SeaTrek

Champagne Sea Kayaking www.vskc.org.au

Autumn 2015 Issue 83 The VSKC Bass Strait, and take their kayaks its annual general meeting held to remote and interesting areas. as part of a weekend of activities The Victorian Sea Kayak Club Equally, we all love relaxing short on and off the water, with was formed in 1979, aimed at trips in our local waters, with informative training sessions and bringing together sea kayakers in plenty of time to socialise. presentations from interesting our part of the world, creating We welcome new members and speakers. We run a range of club opportunities to meet and encourage a culture in which trips throughout the year for all organise trips, and to promote members help each other with levels of ability, helping members the interests of sea kayakers. skills, gear, safety, trip to improve their proficiency and Club members have done some information and organisation. take part in trip leadership. We marvellous and sometimes very The club runs training courses keep in touch through this challenging trips by sea kayak and has a grading system, website, email news, and our club around our nearby coasts of although training is not aimed at magazine Sea Trek. Victoria and Tasmania and absolute novices. New members For more information read go to further afield. Our founding are expected know something of the Docs and Downloads link members made the first sea sea kayaking, have access to a from the Web page, and kayak circumnavigation of kayak, and be ready to explore download our Operating Tasmania and the first south to the marvellous opportunities Principles and Membership north crossing of Bass Strait. which sea kayaking offers. The application, or contact our Members regularly paddle across club gets together once a year for Membership Officer. Sea Trek 83 Autumn 2015

In this Edition

Regular Columns Editorial 4 President’s Podcast (Bob Fergie) 4 VSKC News and Press Releases 5

VSKC Special Event Nick Cunliffe Down Under — A Sea Trek Chat (Nick Cunliffe) 6 Training Sessions with Nick Cunliffe (Peter Wilson) 8 Training Notes (Helmut Heinze) 10

Feature Triple Tassie Temptations (Richard Rawling) 12

ANZAC Advance 2002 Sea Kayaking the Dardanelles (Phil Woodhouse) 23

Day Trips and Overnighters Cover A Newbie on Snake Island (Sally McAlpin) 32 Snake Island with- Photo: Kerrie Vogele, Fortescue Bay Tasma- out a Paddle — Lighthouse Point to Big Hole (Patrick Platt) 34 nia, showing Terry Barry. See feature article 2160 Kilometers — Paddling the Murray River (Peter Hansen) 35 for context. Club Life VSKC Level 3 Course 2015 — Intake Weekend (Kerrie Vogele and Sigla Graeme Thompson) 37 BF: Bob Fergie • GT: Graeme Thompson • HH: Helmut Heinze • KV: Kerrie Vogele • NC: Nick Cunliffe • PT: Patrick Platt • PWH: Phil Wood- house • PW: Peter Wilson • RR: Richard Rawling • SM: Sally McAlpin.

Responsible Editor for this Edition: Helmut Heinze

Contact [email protected] Photo Stories http://www.vskc.org.au I could have stayed home dry and warm — Surf Training Barwon c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au Heads May 2015 — Photo Story (Helmut Heinze) p38 SeaTrek 83 Regular Columns

Editorial

Texts, ideas, sugestions, of top-shelf sea kayaking their fringes, if at all: topics have been flooding — champagne sea kayak- • Paul Theroux, The Happy in, making the task of edit- ing as it were — and an Isles of Oceania: Paddling in ing Sea Trek a joy. We could ANZAC-related text, a mas- the Pacific, Penguin 1992. have dedicated this edition terly written travel account 730 pages. It’s a unique to many events — the train- (a reprint from an older Sea Paul Theroux-style travel ing weeks with Nick Cun- Trek that). Apologies to all account, a writer who is liffe and Kate Hives; Phil whose texts did not make it incredibly well read and a Woodhouse’s historical An- into to this number; work sharp observer. zac tour, the Maria Islands on Sea Trek 84 has here- No happy, easy read but expedition as the highlight with started. worthwhile. And yes, Th- A big thank You! to ev- of the summer. Then we So this number is a bit a eroux had a “collapsible” eryone who facilitated this had some great photos by mix of everything, but, hey, kayak in his luggage, I sus- Sea Trek edition. Spe- Kerrie Vogele. This made that’s what a magazine is. pect a German Klepper. — cial thanks to the main au- it difficult to decide what Enjoy! Helmut Heinze, Ed. thors Richard Rawling and should be at the centre of Finally, and in keeping Phil Woodhouse, and also this Sea Trek. A close call with my habit of book rec- to David Golightly for his — in the end we ended up ommendations that fit the involvment. with two: the celebration kayaking theme only on

Bob Fergie President’s Podcast

delivering Force 4-7+ con- my way in between the two snapped in half by the force ditions. Even so, I enjoyed surf zones, one about 300m of the wave. the chance to get out there off shore and the other Out of breath and still with others, and occasion- about 150m. I was mak- in a tangle I was forced ally on my own. ing good progress parallel to wet exit. As well as Interestingly, there were to the beach until a nasty being rather annoyed with no mishaps to speak of un- rogue wave jumped up out myself for not rolling up, I til my last solo paddle out of nowhere and crashed quickly became aware that of Anglesea. After a week over me with a good deal I was a good 150m from of high winds (25+kn from of force. Unfortunately shore and still in the mid- the West) the swell and the I wasn’t quick enough to dle of a very confused and Recently I enjoyed three surf was up a tad. Apart lean into the spill and was menacing wave zone with weeks of annual leave from needing to roll under rolled and sucked along up- a rip dragging me towards camping and kayaking out a wave on my way out the side down until I was very the reef. While I was of Cape Paterson (the venue paddle was without drama. nearly out of breath. Fi- well dressed for immersion, for this year’s ‘Blue Water Indeed on the return leg I nally it let me go and I set the water was cold and I Paddle Fest’), at Ventnor enjoyed a terrific sailing run up to roll. However, my realised that hypothermia on Philip Island (involved with the wind behind and roll was stymied given that could be an issue if I tried in a terrific Level 3 can- my Nordkapp zipping along my Greenland stick had be- to swim my boat in. Clearly didates training weekend very nicely. However, the come tangled in some of I needed to get out of the with three other instructors tide had dropped consider- my sail rigging inhibiting a water ASAP and so I quickly and seven level 3 aspi- ably and I still needed to ne- full sweep. Added to this, re-entered and rolled up. rants), and Anglesea. From gotiate a tricky surf landing my spare ‘stick’ had been However, as we all know a paddling point of view through two reef breaks. partially dislodged from the from experience, a cockpit the weather was rather I stowed my sail and be- deck when I’d been up- full of water can be very un- ordinary with many days gan the process of making side-down and had been stable, especially in a wave

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 4 SeaTrek 83 Regular Columns zone. saga I am very aware of my lesson in it for all of us. One sue. I look forward to see- Fortunately, I managed own mortality. I am also re- of the things I value about ing you out on the water to stay up-right and surf minded that while we may Sea Trek is the opportunity through the cooler months (wobble) my way in thank- have well practised skills to learn from other people’s as we enjoy paddling our fully without further inci- (I’d like to think rolling is experiences (the good, the long skinny boats together. dent. Once I’d jumped one of mine), you only need bad and the ugly) and I’m Hopefully there’ll be a num- out, emptied the water and a couple of things to go sure this issue will advance ber of good articles gener- pulled my boat up the wrong before you can find this cause too. ated in the process. beach a little, I felt rather yourself in the poo. Fortu- Thanks to all contrib- Bob Fergie — VSKC spent. Reflecting on my nately for me I lived to tell utors and our editor Hel- President little adrenaline-expending the tale but maybe there’s a mut for another terrific is-

VSKC News and Press Releases

donated her kayak and Hoffmeister, the best expe- she is paddling in from her many other items from her dition kayaker in the world, current arrival spot , and historic voyage to the VSKC coming to Puerto Madero escort her to the Fregata April-26 2015 to place ’in perpetuity’ in finishing the first circum- Sarmiento at -34.60893, - Freya Hoffmeister — First the Maritime Museum in navigation of South Amer- 58.36571. to circumnavigate South Queenscliffe. Freya’s kayak ica. Freya paddled from Please con- America now hangs alongside Paul Buenos Aires on August 30, tact Javier Perez Caffyn’s kayak from his 2011 and after 26,832 kilo- [email protected] to 1982 Australian circumnav- meters traveled back to the sign up on a list for the pad- igation, the first in history. city where she was start- dling escort and for possible Freya has kindly issued ing from with a new world access to the ceremony on an invitation to members record under her belt, being the Fregata. of the VSKC to join in the the first person to perform Every non-paddler is celebrations, should any- this feat. surely welcome to watch one happen to be Puerto Freya, 50, will be es- the event from any spot on Madero on 1st May. The fol- corted by dozens of kayak- the harbor! lowing describes the event ers, and she will be received freyahoffmeister.com which sounds like a grand with full military honors of affair organised by local the Argentine Navy at the paddling groups. Fragata Sarmiento, both by 11 May 2015 In news just in, Freya is The VSKC will send local authorities and mem- Sandy Robson — Crosses about to complete her solo Freya a congratulatory mes- bers of European diplomats The Equator unsupported contour of sage however feel free to and media Argentines and the South American coast, communicate with her di- international. Sandy Robson who is cur- a journey she started in rectly with your own mes- All paddlers are very rently kayaking from Ger- 2011. sage if you wish. much welcome to be part of many to Australia has Many of the VSKC mem- (by Peter Treby & David the arrival ceremony on the crossed the Equator which bers will recall the sup- Golightly) water. You will be paddling is a major milestone to- port and involvement the a short distance on shel- wards completing her jour- club gave Freya during tered waters inside Puerto ney. her circumnavigation of the Invitation Madero. The start will be Follow her progress coast of mainland Australia, from the new jetties at - at the VSKC Expedition the above picture shows Dear paddling friend! 34.62043, -58.36295. The Tracker http://www.vskc. Freya’s triumphant arrival Hereby I have the plea- kayakers will wait for Freya org.au/ExpedDashboard. in ’Caffyn Cove’ Queen- sure to invite you to the cer- at the port entrance at - asp?ExpedID=21 scliffe. Afterwards Freya emony on May 1 for Freya 34.59508, -58.36479 while

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 5 SeaTrek 83 VSKC Special Event

NNick Cunliffe at Barwon Heads, VSKC ”Advanced Incident Management” Session 15 March 2015

