. I'll be taking no chances with the notorious Banks Strait (the first 20km crossing to Clarke Island) as it's been the undoing of many a better sailor than I. G'day to the Exeter Primary students that I hear are following the trip, welcome aboard. It might be getting bumpy soon.
12 March 2009
Distance: 85km
Syd Rainbow, pictured, works on a farm between St Helens and Ansons Bay, and has done for 41 years. According to Syd, there are three types of drivers- ones that can drive on sealed roads only, ones that can drive on sealed and dirt roads, and ones that can drive on any surface known to mankind. Syd told me he was of the last variety, and continued to repair the fence that a wayward tourist had driven through a few days ago.
Today I pedalled through Scamander, Beaumaris and St Helens. Shortly past St Helens I took a back road towards Ansons Bay which quickly turned to dirt. With soft patches and corrugations it's been an excellent sample of the road conditions I'll experience later in the trip. Camped beside a creek in the Mt William National Park and expect to reach Little Musselroe Bay tomorrow lunch time. Will then prepare for the kayak crossing to Victoria.
11 March 2009
Distance: 106km
Word of the Day: lingered (think of somewhere you like to linger)
Nathan, Ben, Gavin and Connor from Mr and Mrs Padgett's class at Bicheno Primary took a look at the rig before heading home this afternoon. I only just made it in time before 3pm thanks to a naughty north-east headwind. There was light rain overnight so I lingered this morning, hoping to dry the tent a little. The narrow, winding road passed along the coast with views across Great Oyster Bay to a Tassie icon- the Hazards on the Freycinet Peninsula. It then took me through a sleepy Swansea before the wind picked up and I cursed my way into Bicheno. After a quick hello I pushed on another 30km to camp here at the Chain of Lagoons. On a scale of 1-10 for tiredness, I'm a 12 tonight!
10 March 2009
Distance: 98km
Word of the Day: Dastardly (use it in a sentence sometime today)
The students from Ms Clymo's, Mr Chadwick's and Ms Pratap's classes booted me out the gate of their school at 9am today, after Principal Monique Carter said something along the lines of 'good luck... you'll need it!' After feeling a little silly riding down the streets of Hobart (sorry students at Youth Arc- I took a different route to the one I told you- whoops), and struggling up the steps of the Tasman Bridge, I was away properly. Only the dastardly hills between Sorell and Orford slowed me down (right down to a walk in fact!), and before I knew it I was very tired and looked for a camp. The paddocks and fences past Triabunna didn't look like breaking, but then a gap appeared where a power pole has recently been replaced. I've snuck into a quiet forest and will sleep well on this, the first night out and about. A note to Bicheno Primary and Mr Padgett- I hope to be passing your school between 1-3pm and will pop in to see if you're about. Out of mobile range tonight so this is going out via sat phone. Thanks to everyone who made this a successful launch. Everything working well and the new gel padded riding gloves are a sensation- I love them!