Nick Cunliffe Nick Cunliffe Down Under — A Sea Trek Chat

Nick Cunliffe and Kate Hives stayed with culture? the VSKC delivering instruction and train- NC: It’s true that we’ve visited a few ing over two weeks in March 2015, follow- different places on our travels, but we ing a similar stint with the Tasmanian sea are often struck by the unifying effect kayakers. The following text is based on an that a passion for sea kayaking can email interview with Nick Cunliffe at the end of the visit of the VSKC. — Photos by bring. HH. In the past six months we’ve paddled with Chilean, Argentinian, American, Canadian, Australian (sorry — Tasmanian, Victorian and • Sea Trek: A quick word about your NSW!), Welsh and English paddlers, background please. all in their home waters — and have shared remarkably similar experi- ences, rooted in their love of the NC: I am an English sea kayak instruc- Kate Hives — Barwon Heads, 15 March marine environment, a desire to de- tor, living in Wales. I have worked in 2015 velop skills and knowledge, and a sea kayaking, and other outdoor ac- sense of connection with other fellow tivities, for the last twenty years or We both enjoy a wide range of paddlers. so. My home waters of Anglesey are sea kayaking adventures — including Essentially Australian aspects of exposed to ‘varied’ weather and have multi-day journeys, open water con- sea kayaking culture? Yes, pumps! strong tidal streams off all the head- ditions and surf. The ocean is a fun We’re seriously impressed by the per- lands — so it’s a rough water play- playground with a great deal of con- formance of this rather overlooked ground in the right conditions. This trasting experiences. item of kit in British and North Amer- was my first paddling visit to Aus- ican sea paddling worlds. And sails! I tralia. Kayak Cultures? come from a sailing background and had ignored wind–powered kayak Kate is from Victoria — Vancouver • Sea Trek: You are internationally propulsion in the past. It’s cheating, Island, Canada. She’s also a sea kayak travelled instructors. After having no? Although, British paddlers are instructor and guide trainer, with over spent some time in Tasmania in Vic- happy to be swept along on the free- ten years experience in the exciting toria, is there anything particular, dif- ride moving carpet of tidal assistance coastal waters of her home island. ferent about the Australian sea kayak ... So, Kate and I have each purchased

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 6 SeaTrek 83 VSKC Special Event a Flat Earth sail to take home, for fur- We’ve enjoyed encouraging peo- NC: Risk taking is an interesting topic. ther exploration. One downwind run ple to occasionally abandon their trip Some risks we should always try to on the Tasman Peninsula was enough plans in favour of a morning of ‘play’ control — for example, by wearing to convert me! — spinning kayaks, making contact, a helmet in the surf zone. Others We love the variety of sea kayaks catching waves, towing, rescuing — — such as ‘fear of failing’ in front of too. It’s great to see the development all within sight of the car. We per- our friends — we might do well to of a skeg boat paddling scene (our form best what we practise most — ignore. When running coaching ses- background) in Australia, but it’s also so, armed with good techniques, we sions, we always need to find the right wonderful to witness the performance can turn weaknesses into strengths balance of technical challenge and of many ruddered boats in our recent simply by putting some time into var- consequence — and seek out venues coaching sessions. We also have rud- ied, fun practice. where paddlers can extend their com- dered boats in our home waters — fort zones, confident that they’ll get to go home that night. We would en- and the recent development of fast Rough Water and Managing Risk sea kayaks has increased their num- courage the same approach in all sea kayaking situations — not to avoid ber — but not to the same extent as • Sea Trek: ‘Rough Water’: Is it some- risk by staying ashore every day, but paddlers ‘Down Under’. With such a thing you would define in absolute, to balance existing skill level against variety of sea kayak designs on show qualitative terms or is it just a rela- the risks of a particular venue. Risks — and with paddlers learning surf / tive concept — one persons’ ‘rough’ can increase as skills and judgement moving water / rough water skills in water being another person ‘textured’ improve — when practising in lo- Mirages, Nadgees, Epics et al. — it’s water? cations beyond our current comfort clear to us that (as with paddles) it’s NC: It’s easy to see the differences be- zone, be mindful of the need for a re- not really about the boat, but about tween ‘flat’ and ‘rough’ water — but liable safety net. Ask the questions, the paddler: their attitude to alterna- ‘rough’ is often used as a subjective ‘how likely am I to swim here; and if I tives; and their desire to learn and im- term. It has a Beaufort Scale defini- prove. The spirit of innovation seems do, what will be the outcome?’ tion, but that is not what most peo- • to be alive in Australia. ple have in mind when they say, ‘it Sea Trek: Are there in your eyes any Other memories? Tasmanians was rough out there’. So yes, I’d agree typical neglected skills, skills that are choosing rescue practice areas based that it’s a relative concept — what re- underestimated by many paddlers (or, on the likelihood of White Pointer en- ally matters is that people consider likewise, overestimated ones)? counters. ‘Laurence of Arabia’ appari- the weather forecast, compare with NC: Individual skills are easily iden- tions, blanketed from an ozone-free actual conditions and reflect on their tified and are familiar to us all — sky. Zincplastered paddlers equally own comfort level on the day. That turning a kayak, bracing, rescuing shielded from the UV rays. Lots of way, it becomes easier to plan and a friend, etc; but group dynamics, Reed rubber outfits. Great people and predict suitable paddling conditions. or ‘the human factor’, often lie at loads of banter. Oh, and Venetian the heart of sea kayaking incidents. cord ... In mountaineering circles, there has • Sea Trek: Do you have any observa- been plenty of study into heuristic tions about the demographic of Aus- traps that sea kayaking can also con- tralian paddlers that turn up for train- sider. We need to beware of assump- ing sessions? Any observations about tions that are the origin of many pad- typical weaknesses or strengths? dling accidents, such as: NC: There are lots of sea kayakers — ‘It was OK to paddle here every that paddle on flat water, plenty that other time, it’ll be OK today’ paddle in rough conditions and loads — ‘Jack (or Jill) seem more expe- that want to take the step from one rienced than me; I’ll defer to their de- to the other! Many of the pad- cisions today (and will leave my tow- dlers we’ve met on our travels have line / phone in the car)’ come to coaching sessions seeking — ‘It’s dangerous to paddle alone; new skills, confidence and safety in it’s much safer to part of a big team’. stronger winds, tidal currents, surf Rough water session, 15 March 2015 Bar- — ‘This is my only chance to pad- and sea states. It’s been great to won Heads dle this week; let’s go round the head- work on effective paddling skills, de- land despite the strong wind fore- cision making and safety & rescue • Sea Trek: What’s your take on risk cast’. techniques — all with teams of mo- taking as part of learning and practis- A paddling team with good com- tivated paddlers, keen to experiment ing where you deal with high speeds munication skills, an agreed means of with new ideas. or strong forces as in surf? operating afloat, a desire to stay to-

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 7 SeaTrek 83 VSKC Special Event gether, an open and honest approach they are willing to paddle. How to confidence levels and conditions, many group trips arrive at the take- and a care for the wellbeing of all out beach in time for 30 minutes of group members rarely, if ever, en- rescue practice? counters unfixable problems. Finally ... • What’s your take on establishing formal protocols (as opposed to in- Sea Trek: A parting message from you formal, common sense approaches). to the paddlers who have been at- Paddle signals are formal. An assisted tending your instructions? rescue may consist of a series of best Don’t forget your lunch! practice steps. Yet beyond those ba- Alway remember to have fun! sics we rely very much on verbal com- NC: Finally, a big thank you to all munication that is completely open Practising ... the great sea kayakers we’ve met in and, thus, prone to misunderstand- Victoria — it’s been a super experi- ings in severe, noisy stressful con- ence. And an equally big thank you ditions. I wonder if set commands to Bob Fergie, and both David Go- or question/response like in flying lightly and Heather Torbet, and all or sailing would be helpful when it other members of the VSKC whose comes to the social side of coordinat- hard work and commitment made it ing activities, be it keeping the pod to- possible for us to visit this part of Aus- gether or dealing with incidents? tralia. We hope to come back one day. NC: I also come from a white water background where, like in surf kayak- ing, verbal communication is often impossible. Formal signals are mutu- ally understood, can convey a range of information and assist in safety and rescue situations. . . . problem solving skills – 15 March 2015, Barwon Heads The more a group practises prob- lem solving skills together, the less • Sea Trek: Do you have any in- that group will rely on extended ver- sight whether there is a particular bal discussions. Mutual understand- safety culture in sea kayaking com- ing, and brevity of communication, pared, say, to sailing?. Are kayakers develops. So — for me — the key obsessed with rescue training or does lies in regular practice, in suitable sea the interest reflect the actual level of Kate Hives and Nick Cunliffe, 15 March conditions. risk? 2015, Barwon Heads NC: I think that there is not an ‘obses- Strategies also need to be flexible sion’ with sea kayak safety when com- and able to accommodate changing pared with other water sports. UK situations. A rigid system of protocols incident statistics at least bear this Resources can cause its own problems, so I pre- out. Incidents continue to occur, in- fer to practise core skills and applied volving groups and individuals whose For more on Nick’s approach to solutions as much as possible. In sit- skills and knowledge prove lacking in theory and practice of sea kayak- uations where I am the more experi- the face of specific challenges. My ing see his Web Site: http://www. enced leader, I have trained myself to personal belief is that all who reg- kayakessentials.co.uk/ and Blog provide simple, clear instructions that ularly sea kayak should also regu- www.kayakessentials.wordpress. reduce the risk of misunderstandings larly practise problem solving skills in com. — Ed. — it’s a skill we can all develop. conditions that match those in which

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 8 SeaTrek 83 VSKC Special Event

Back on the Barwon after a surf session — Photo: HH

Peter Wilson Training Sessions with Nick Cunliffe

I started sea kayaking about 6 months both down at San Remo. Funnily ago after attending East Coast Kayak’s Individual Training Session enough Brendan M who I’d done that Sea Starter course. Pete C and Ro- intial Sea Starter course with but han K guided a group of us through I spent the entire individual training hadn’t seen since also came along too. the basics of paddling and rescues and session with a very strange sense of Both these sessions were fantastic! gave us a brilliant introduction to the d´ejavu` . I actually found myself re- The tidal flow under the bridge and broad range of skills, knowledge and enacting some of my favourite scenes small waves on the sand bar of Clee- safety needed for paddling on salt wa- from the ”Kayak Essentials” videos, land Bight were great fun. During ter. In just two days I was hooked except with a real live voice over! We these sessions we learnt about sup- on sea kayaking and completed the spent the session improving my core port strokes, edging, rudders, break- course feeling very excited and in- skills and trying to iron out some self- ing in and out, ferry gliding and how spired to learn more. taught bad habits and misinterpreta- to work with the water flow and ed- tions. During the paddle we con- dies to keep the kayak going where you want it to. Again the emphasis Since that weekend I’ve learnt a centrated on forward stroke, edging, was on paddling efficiency and con- lot, mainly in the boat on the wa- leaning, the connection between body centrating on boat angle and body ter, getting tips and pointers from the and boat and using these skills up position to inform the boats course. more experienced club paddlers, but wind and down wind (we’d had to re- Gliding back and forth across the tidal also in the armchair. Since that week- locate to Patterson Lakes due to the flow from one bridge footing to the end I’ve watched LOTS and LOTS gusty conditions). I’d been relying next rates up there with my trip from of YouTube. Some of my favourite mainly on legs and paddle power to Flinders to Cape Schanck with Terry videos were Nick Cunliffe’s Kayak Es- turn and change the boat’s shape in B a couple of weeks earlier as some of sentials series, so when it was an- the water but Nick was able to show the best fun I’ve had paddling. The nounced he’d be visiting for some club how to use the whole body to control ’Rough Water Handling’ wasn’t overly training sessions, I naturally got a lit- the boat far more efficiently and with rough and turned into an introduction tle excited. Actually quite excited much less effort. to boat control in the surf. We did a ... so much so that when the online lot of paddling across the small waves bookings were launched I was the first Boat Control and Moving Water to practice our bracing and inevitably to book and managed to get one of I also got to practice my wet exits and the individual coaching sessions and The next sessions were titled Boat re-entries. a place at most of the ”beginner” ses- Control and Moving Water, a com- sions. It seemed like a pretty good bined NC and VSKC instructor ses- Which brings me to the final two opportunity and time to improve my sion held in the morning and Rough training sessions, both held at Bar- skills and learn some new tricks. Water Handling later the same day, won Heads, Incident Managment and

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 9 SeaTrek 83 VSKC Special Event

Rescues and finally Boat Handling in certed effort to practice these skills as Small to Medium Surf. often as possible and definitely in a Overall ... variety of challenging conditions. Incident Managment and Rescues My final training session was Boat Overall the training sessions were a and Boat Handling in Small to handling in Small to Medium Surf real highlight of my paddling expe- Medium Surf and despite the strong onshore wind, rience so far. I not only learnt the conditions turned out to be per- new skills and improved old but also During the morning session we fectly suited for us novices to ex- extended my understanding of and started with contact tows, getting plore boat control and paddling in, connection to my boat (the lovely someone away from danger quickly out and across the waves. As with Emanuelle... don’t ask) I also got and then moved on to assisted res- all my earlier sessions this one was to paddle new areas, in a variety of cues and other tows. A few of us had fully booked and we separated into 2 new (for me) conditions, I especially brought our short and long tow ropes smaller groups. Kate Hives led my enjoyed the tidal flow under the San but weren’t confident using them, so group and we headed a little further Remo bridge. this was great practical experience. I east down the beach and soon found Nick and Kate were lovely peo- was introduced to the idea of the 3rd the edge of a bar with some nice lit- ple, great teachers and generous with party anchor tow to keep the 2 two tle right hand ’humps’ with a bit more their time with most of our sessions paddlers and boats involved in the consistency amongst the messy con- running well over the times listed. assisted rescue in position and per- ditions. For the next hour or so we They left me with a lot of new knowl- pendicular to wind, waves or current. all had a blast paddling and surfing edge about working with the con- The extended practice on the incom- (and swimming) circuits in and out, ditions rather than against them, a ing tide around the Barwon bridges with Kate calling us in to the beach to keen focus on paddling effiency and high lighted the importance of quick workshop skills and then on the water of course a great desire to get out decision making and clear concise hooting encouragement. Needless to there and practice, practice practice. communication. I think we all fin- say I slept very well that night. Training is FUN! ished up agreeing we’d make a con-

Helmut Heinze Training Notes

I belong to the people who are noto- • Loose fit in the boat to allow some with powerface of paddle on the op- riously unable to take written notes. leg movement (leg drive) with some posite side of hull (to over-emphasise At uni, while almost everyone else hip rotation; body rotation) was scribbling madly, I might have ini- • Short paddle shaft, high angle tially written down some terms, some stroke; high cadence (Nick Cunliffe’s Edging, leaning, turning names or dates but quickly would plants the paddle sometimes almost have lost track of the lecture. Rather vertically into the water); • Don’t overdo it, don’t force it. Try than referring to my notes I had to • Maximum reach forward, fully sub- to find the sweetspot and perform all rely on my memory and fill in de- merse blade (but just cover blade) be- manoeuvres with minimal effort. tails later by looking them up in other fore applying force; • When breaking out of eddies, just places. Anything written that was • Actively lift paddle at hip level get the angle and speed right, put in a more than doodles and worth keeping (don’t let the paddle ’follow through’) slight edge and let the flowing water was always written in retrospective. — this results into a fairly short travel catch the front of the kayak, the kayak Find below some of my notes on of the blade in the water. performs the turn effortless. various sessions and encounters with • For maximum speed, go for high • Lead with the head — look into the Nick Cunliffe and Kate Hives. The cadence, rotate the upper body but direction you are turning. notes are personal in the sense that don’t rock the boat sideways! they reflect my interest, my focus, my • Exercise 1: Lean forward, stretch Bracing in surf horizon of understanding. arms with paddle as much as possible (as a reminder what a good forward • Lean forward, head low — this af- stroke requires) ford a better balance as the ride gets Forward stroke • Exercise 2: On every 3rd stroke tap bumpy.

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 10 SeaTrek 83 VSKC Special Event

• Body stays balanced over boat, the • Consider various ways of perform- • As soon as contact has been made, head is roughly above the knee, not ing a contact tow, including having the tower pulls rescuer and victim out outside. Don’t lean hard into the surf, the kayaks face each other and push of the danger zone. just find the right edge. the ’towed’ kayak out of the danger zone. • Assisted rescue with 3rd kayak Surfing Apply sweep strokes, stern rudder or bow ruder for steering — adjust to If victim is exhausted and not able to • Accelerate with 3 or 4 strokes, not whatever works best under the given perform a standard assisted heel hook more. conditions . rescue and a 3rd helper is available: • Use clean stern rudder, paddle par- • Kayaks of victim and rescuer front to allel to kayak, plant blade deep into Long tow Setup back (like in normal assisted rescue); water , paddle shaft pointing about • 45 degrees downwards with a slight Helper kayak between rescuer and Venetian blind cord or thick rope? victim so that both are separated by pry for maximum directional control Contentious issue. rd (don’t do a stern brace unless you back deck of 3 kayak; • Thick rope preferred over vene- • want to slow down to get higher on Rescuer leans over backdeck over tian blind cord: less risk cutting into 3rd kayak and grabs victim’s hand the wave). hands, less likely to tangle. • Try to outrun the wave when it (thumbs facing up), helping to drag • A body tow system with a good up victim face down onto his/her starts breaking by leaning forward; in safety release preferred in commercial any case maintain speed until the last kayak, using the sandwiched helper settings for quick and efficient deploy- kayak as a stable work platform. moment to minimise the speed differ- ment ence of the breaking water and the • Tow bags with velcro flaps preferred kayak. over bags with zips. Finer points of a scoop rescue • Overall strategy: ride a wave as long as possible, brace once it starts break- • Turn boat of victim vertical, fill ing, readjust course and continue — rd 3 Party long tow as sea anchor cockpit with as much water as possi- “race and brace” (Terry Barry). ble.and scoop in victim. • During an assisted rescue a third • Hold victim by PFD straps, if possi- Punching through surf kayaker to clip on a tow line to res- ble — this is important! — slip hand cuer to prevent the rescuer drifting under PFD strap so that palm faces • An otherwise too steep wave may be further downstream or downwind or ito rescuer, not victim (arm curl po- still paddled up at a slight angle. The to move the rescue party gently out sition!); last stroke is planted firmly into the of the hazard zone while the rescue is • Push victim onto back deck and then crest of the wave so that the kayak re- being performed. pull up; turns to a perpendicular angle. • While being extracted out of the • If palm faces inside the rescuer can • If facing a large wave that threat- danger zone hold firmly to other push away his/her kayak to lever up ens to break, turn upside down, wait kayak to form a stable raft and avoid the victim while holding tight. for the wave to pass and roll up once damage in choppy conditions. the water has settled (certainly better than being swirled around all three Think outside the square . . . axes — learned the hard way from ex- 3rd Party long tow as safety line perience) . . . search for the most efficient solu- Here the tow line works almost like a tion, minimise risk. • Short tow safety rope in rock climbing. Example: change from on to the • A rescuer trying to extract a victim other side in a raft by rand-railing • Don’t bother. Too much time lost to close to a hazard, eg a cliff can be se- the kayak around the other one(s) us- fit the short tow line. Use contact tow cured with a long tow. ing the perimeter lines instead of pad- instead for quick extraction out of a • The rescuer then approaches the vic- dling. danger zone. tim.

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 11 SeaTrek 83 Champagne Sea Kayaking

Richard Rawling Triple Tassie Temptations

Richard Rawling (Trip Leader) — Pad- eryone without being too scary, are lo- dling Team: Terry Barry, Tony Chick, Steve gistically doable and unlock the best Collins, Craig Marshall, Graeme Thomp- sea kayaking on offer. This sparked son, Kerrie Vogele, Roger Bellchambers me to put up a week long club trip (W2) and Derek Wilson (W2) — Photos by to circumnavigate Maria Island. This various members of the expedition. quickly morphed into a two week trip taking in Freycinet Peninsula and Schouten Islands, with Fortescue bay as it turned out, the icing on the kayaking cake! “Wow” — “Fantastic” — “Spectacular” — “Amazing” — Getting organised “This takes a lot of beating” — Terry B: “If you do not love this, Maria Islands then sell your kayak now!” This was not a trip for novices (at least Grade 2) and our experience of As we paddled for two great weeks it bore that out — more later. I posted around Freycinet Peninsula, Schouten the trip idea in the calendar and then and Maria Islands and Fortescue Bay convened a meeting at the 2014 AGM on Tasmania’s east coast, these ex- Paddlefest. Interest was pleasingly clamations came thick and fast. As strong, yielding a group with a great we zipped in and out of caves, ran blend of experience, good company gauntlets or just bobbed around at the and as it turned out — decent card base of 100 m high sea cliffs following players. Once we had a bead on group soaring sea agles , we just could not size and broad itinerary, we cracked get the smiles off our faces. A great on and booked the return ferry trip trip, a great group and a natural envi- from Victoria to Tasmania and camp- ronment par excellence. ground at Coles Bay. We then tick I have long thought that there is tacked on pre-trip planning, resolving something missing in the VSKC pad- any issues as we went. We agreed dling itinerary. Yes there are private on a core aims and principles for the trips to demanding locations, but the trip: club has generally lacked the offer of • not a race — we want to savour ev- Freycinet Island and Schouten Island expedition style trips that stretch ev- erything on offer

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• paddle with regard for others in the Tony was following his in car GPS but We stayed in close and ducked from group — use common sense it decided that exiting the highway for boulder to bay to avoid the worst of • sails OK, but must not breach group a route down the boat ramp at Perth it. This certainly toughened all of us cohesion nor take undue risks into the adjacent South Esk River was up and as we drew breath in the lee of • no splitting of pods — stick together the best option. I knew Tony was very Refuge Island we decided that Cooks at all times keen to get on the water but we all Beach about 6 km away made best • trip leader has final say — consult sincerely hoped that his on water nav- sense as a stop for the day. Off we yes, but makes the call igation was superior to that effort! shot into the white cap strewn bay We decided that each person looked bounding Hazards Beach, finally get- after their own gear and food require- ting respite at Cooks Beach. 15 hard ments. We decided to carry 16 litres won kilometres for the day, but it felt of water although we were able to get like a lot more. plenty along the way due to decent and recent rains (do not count on this all the time though). We made contact with the Tasma- nian Sea Canoe Club and received great local knowledge and tips to as- sist our plans. Greg Simpson from the Club was particularly helpful, even turning up on his motorbike when we were at Orford ahead of the Maria Island crossing, shared a coffee and helped further tune up our intentions. With white caps as far as we could see There is a great connection between the two Clubs and anyone doing a trip At Coles Bay it was howling, prob- like would be crazy not to make con- ably at least 25 Kts SW, with white tact. Thanks heaps Greg! VSKC In- caps as far as we could see. I think Craig at Cooks Beach campsite with a local structor, Robin Boundy, acted as our we were all a bit dispirited, and pretty on-shore contact and we confirmed well decided to stay another day in all intentions with him as we went. Coles Bay to let it blow itself out a bit. Fortunately he agreed with our calls! We did some sight seeing and marked In the end we had 3G phone coverage Sleepy Bay on the eastern side of the in most locations, so we were able to Peninsula as a possible put in if abso- get good weather forecasts (we found lutely necessary (but a lot of carrying local area Willyweather to be excel- boats down goat tracks). Oh, we also lent because we were relying on un- visited yet more eateries! Come Sun- derstanding inshore wind and swell, day, our planned launch day, there which the BOM forecast for the area was still a strong wind but it had skates over). eased a bit. Notwithstanding, Terry and Tony did a car run to the Na- Windy passage, wonky GPS but tional Park to check conditions and finally we go paddling upon their return, the call was “let’s all grow a spine and go”. Whilst an- The night crossing on the ferry was other day of grazing on pastries was My Helinox table came in for a lot of stick rough with 30 Kt+ winds as we left alluring, getting the trip started made Port Phillip Heads. It was crank- a lot more sense! Cooks Beach is a great campsite, ing big time and some of the thumps We launched from Honeymoon just a short carry from the boats and to the hull through the night were Bay into the stiff SW blow and it was with large wide, flat areas in a shel- pretty scary. After silly games with hard yards as we cranked up our pad- tered area under tea trees. It is a Tasmanian ‘customs’ the convoy of 3 dling muscles. As we left the beach to walkers’ camp and a few of them cars headed off. Apart from sampling the whirr of tourist cameras we were turned up in due course, so did many probably too many bakeries along the all determined not to come to grief in cute little wallabies and other critters. way to Coles Bay, we were damn the shore break! We had a bit of re- You really do have to keep food in lucky that we did not end up in the bound to deal with, either that or go boat hatches in these locations. Once river at Perth (town on the way). out wide into the teeth of the wind. camp was pitched we relaxed and

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 13 SeaTrek 83 Champagne Sea Kayaking checked out the area. There is a great east coast to Trumpeter Bay. drop toilet, refurbished heritage stone hut and a water tank. As each of us deployed our culinary delights, my Helinox table came in for a lot of stick but by the end of the trip I could have sold several of them. Talking about sticks, we wondered about the option of roast wallaby, but Terry’s helpful cooking suggestion of inserting a stick in said wallaby, etc had us all focussed on less local foodstuffs!

Kerrie giving chase Schouten Island beckons The crossing to Schouten Island Jagged peaks rising up out of the ocean (1.7 kms) was easy enough, particu- A slightly better forecast (˜15 Kts larly as we got into the lee of the is- SW) saw us on the water at 8.00 am land. We all had the sense though (which became the norm for the trip). that this was not a place to be in a big We wanted to check out Bryan’s Beach blow, especially pushing in the kind which is where we were headed the of swell this area is known for. Tony day before. To get there we had had some sort of marine critter fol- to round Weatherhead Point. This low his boat, and safe to say it was is a massive headland that delineates probably not a crayfish nor a mam- the southern part of the peninsula mal! We set camp at Crocket Bay, es- from the more accessible northern ar- chewing the steep path to get to the eas. The wind was hooting along the camping area at nearby Moreys Bay. cliff-line with rebound conditions, but This is a nice campsite out of the fore- nothing good bracing stokes could not cast northerly wind that was due to deal with. Bryan’s Beach campsite arc up over 20 Kts for the next two was OK, but not a patch on Cooks days. The pit toilet here is a cracker Beach, nor was Passage Beach further — perched up the hill and overlook- Some of the caves were huge south. After a brief stop we shot off ing Schouten Passage. A great place with some sailing to the southern tip to linger for one reason or another. of the peninsula. Here is where the coastline heads north and you can fol- low the spectacular eastern cliff-line up to Wineglass Bay. We did a little of this, but were aiming for Schouten Island. As we bobbed around in the gauntlets and bays, a huge twin hull tourist boat, the Wineglass Bay Ex- plorer turned up. It got very close to us and for a moment we thought it wanted to head through the gap we were playing in, but as it turned we instantly became tourist fodder as I heard the captain extolling the virtues Gliding in and out of gauntlets on SE lee of sea kayaking as tourist cameras A great place to linger for one reason or an- coast of Schouten Island whirred! As it sped off up to Wine- other glass Bay, Kerrie gave chase, but I We knew there were sea caves beckoned her back to a more sedate Once we had lunch we decided there and we were not disappointed. pace! conditions warranted a run down the Some of the caves were huge and

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 14 SeaTrek 83 Champagne Sea Kayaking you could easily paddle in and turn which is a spectacular climb up gran- around. The coastline was dramatic ite tors with rock formations very with soaring, jagged peaks rising up like dogs and bears everywhere. At out of the ocean. We were well shel- the top (about 700m), the view over tered from the lessening SW blow, Schouten Passage was breathtaking. and maybe we could have gone fur- So too was the howling wind! ther to the southern end of the island, but we figured it would be hard yards getting back to the campsite, which we were committed to. Total distance of 25 kms for the day was enough. In the evening we settled in know- ing we were here for two more nights, unless the weather broke. This was perfectly fine because we wanted to Paddling in sight of Bear Hill where we explore the island. This night saw climbed commencement of a card tournament that lasted throughout the two weeks Day 4 saw a lessening of the — an addictive game known variously northerlies in the early morning and as bugger, mmm, and other unmen- we could have got back to the Penin- tionable names. Great fun and great sula, but we wanted to stay on this use of my Helinox table! The view over Schouten Passage was breath- lovely island. We did several short taking ... walks up the western end of the is- Beautiful Schouten Island lifts our land along the northern beach. There spirits is a great sandy spit at the western end, but the surf makes it a less attrac- With the onset of howling northerly tive landing spot for kayakers. Four winds, we strolled over to the next double kayaks turned up during the bay to see the old settlers hut. Here day, but they had a very wet cross- we met island keepers Tom and Sati ing and most of the paddlers were who were there on a two week stint under-dressed for the cooler condi- as part of the Wildcare Program. They tions. They camped away from us gave us lots of tips about tracks and in Crocket Bay, all hailed from ANU stuff to do. They had some kayaks but Mountaineering Club. safety protocols and personal prefer- The weather was doing what it ences kept their paddles to within the was forecast to do and lighter condi- passage area. tions for the next day gave us the win- dow to start to reluctantly head back . On the water at 8 am was the call — but we were ready to go at 7.15. Tom ... so too was the howling wind! and Sati turned up to bid us farewell and paddled out with us — a really After lunch back at the camp, we nice gesture. We more or less straight- headed off to see the waterfall. This lined to Weatherhead Point which this is a boulder scramble up the stream time allowed us to get in close and bed, but the area is very picturesque if inspect bays, little caves and interest- the water has been flowing as it was ing rocks. We were headed for the when we were there. We could see Hazards Beach camp, north of Cooks that there had been very heavy rain Beach, setting us an easy paddle back the week or so before. Not a place to to Coles Bay the next day — we were be in that situation! We also checked in no rush and wanted to savour every Here we meet the island caretakers – Sati out some old coal mines, penguin bur- aspect of this fabulous place. and Tom rows and chicks in front of our camp. After 15 kms of benign paddling The card game was on again, but we through clear blue waters with sharp We did two great walks. In were typically in bed by 9.30 or so as white silica sand beaches, we got to the morning we went up Bear Hill our activities caught up with us all! our camp area which was very simi-

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 15 SeaTrek 83 Champagne Sea Kayaking lar to Cooks Beach in set up. A great Island to look forward to. Many peo- distance and is a spectacular sight sit- spot indeed so we pitched tents and ple including locals had said to us that ting at most 12 kms offshore. We had lunch, ahead of a side trip up to Maria Island was even better than Fr- were absolutely raring to go! Wineglass bay. We paddled up the eycinet, well if that proved to be the We were pleasantly surprised long Hazards Beach in lieu of walk- case then we were in for an amazing when Greg Simpson from the Tasma- ing, dropped the boats and walked 2 paddle. We all thought that Freycinet nian SCC turned up on his motorbike kms over to Wineglass Bay past tea Peninsula well shaded our own lo- from Hobart. He was going to paddle tree swamps and day-trippers from cal paddling icon, Wilsons Promon- over to Maria Island with us but had Coles Bay. Steve and Craig decided tory because of the paddling diver- an overseas visitor he was obliged to to take a dip, Steve getting quickly sity on offer, better campsites, better entertain. Greg is a font of knowledge dumped in the surf, resulting in what cliff lines (and caves) and of course on the local scene and gave us some became known as the Gorbachev in- Schouten Island. There is nothing good tips about launch sites, etc. We cident with on graze on his forehead comparable at the Prom, although all felt that there is great potential for looking remarkably like that famous they both share a granitic geological the two Kayak Clubs to do more stuff Russian birthmark! What a beautiful heritage. together. Once Roger and Derek ar- spot, as we settled into yet another We quickly unloaded the boats rived, we topped up our bakery graz- card game with the evocative Hazards with the teamwork that the trip had ing and then headed off to nearby framing our view. Even the rats or generated so far. Once boats were Rheban Beach for the beginning of possums love it here, chewing a hole loaded, we headed off to Swansea our Maria Island adventure. in my tent floor liner — very annoy- to restock some supermarket supplies ing! and then belted down the highway Sublime Maria Island and drunken to Triabunna. We had not booked power boaters the campground there, being assured when we contacted them late 2014 The launch area at Rheban is easily that is was all good. Well, we nearly accessible but there could be reason- missed out on sites, but prevailed in able surf to contend with in a SE blow. the end. It is a small, uninspiring The day of our launch was bouncy but campground and the one night we in- nothing untoward. tended to stay was more than enough. Dinner at the local Spring Bay Ho- tel was most enjoyable, but Triabunna as a small town does not have much to offer, apart from the disembarka- tion point for the Maria Island ferries (which was our absolute plan B if the weather was such that we could not Paddling in front of The Hazards – a beau- get back in time for the return Bass tiful spot Strait ferry). After an early night (we were pretty tired after Freycinet given very Restocking and setting up for active days of paddling and walk- Maria Island ing), we grabbed a late breakfast in Triabunna (when something finally The run back to our launch spot in opened!) and then drove down to Or- Launch area at Rheban Honeymoon Bay in the Freycinet Na- ford nearby to meet Derek and Roger tional Park was uneventful, but we who had travelled all night on the We parked our cars just through spied several sea eagles and a large ferry from Victoria to join us. Orford the gate, up behind the back of the pod of dolphins cavorted in the wake is a lovely little place, set on an in- beach as advised by Greg. It is a of a tourist boat not far from our let, with a great bakery and great scal- slightly remote spot, but local farm- route. We savoured the last paddle lop pies! Our kayak festooned cars houses give some comfort. We could dips along the rocky shore line, duck- were quite conspicuous and we had have launched further south at Earl- ing in and out of granite boulders and no doubt that Derek and Roger would ham where the crossing is shorter and kelp beds. Pulling into the landing find us okay. With some time to kill nearby holiday houses denser, but this area I think was with mixed emotions. we checked out Robin Boundys’ house suited us just fine. Once loaded we We had ended our Freycinet adven- at Spring Beach and the nearby coast- headed off at 1.50 pm for the midway ture, but we had the next leg, Maria line. Maria Island beckoned in the point of Lachlan Island.

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This little island is good staging boats to do so and I think we all were all just sat there bobbing in the ma- point to get respite from wind (if re- ready to jump up and do anatomically jestic space, paying homage to the quired) at the 6 km mark or so. It unmentionable things with our pad- joys that mother nature offers in this is also home to many sea birds that dles. They were pretty benign drunks amazing place were pretty raucous upon our arrival. in the end, but the thought of pulling Time to move and we started The wind was strengthening from the the bung plugs on their boats when heading NE up along the coastline SSE with white caps appearing, but we left in the morning did cross our towards Barren Head which bounds no dramas as we swept past Point mind. Needless to say we did not Haunted Bay, our intended lunch Lesueur . The paddle into Encamp- lower our voices when we shoved off stop. We saw many caves and seals, ment Cove takes a while from here, at 8.00 am! but the sea was running in such a but after 16.4 kms all up we arrived in way that concentrated exploring was a very sheltered little bay. The grassy Cape Peron and the south coast not easy. Despite this, cameras were campsites are located behind a stony beckons whirring as we poked along the cliff- beach; no good for kayaks. We landed line in the drizzle, with large cracked just north of this area and grabbed dolerite towers giving way to gran- spots up behind the beach. The many ite tors much like Wilsons Prom as power boats moored in this area al- we approached Barren Head. The ready emanating signs of a tad too colour palette was just stunning, es- much drinking! pecially the red lichen strewn over the rock faces. We grouped up off Bar- ren Head as we waited for Derek who had tangled his sail lines, but as we did so a squall hit which really messed up the rebound. It was no place to hang around in, so we scuttled into Haunted Bay for respite. Upon land- ing on the beach the camping poten- tial of this beautiful little bay stood out. The stunning gauntlet at the SW tip — Cape Peron

The morning dawned windy and with light rain. Definitely a full cag Convict era ruins day, which was also the story for the rest of the Maria Island trip due to We walked up the hill in the late the unseasonably cooler weather we afternoon to check out the toilet fa- experienced. The weather was good cilities nearby (very good drop toilet) enough to go and we hoped that the and some local convict era ruins. We SSW blow of 15 kts or so would be de- grabbed some photos in the golden flected as we turned along the south hour before sunset. There were many coast. It was hard yards as we pushed kangaroos, wombats, wallabies and the 9 kms down to Cape Peron, again cape barren geese. But most spectac- using the tactic of bay and boulder ular of all was the mainland fading hopping to knock the worst of it off. We scuttled into Haunted Bay for respite behind an orange glow in the sunset. By the time we got to Green Bluff we Post dinner, Derek and Roger were had pushed pretty hard, but the wind It has a small but good sand beach duly inducted into that wretched card eased as we approached the SW cor- with occasional boulders. The beach game that by now had become so ad- ner of the island. Roger and I were is steep because in a SE blow the swell dictive and winning, for some of us, out the front and Roger was besot- would thump in here. You would not so elusive! ted with a sea eagle nearby, but when be able to land in those conditions. During the night the drunken I caught sight of the gauntlet behind Craig looked at me and Terry plain- power boaters turned up, seemingly Cape Peron my eyes lit up despite the tively, “what about staying here for the unable to find their boat to walk back gloomy conditions. Quickly alerting night “, closely followed by “you guys out to in the shallows. We were con- Roger, we paddled into the cathedral are %*%*&&& crazy if you want to go cerned they would ‘borrow’ one of our like gauntlet as the others arrived. We out in that again”. It seemed to me

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 17 SeaTrek 83 Champagne Sea Kayaking that with a brighter weather forecast can organise things in terms of trip Whalers Cove is a great spot with the the next day and consistent with our planning, being on the opposite quad- best campsites on the elevated area ‘no undue haste’ mantra, it did in fact rant gives you lee conditions to pad- on the eastern side of the cove, as well make a lot of sense to call it a day dle in. as a great fire pit. here. So the call went out and tents The SE coastline is bounded by re- were pitched in no time, with lunch ally deep water, but the gauntlets and thereafter (16.5 kms for the day). caves are just stunning. The cliffs soar In the afternoon, we could see upwards from the ocean with the oc- the eastern point of the bay really casional sea eagle catching a ride on thumping as the swell pushed in so the uplifting air. I reckon it was a good call to hang We almost giggled with glee as here. We started exploring our home. we lingered over every section of this There were many penguin burrows on coastline. In big SE conditions what the nearby slopes, and many penguin we did would not be possible, but wings — a kind of KFC outlet for Tas- we drifted along just meters out from manian Devils we suspected! Cards the cliffs, rising and falling with the on the beach, serenaded by the copi- gentle conditions. The word cham- ous local penguins rounded out an in- pagne paddling must have been ut- spiring day. Little did we know that tered countless times! You could get the next day would be one of the most in so close it was possible to ride Whalers Cove has a great, sheltered ele- atmospheric days of paddling any of waves up the cliff wall and then fall in vated campsite us had ever done. a majestic kayak dance. It might have been the seductive nature of this pad- At low tide the area is quite rocky Gauntlets and caves on steroids dling that almost found Steve come a so care must be taken with kayaks, cropper as Graeme and I bore down especially when loaded. We got on him in a gauntlet where he had the tents pitched, a fire going and slumped in a wave trough at the bot- checked out the area. Of interest were tom. The prospect of two heavy ex- remains of the old whaling station pedition boats arriving into his rear here, but the thought of slaughtering hatch, together with banshee calls got whales was not something we wanted him going quick smart! Showboating to contemplate (17 kms or so for the in gauntlets is an addictive pastime. day). The NE coast beckoned tomor- We ultimately turned west into row so another early start , 6.00 am Riedle Bay and checked out an al- wake up and 8.00 am on the water leged campsite in the SW corner of was our reliable routine. the bay, but it is just sites at the back of the beach and not a patch Sharks, geese, people and on Haunted Bay. It would be okay wombats — take your pick! in an emergency, but there are better places to head. Riedle Bay is a stun- As we pushed out of Whalers Cove A cave on Maria Island — there were many! ning bay (similar to its famous sister it was clear we would not have the further north — Wineglass Bay) that benign conditions we had on the SE We had been told that the NE bounds the eastern side of the nar- coastline. The wind was pushing up coastline of Maria Island was pretty row isthmus, with a lovely white sand the seas from the SE and the sec- special, but after we left Haunted beach. tion from Little Raggedy Head up to Bay around 8.00 am, rounded Cape It is the ‘surf’ side of the island, but Mistaken Cape was a bit of a hand- Maurouard and turned north, the SE when we were there the south west- ful. Mistaken Cape really juts out coastline of Maria Island opened up erly had the opposite shoreline arcing to the east and generates nasty re- like a sea kayakers jewel box. Maybe up. We walked over to check this out bound in the area. We were all watch- because it was Australia Day, but and the difference in paddling condi- ful of this, and it was only when whatever the reason our spirits lifted tions was stark indeed. we rounded that and headed NW even higher as we left a 15 Kt SW Whalers Cove on the northern along the coastline that we got a bit blow behind us and paddled into flat side of Riedle Bay beckoned as our of respite. Those conditions under- conditions. This is the beauty of next campsite and we slowly paddled scored why this is such a committing Maria Island because it effectively has over to the northern end of the Bay, coastline overall. The cliffs, caves four paddling quadrants and if you not wanting our magical day to end. and gauntlets were much like the

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SE coastline, but the mountains are tites dripping from the rock line like of our exploits and stoked that we had closer, giving the whole place an im- cake decorations. The area abounds witnessed Maria Island near its kayak- pressively intimidating presence. As with caves and fossils, but we were ing best (23 kms for the day). we got near Beaching Bay, some large a bit caved out and the attraction of SE swells appeared from nowhere and a long overdue hot shower at Dar- I remember being thrust up to the top lington beckoned. As we ambled of one of these while others in the pod along the northern cliff line, Terry was dropped. It felt like being several sto- about to raft up with me to get some ries up looking down on ants in boats food out when I saw him sit bolt up — exhilarating yet confronting. Even right, raise paddle and hands in the more confronting was my boat kind of air and call ‘shark’. I saw the swirl of submarining in a nasty section of aer- water and the tip of a fin as a ˜3m ated water. I had to paddle hard to black shape disappeared into the dark extricate myself from the treacle like water. I then called shark as well and conditions. you have never seen a group of kayak- ers raft up so quickly in your life.

Paddling into the lovely clear blue harbour at Darlington

We were so lucky, but we had earned our luck by managing deci- sion making and the paddling regime really well I thought. For the first time on the whole trip so far some- one came out of their boat in the shore break trying to avoid annoying boulders, but I was not quick enough Bishop and Clerk pinnacles to catch that particular indignity on Bruce’s brother camera! Boys will be boys in gauntlets and Once settled in the campsite, hot whilst I was grappling in the treacle, I We lingered in this mode as Terry showers beckoned and were sheer later heard that Terry and Tony went regained composure (mind you, we bliss at $2 for 6 minutes. Not only through a gauntlet that everyone else left him on the side of the raft in case that, but a real bonus was Tasmanian shook their heads about. It takes guts Bruce returned and sought a sacrifi- Devils scuttling around the campsite sometimes to extract maximum pad- cial morsel!) Pretty unsettling really (in daylight for some reason), as dling potential, so we ‘dips our lid’ and there are small chips from Bruce’s well as fat wombats and Cape Barren guys. More wave shenanigans were teeth on Terry’s boat to prove it — ask geese. to come down at Fortescue bay later him for a look! in the trip. Not much further north, Just out from Darlington near Roger checked out a cave he reckons Cape Boullanger we spied some curved around and came out again. tourists up on the cliffs, but as it We all reckon that you could only get turned out the female of the two was into that in very benign conditions. looking for a quiet place to, shall we The sea along this coastline is say, relieve herself. Little did she dark, deep and with a foreboding know there were nine kayakers bob- character. As we paddled past the foot bing around just 50 m below her! We of the famous Bishop and Clerk pin- respectfully kept our gaze on the hori- nacles 700m above us, little did we zon as all good kayakers do, but we know that a visit from a toothy res- could not look her straight in the face ident by the name of Bruce awaited when we bumped into each other at us. The northern coastline marks the Darlington! As we paddled into the start of the so called fossil cliffs. These lovely clear blue harbour at Darling- are large limestone cliffs with stalac- ton I sensed we were all really proud Cape Barren goose

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We checked out the old colonial fisher camps when we were there so era buildings at Darlington and paid we got as far away from those as we our camp fee at the Rangers Of- could. Whilst Fortescue Bay itself is fice. They were very interested in our sublime place with clear water, white kayaking exploits, as were many of sand and fabulous cliff lines, the camp the backpackers we spoke with who sites are on bare earth and uneven had just arrived from the mainland ground. There is only one shower for on the ferry. The history of Maria Is- the whole area, but it was the pad- land is aptly captured at Darlington, dling we were here for so our slight including an old cement factory that grumbles subsided quickly. fortunately ceased in the 1920s. It is an atmospheric place, but it somehow paled against the natural beauty we had encountered along the dramatic eastern coastline of the island. After The Painted Cliffs of Darlington yet another round of that wretched card game an early night beckoned Once we got to Return Point which because we were all very tired, rain is the northern bound for Booming beckoned and the trip the following Bay, it made much more sense to head day back to our launch site would to Lachlan Island on a vector that took have to contend with a stiff SSW some sting out of the headwind, so af- wind. ter we sat out a squall we slugged it out for 5 kms or so. Again we got a bit of respite in the lee of the island and then gleefully caught sight of the Back on the mainland we head parked cars (16 kms for the day). We south for icing on the kayaking trundled onto the beach and took on cake the final boat unload for the trip, be- Kerrie at the Candlestick and Totem Pole cause at Fortescue Bay we were going to do an out and back paddle from our Whilst we had not rushed Maria Is- camp. Yes, we then hit the bakery at land, we had accomplished what set Orford again and boy was that wel- out to do and had a couple of spare come, with sausage rolls, muffins and days. We would have used those days sundry other non-dehydrated delica- The weather was not crash hot for walking on Maria Island, but the cies barely touching the side as they and 20 Kt+ southerly winds meant nasty southerly change looming put were woofed down! we stuck in the bay. The beauty of paid to that: we had to get back over We hit the road for Fortescue Bay this location is that a short paddle out to the mainland or risk being stranded which was about 120 kms south. It from the camp along Cape Huay puts on Maria Island. Mercury Passage is is located on the Tasman Peninsula, you right in the middle of a spectacu- not a body of water to be tinkered past Eaglehawk Neck, just north of lar dolerite cliff line. It abounds with with! Those of us who had been to Port Arthur. It is a national park gauntlets, cracks, seals, deep water Fortescue Bay near Port Arthur knew so we were unsure if we could get and rock towers. At the end of the the paddling potential there and we a campsite, but considered the time Cape (˜6km from campsite) are the had decided to decamp down there of year and prevailing cool weather famous Candlestick and Totem Pole for a final fling. But before we got warranted a try. If you have ever rock formations. These jagged tow- there we had to cross Mercury Pas- seen Fawlty Towers then you will have ers of rock jut well over 50 m out of sage via Lachlan Island again. some sense of the chaotic administra- the ocean and are a magnet for rock We paddled down the west coast tion that is possible in hospitality. The climbers — and kayakers of Maria Island in drizzle and an Fortescue Bay camp office pretty well annoying head wind with occasional sets a new standard. Their system So we explored, took plenty of squalls. The Painted Cliffs south of stops them knowing who is camped photos and then drifted up as close as Darlington were spectacular, and at where so when they give you a site we dared to the end of the Cape. The times we had flat conditions in be- and you go there, it is full. This hap- 3m+ seas pounding on the southern hind little headlands, but every time pened multiple times so in the end side of the Cape gave us one of the we stuck our head out into the pas- we just squatted on a site and told most memorable images of the trip as sage it seemed to arc up. them! There were lots of noisy cray- Terry paid homage to the wave gods.

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area in any kayaking itinerary. Some- We drove up to colonial Richmond how we all thought that we will be and strolled around the 1830 vintage back! village, with its famous stone bridge built by convicts in 1836 the third oldest in Australia. After that we drove up to Ross and camped along- side the lovely Macquarie River, on grass for a change. Ross is built around four crossroads, referred to locally as Temptation: the Man O’ Ross Hotel, Recreation: Town Hall, Salvation: Roman Catholic Church and Damnation: Jail (now a private residence). A very pleasant celebra- Thumping sea pounding in through the tory meal was had in said pub. But gaps not before we had strolled around the town visiting the Tasmanian Wool Museum (where Roger extolled the The infamous light brick virtues of microns) and the Female Factory (a womens prison from pe- After a cool night with drizzle, and nal times), where Graeme and Kerrie yet another card game using my infa- checked out the ‘production’ line for mous light brick (RR’s recent innova- new models! tion comprising LED lights and a 9.8 hr LiPo battery), we headed off to play tourist for a couple of days. On the way back up the Tasman Peninsula we called in to see the famous Devils Throat Arch and associated blowhole. It was there we were truly reminded of the power Mother Nature can wield as the rebound from the cliffs swerved Terry paid homage to the wave gods back out to sea with truly menacing intent This was a spectacular and awe in- spiring sight. Once we had annoyed enough seals and big waves, we pad- dled north to the other side of the bay (˜2 kms). In the lively sea, we put Female Factory on a tourist show appearing and dis- appearing below the 1.5 m chop for one of the high speed tourist boats that had come down from Eaglehawk Neck. In our haste to head back to check out a shipwreck in the NW cor- ner of the bay, we missed The Moai completely, a sister rock tower on the north side of the bay. But we had seen enough spectacular rocks and cliffs on It was there we were truly reminded of the the whole trip to not feel too peeved power Mother Nature can wield about that. Fortescue Bay is a lovely place and well worth checking out on any kayaking trip. But in many ways, Playing tourist and some in the right conditions the amazing reflections on our wonderful coastline to the north and south is adventure even more of a reason to include this Where has the summer gone?

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In the morning we headed up to we had a designated leader (Richard) Launceston via Evandale (home of the the decision-making was collabora- penny farthing bike festival), where tive and drew strength from the pod, Craig spied a most apt newspaper this inclusiveness aided in building a headline. At Launceston we grabbed strong team spirit. lunch in town and strolled around in • There is clear demand for big the nice, but slightly down at heel am- trips like this— I cannot tell you biance of the place. We checked out how many people various of us have the impressive Launceston Gorge and spoken with since we got back who then headed over to Davenport for the wanted to do this trip, but could not ferry. We wanted to check out Daven- for whatever reason. It was a solid In- port a bit more, but true to form most termediate Grade trip, and rightly so. places were shut despite hundreds of But we had one less experienced pad- people hanging around to get on the dler who pushed himself and learned ... till the next time that is ferry. a lot. There are some short, demand- Once ensconced on the ferry, we ing blue water trips offered on the grabbed a pleasant enough meal and Club’s agenda, but nothing like this a celebratory ale or two as we Some reflections one. Yes it cost money to get there watched Australia win the Asia Cup and back, but it was very reasonable. and had a final round of that card There are many things to take out Yes it took effort to organise, but that game as the sun set over Bass Strait. from such a fantastic adventure, but was shared. But in the end we all We were all very tired after two weeks for those contemplating taking the kept looking at each other saying that of stellar paddling, so we hit our beds Tassie expedition challenge or any- the VSKC should offer more trips like early, next stop Melbourne. True to thing comparable, here are a few this. With Tasmania, the TSCC is form in this cool summer it was pour- pointers: ready willing and able to assist with • ing rain when we exited the boat Destination or ambience? — we trip planning, and I am sure the VSKC around 6 am and quite cool. As we all could have raced around on a destina- would reciprocate. parted company, there was this know- tion paddle, trying to cover as much • ing acknowledgement that we had all ground as we could, as quickly as we Gear and skills for all weather just taken part in some of the best sea could. But we had agreed to not do — unlike paddling in more tem- kayaking any of us had done, and the that, preferring to soak in the ambi- perate climes, paddling in Tasmania positive team spirit that had evolved ence of the places we went. That was quickly exposes you to hugely vari- made it a tad difficult to say good bye a wise call, and not once did anyone able weather conditions. We had ev- (till the next time that is). What are question this. So agree your trip ob- erything thrown at us except snow you waiting for — go do it! jective up front, stick to it and keep and tropical cyclones! This means calibrating your decision making as that you have to equip yourself with you go against this. the right gear. Good cags are a must, • The power of the pod, the right as are layers to enable adjustment pod— we had very experienced pad- to fluctuating temperature and wind. dlers in this group, and some less so. Tasmania is a long way south, and But we were all stretched at times due even the cold conditions we get in Vic- to tiredness, sea conditions, etc. Not toria will be surpassed in Tassie. In once though did we have any tension winter, a wetsuit would be a must. in the group. Teamwork and discre- We found that wind was a good 5 tionary effort was strong, on and off Kts more than comparable conditions the water. It was an absolute plea- back in Victoria, so you have to be sure to do this trip the way we did. comfortable in reasonable wind. With Could this go pear shaped, yes, but camping, a three season sleeping bag constantly striving to do the trip in is really a must, as is a rain jacket (on the way we did contributed to making land) and a fly cover for shelter. a tad difficult to say good bye ... it such a great adventure. Although

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 22 SeaTrek 83 ANZAC Advance 2002

Left: Gallipoli Peninsula (travel route) — Top: unset over the Canakkale Martyr’s Memorial — Right: the author.

Phil Woodhouse Sea Kayaking the Dardanelles

On occasion of the ANZAC Centenary, find the trip to be apart of what turned out is her first experience with paddling here a redacted reprint of a Sea Trek travel to be an informative and rewarding as she is from a sailing background log by Phil Woodhouse. — Ed. experience. with her father being a Yachty. Glen The crew were John and Her- is a submariner on a Collins class sub- donna Thurgar. Jason Thurgar a NSW marine and true to form with all sub- To everything there is a season . . . a policeman. Jason’s melancholy de- mariners provided us with raucous time to love, a time to hate, a time of meanour and dry wit provided us humour. Steve is a ‘birdie’ (aircraft war, a time of peace. — (Ecclesiastes) with interesting comments about his technician) on Sea King helicopters at observations. Vaughn is a Vietnam Nowra. Having two RAN members to- So, this is Turkey ... veteran. He was in the Australian gether on the trip was like travelling Army as a forward observer for the ar- with your own comedy team. Mar- After a 25-hour flight from Melbourne tillery and now lives out in the Mallee. cel is in the army at Queenscliff and with a stop over in Singapore I was Vaughn and I struck up a friendship is an adventure trainer. He is apart of in Istanbul, standing inline at the right away and he was to be my room- the AWWA as am I.[4] Marcel is also airport waiting to go through cus- mate for the trip. Jeff is an EL2 in the a good friend of Chalky Thomas.[5] toms. I was in Turkey as part of an Australian Public Service (APS) and It was Marcel who had to front the Australian Army White Water Associ- the head of the Australian Defence Coroner over the drowning death of ation (AWWA) adventurous training Force (ADF) Psychologists. We had an army lieutenant, when he was a activity called Expedition ANZAC Ad- a lot in common and enjoyed each trip leader on a white-water paddle. vance 2002.[2] The activity was or- others company over many beers, as Marcel had followed all of the ADF ganised by John Thurgar as an 11- we talked about psychology, theology, adventure training protocols and was day sea kayaking tour down the Dar- history, current affairs and paddling not held accountable for the incident. danelles and into the Aegean Sea.[3] to which Jeff was new. Katrina is a On return, Marcel will go to the Army The trip revolved around history tours PO2 psychologist and a lieutenant in Adventurous Training Wing (AATW) of Istanbul, the Gallipoli battlefields, the RAN Reserve. We had great con- as CO. Shaun had been on this trip be- Canakkale, Troy and the island of versations and had common ground fore, but is not a paddler. He is in De- Bozcaada. This year people from Syd- with paddling. Melissa is a PO1 and fence and works with the secret squir- ney, Melbourne and Canberra made sailed on the Young Endeavour. This rels. Basically, we formed three social

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 23 SeaTrek 83 ANZAC Advance 2002 groups and all had a great time. drove us to the Olympiat hotel in plasters and shampoo. the old sector of Istanbul where we dropped off our kit at the hotel then 23Aug02 commenced a whirlwind tour of the [6] city and the Bosporus . We travelled This was a rest day that included a up the 32–kilometre long Bosporus tour of the old city of Istanbul. The past the fortress of Rumeli to the first thing we had to buy was water Black Sea, then worked our way back which, we got from one of the shops down to the city. While on the ferry near the hotel. Five litres cost less there are waiters who offer, what than 2 million lirasi. Our guide for some people mistake for ‘complemen- the day was a young university stu- tary drinks’ and then are surprised by dent who also works for Microsoft de- the presentation of a bill before dis- veloping software for use by Turks. embarking. During the day we found By staying at university he avoided the people to be pleasant and the nu- his two-year national service, for the merous cafes had reasonable prices time being. He also enjoyed making Jason, John, Glen, Shaun, Katrina, for their food. Also, to our delight we a social statement by having his curly Vaughn, Melissa, myself, Marcel, Steve, Jeff; discovered that for two million Turk black hair shoulder length, the oppo- Herdonna took the photo lirasi, which is less than AUD$2.00, site to the contemporary socially ac- we could buy a pint of beer. We vis- cepted short hair for Turkish males. One disappointment I have is that ited the Turkish Army museum and The day consisted of visiting the Hip- before going to Turkey I did not read saw the bands traditional Turkish per- podrome, Blue Mosque, Aya (Santo) through at least once, Les Carlyon’s formance, which was quite impres- Sofia, Topkapi Palace and Byzantine book Gallipoli. I read it on the air- sive. After crossing the Galata Bridge underground cistern. In the pro- craft, but there was so much fact I we were back at the Spice Market and cess we got to haggle over commod- was unable to apply all of it to the the ferry terminals from where we ity prices with the locals and tried battlefields. I recommend you read started our day tour. to come to terms of thinking in “mil- the book at least once before depart- By this time after walking for sev- lions” and “hundred thousands” of li- ing Australia and then again on the eral hours, I had rubbed holes in rasi when it came to buying some- flight over. The other is that I did not my ankles through wearing my new thing. An incident that struck me as contact Jeff prior to booking my tick- Tevas. I brought these for $161 at curious took place after haggling over ets as he and Katrina stayed another Mountain Designs in Australia on the the price of an Istanbul souvenir book. week and toured the sites of Turkey. perception and recommendation that Not knowing the true value of the After stepping off the airplane at these were a good product for taking book or what other sellers were sell- Istanbul airport make sure you have on a kayaking and touring trip. My ing them for, I turned to one of my US$20 cash to pay for your VISA en- only thought is that they are a com- acquaintances and said “you do not try fee, prior to standing in line for the plete waste of money. That evening know if you are being ripped off”. A Customs people to clear you through we went to a roof top restaurant that man who was loitering near by said the booths. Those who by-passed the provided us with a view the Blue in English that we were “not being VISA stamp window and went directly Mosque that was up the hill about 400 ripped off”. This surprised me as I into the long Immigration Reception metres away and the Sea of Marmara, suddenly realised that we were be- lines for the custom booths, were sent which was down the bottom of the ing watched. When we went to a back to the window to get their VISA hill. After a traditional Turkish din- caf´e in a side street the man who sticker, then they had to return and ner we went to the English version apparently had lived in Melbourne, reline up at the back of the queue! Af- of the light show at the Blue Mosque stood 20 to 30 metres away watch- ter clearing customs, do not let any where I kept falling asleep and almost ing us with his companions. I sus- boys come up to you to look after snapped my neck jolting awake again. pect they saw us as a source of cash your luggage, as you will find your- When we got back to the hotel we had and were responsible for two scruffy self in an argument haggling over the been on the go for 40 hours with in- eight–year–old girls coming up to the price of their service when you want terspersed cat-naps in contorted po- group to sell us trinkets like spinning to get your possessions back. After sitions. Finally we got to bed realiz- tops and offering to do drawings on exchanging a minimal amount of our ing that this pace was indicative of the paper for outrageous prices. In the currencies into lirasi at the airport, we pace that was being set for us over the evening we had dinner at the rail- met out Turkish guide who warmly next two weeks. Before going to sleep way station restaurant where the Ori- greeted us and presented each of us I had also discovered that I had for- ent Express formally docked. After with a single red flower. Our guide gotten to bring Betadine, Imodium, dinner we headed back to the hotel

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 24 SeaTrek 83 ANZAC Advance 2002 and decide to have drinks at one of through unbelievably narrow streets, paddled before. To my surprise there the cafes. It became quite obvious with parked vehicles taking up pre- was a small one foot wave action on by the absence of women that this is cious road space and creating what the beach and the blue green wa- a male dominated society. We were appeared to all of us visitors as un- ter had quite a bit of rubbish float- entertained that evening by the an- passable gaps. Here we were given ing in it; like that of Port Melbourne tics of two drunken patrons who were a demonstration in precision driving beaches. It was here during the swim having a face-slapping contest then as our driver amazed us by passing test that a small wave broke in my started hugging each other. Later that through the gaps with out hitting any- mouth, as I was about to take a breath evening we experience a police raid thing. As we made our way out of the while swimming freestyle. The wa- and I.D. check. One of the lads had old city we passed through the mas- ter was not particularly distasteful but left his passport at the hotel so he sive decaying old city walls, which the sight of flotsam did raise a little drew unnecessary attention from the formally ringed the old city. The free- concern in my mind about bacteria officers who seemed to take delight ways in Istanbul are wide and flow like E. coli. in making him squirm and make ex- well. As we drove down the high- cuses. After experiencing the local way past the suburbs, we noticed the drink and beer, we found ourselves multiple houses, with bars of rein- in a ‘Mexican standoff’ with the pro- forcement rod sticking up from the prietors, who thought that they could flat roofs. Apparently the reason for intimidate us into paying the highly this unfinished build state is so the inflated bill. The problem arose be- owners do not have to pay a build- cause members of the group assumed ing completion tax. We stopped at a that the snacks the waiters were plac- service station in Tekirdag, which was ing on the table were either ‘com- a major bus coach stop. Here there plementary’ or that someone had or- is a statue of the poet Namik Kemal dered them for the group. In fact that has the largest hands. Michael it was devious salesmanship to place Angelo’s ‘David’ with its large hands the unordered foods on the table with does not compete with this statute’s a smile, when the numerous drinks hands! Fuel prices here are dis- were delivered. After futile discus- played as ‘1,588,000 lirasi’. On the sions with the proprietor, John paid way down we stopped on a ridge what he considered to be a fair price that over looked the Gulf of Saros for the ‘complimentary foods’. We (Xeros, Saroz Korfezi) where Alexan- Klepper being assembled with a Folbot in then talked and pushed our way past der the Great landed with his army the background the waiters, who were trying to intim- in 334 B.C. on his way to conquer idate us and block our exit down the the Persian Empire. It was also the narrow spiral stair case, through the place where in World War One Major- lower floor restaurant and on to the General Freyberg VC, DSO & bars as street. Here a growing mixed crowd a Lieutenant-Commander won one of of posturing and or curious Turkish his four DSOs.[8] men followed us, as they had decided On arrival at Gelibolu (Gallipoli), to involve themselves in the escalat- we registered at the Hamzakoy Hotel, ing situation. To my annoyance, while which is across from the beach at the on the street some of the more timid mouth to the Dardanelles and Mar- lads tried to reason with the agitated mara Denizi (Mamara Sea). Gelibolu restaurant staff and growing crowd. is on the inland side of the peninsula After getting the lads to turn away to the Gallipoli landing sites and was from the crowd we as a group headed the headquarters town for Liman von back up the hill to the hotel. Sanders the commander of the Turk- ish 5th Army during the Canakkale 24Aug02 wars (Gallipoli campaign). Here we assembled the three kayaks, revised From Istanbul we drove down to CPR and First Aid, conducted the the town of Gelibou (Gallipoli) on swim test and went through the drills. the Dardanelles Straight.[7] To get We were also assessed on our pad- out of the old sector of Istanbul our dling and boat handling abilities, as driver had to manoeuvre his mini bus some of the participants had never Morto Bay to V-Beach

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back with snappy haircuts and tales of attention so that they could see this barbers using lit cotton-wool ear buds amusing name. At Canakkale we to singe their ear hair. stowing the boats and visited the an- cient fort of Cimenlik, which is now 25Aug02 a museum. Next to the fortress is the old WW1 minelayer that is on dis- After the morning brief we launched play at the naval base. The museum from Gelibou at 0730 hours and has history going back to Mehmet the headed down the Dardanelles Conqueror (1432–1481) who build (C¸anakkale Bo˘gazı) in a 1–2 both Kilitbahir castle on the European knot southerly surface current to side and this one on the Asian side of Canakkale.[9] One phase of the first the straight. After getting money from day consisted of a planned crossing the ATM using my VISA card I bought over the straights from Europe to a phone card from one of the many Katrina & Glen Asia. The crossing would be through dealers on the waterfront and called the shipping lane with its high vol- home. My pre-paid phone card would The kayaks consisted of one Klep- ume of traffic. Unfortunately, when not work here. As the afternoon wore per Arius Mk2 and the rest were Fol- the predominantly NE wind picked on I started experiencing what most bots; all of which were doubles. In up to Force 4–5 around 1200 hours travellers get when they arrive in a transit one of the boats wooden frame and was showing no signs of abat- new country. This resulted in my not was broken, but with a bit of inge- ing but started gusting to force 6, desiring to leave Canakkale ANZAC nuity it was repaired and made sea- the trip leader deemed it unsafe to House hostel and the convenience of worthy. We rigged the boat’s rudder attempt the crossing with the cur- a nearby toilet or desiring food. For pedals so that we could quickly swap rent competency levels of the crews; the girls who had not been afflicted the crews without any re-rigging. some of whom had never paddled by such a burdensome complaint they This gave us the option of rotating before. The year before while at- went off for a Turkish steam bath and crew but meant that the boats were tempting this crossing one paddler massage. not customised to the individual and capsized and because of the fast flow- A travelling tip here is to let na- therefore it was a case of improvise, ing current could not be rescued by ture run its course and develop an adapt and overcome when it came to any of the other kayaks. The pad- immunity. People who take Imodium paddling technique. If you have never dler ended up being swept down to to early often remain feeling ill for paddled this type of collapsible kayak Cape Helles, through a major nar- longer but with out the awkwardness you are in for a treat. At this point for- row shipping lane, before the Turkish of the complaint, while those who get about performance as these boats Coast Guard picked her up. For us, persist with the ‘dash’ for 24 to 48 are like paddling a rubber hulled can- the group continued hugging the Eu- hours are usually fine as the cause is vas bucket whilst seated in an easy ropean coastline of the straights to flushed from the system and a resis- chair. At six foot one inches and 15 Eceabat and then caught the ferry tance is developed. stone in the small cockpit I could not over to the Asian side and the his- brace my knees under the gunwales, torical town of Canakkale. Eceabat 26Aug02 and was forced into a cramped, awk- is a small dusty town with an Aus- ward, knees up, reclined paddling po- tralian ‘pub’ in the town’s north. Here The original plan was to cross over sition. One of the girls had the op- we wandered the streets and poked the Dardanelles from the Asian side posite problem and rattled around in- around. I meet a Turkish solider in and follow the coast down the Euro- side the cockpit. Further the Arius the paramilitary-police; who wear a pean side. The weather forecast was Mk2 had a deck that clipped on as green uniform as opposed to the po- for Force 8 in the Aegean Sea. At opposed to being integral with the lice blue uniform. He was interested Canakkale it was Force 2–3 at 0730 sides and hull like the Foltbots. The in who I was and told me that he was hours but with the forecast, water clipped on deck is great for loading from Eastern Turkey and doing his current and busy shipping lane in the the boat but annoying when it would service in Eceabat. At the bank my narrowest part of the straight, the trip unclip while paddling. A positive surname amused the bank clerk who leader and safety officer decided to point about these folding boats is that spoke some English. After checking launch from Kilitbahir, which is on the they are very buoyant with internal with me with a beaming grin on his European side of the narrows from spontoons and after a while you can face that ‘Woodhouse’ is a surname, Canakkale. At this stage most of us get them to move along quite well. he flashed his ever-glowing red face had “Gelibou belly” (a quick paddle That evening some of the younger sin- with stifled laughter, around the bank is a good paddle when in this situa- gle lads went on the prowl but came trying to get any of his colleague’s tion) and many were unable to pad-

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 26 SeaTrek 83 ANZAC Advance 2002 dle. At one stage I decided not to pad- sea from the 300 yard long and 10–15 the ground where so much blood was dle but when we needed a crew mem- yard wide beach, an aviator reported shed. Not far from the Turkish memo- ber I took the opportunity. During the that it was ‘absolutely red with blood’ rial are the French war graves. This safety brief one of the non-paddlers from slaughtered British soldiers. The site has been set out like a French found a public toilet near by so that British had beached a troopship, the farmyard and is a memorial to the I could make another mad dash. The converted collier River Clyde, onto the nearly 79,000 French soldiers who public toilets here are the ‘squat’ type beach. The troops were to disem- fought at the peninsula. and have an attendant whom you pay bark via the bow port and starboard at the door. In the very clean cubical side doors but the Turkish defenders you have a glazed porcelain rectangle at each end of the beach were able plate with a hole between two shoe to directed machine gun enfilade fire tread foot prints, where you position into the exits. The rest of the day yourself and squat over the hole. On was spent with John Thurgar giving each side of the toilet are bottles of battlefield presentations of the Cape water. Being in a dire situation, I had Helles landings during WW1 and us no time to ponder the different sized questioning the intelligence and com- water bottles placement, but guessed petence of British Staff Officers. One that one was for flushing and the pathetic officer of note is Major Gen- other for cleaning oneself; as there eral Hunter-Weston, whose incompe- is no toilet paper. Outside the cu- tence resulted in slaughter of thou- bical there is a sink, taps, soap and sands of men.[10] towel provided. After launching from the small fishing boat marina, under the shadow of the Kilidbahir fortress, A view to contemplate by we were quickly caught by the 4-knot cross current. Because I was a late starter I was in the front of the kayak That night, we stayed at Seddul- with an inexperienced paddler in the bahir Kosk Pension. From here we back with control of the rudder. I soon roamed the ruins of the fort we had found myself compensating for his in- paddled past in the morning, then experience in the choppy fast flow- that night we watched a brilliant red ing water. However, we all made it sunset over the Canakkale Martyr’s out of the little harbour with out inci- Memorial. dent. The wind soon picked up and we rocketed down the Dardanelles to Morto Bay and Cape Helles. We passed the memorial statue to Corpo- Dardanelles Campaign 1915 Helles Land- 27Aug02 ral Seyyid who on March 18, 1915 ing while under fire operated his artillery gun single-handed, by carrying and During the afternoon we visited loading 600-pound shells into it. By the British memorial and gravesites in 1300 hours after a very important the area while investigating and lis- and urgent comfort stop we were all tening to the history of the various at Morto Bay (S–Beach), where we battlefields. The area around here visited the Turkish War Memorial to reminded me of South Australia in WW1 called the Canakkale Martyr’s summer with its leeched yellow soil Memorial. This site has a 41.7 me- scrubby vegetation and dry paddocks tre high four-pillar structure, which with green veins running through can be seen for miles from the sea as them from the small creeks. As we it stands a testament to the courage drove down the dusty narrow roads of the Turkish nation. We then pad- to the various sites I could not help dled off in a Force 2–3 to Seddulbahir but notice the fields of dried out sun- and around the fortress, to land at flowers standing in their rows with V–Beach. The water here was a beau- their heads bowed. They stood life- tiful blue and crystal clear, yet to think less, a ghostly reminder of the fallen, that 87 years ago for 50 yards out to in solemn rank and file staring at V-Beach

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the ANZAC forces at the southern end We walked from the beaches up to of the Anzac beachhead, at places the surrounding hills and battlefields. now called ‘Shrapnel Gully’ and ‘Shell I came to learn that the Indian Se- Green’. That night we stayed at the poys also fought here at the northern hotel Kum resort which was supposed end of the beachhead, with the New to be our landing place that after- Zealanders in the middle of the two noon. nations. During the campaign’s stale- mate, Cornish and Welsh miners were 28Aug02 recruited and utilised for their tech- nical skills, in an effort to tunnel un- Before 0400 hours we launched from der the Turkish defences. Rusty barb- the marina in the dark and paddled wire and other metal objects could be into Anzac Cove at 0500 hours.[11]It found in the bushes along the tracks. is quite impressive coming ashore and In places where the rain had eroded W-Beach seeing the looming dark feature of the old tunnels and removed the leeched “Sphinx” and surrounding hills as the yellow soil with its quartz pebbles, we At 0500 hours we were woken up 1915 Diggers did. found multiple bone fragments. by the call to prayer from the mosque across the road. The next paddle leg was up the Aegean Sea to Kabatepe. However by time the group reached W–Beach at 0900 hours the winds were forecasted to be increasing to Force 8 and small craft were heading back to Seddulbahir and shelter. Af- ter landing at W-Beach we scrounged around the beach and considered how that it was an ideal defensive posi- tion that in 1915 saw the slaugh- ter of British soldiers. One thou- sand yards away northwards at the next beach, two companies of Royal Fusiliers over-come the 12 defend- ANZAC Cove Sunrise 28Aug02, how the The Nek ing Turks. The officers, who could ANZACs would have seen the hills in 1915 hear the ensuring battle at W–beach, At the Nek, which is on a nar- halted their troops and proceeded to After a dawn service and wreath row ridge about the size of three have morning tea and not go and laying ceremony at the Anzac Cove tennis courts with precipitous sides, out flank the defenders of W–beach. memorial three of us paddled the I stood dumbfounded by the arro- The mood of the kayakers was som- kayaks out to an awaiting yacht and gance and ignorance of Staff Officers bre by the thoughts of what had taken stowed the boats. In the process of who had caused the near destruc- place here and in the wind and light stowing the kayaks we managed to tion of the 8th Light Horse and the rain we loaded the kayaks into a van smash the glass to the front cabin 10th to be severely mauled. I re- and performed a shuttle run to pre- and John ended up with glass in his member my own experience of being position them at a marina south of Ka- feet. After stowing the boats and mak- in a trench under machine gun fire batepe. During the day we also visited ing arrangements for the payment of watching the air above my head rip- a small private museum in a farm- damages we swam back into Anzac ple, like shallow water over a stony house at the small village of Krithia. Cove to where the rest of the group brook and wondered “How did the We then travelled up to the Kabatepe was waiting. For me to come ashore 2nd, 3rd and 4th waves jump up into museum with its statue of the fallen in the clear cold waters at ANZAC it, knowing the futility of the previous Turkish soldiers. At this point we had cove will forever be a highlight of charges?” In Owen’s Gully between seen enough museums and did not my trip. After a “gunfire breakfast”, Johnstone’s Jolly and Lone Pine I go into the building but considered which consisted of a bully beef stew found a bleached deformed 0.303- the strategic location of the site dur- and coffee laced with rum, we spent inch projectile that had hit a soft ing the campaign. This was the area the rest of the day walking around target. At Johnstone’s Jolly ANZAC from where the Turks had placed their the battlefield were 8,709 Australians and Turkish trenches still remain with artillery that rained down H.E. upon died in eight months of fighting.[12] only six paces between them. Past the

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Turkish 57th Regiment memorial we cers and the camouflaged lies that in- Hector, Achilles, Helen and Ajax were stopped at Chunuk Bair. Here stand spire a man to travel half way around played out was remarkable. The expe- the New Zealander’s memorial, be- the world to attack another man’s rience was heightened by being able cause on the 8–9th August 1915 with home. I considered Wilfred Owen’s to view the excavated strata of time rifle and bayonet the New Zealan- poem Dulce Et Decorum Est and the and listen to an authority speak about der’s briefly captured this feature that last line that says ‘The old lie: Dulce et the history and research. This expe- over looked the straits. After this bat- decorum est pro patria mori.[14] Why rience made me wish that I lived in tle, the ground, which is about the did we lose on this battlefield? Sim- Europe so that I would have cheaper size of a footy field, was described plistically, the Turks had everything access to such places. Troy’s history as being soaked red with the blood to lose and were prepared to absorb goes from Troy I (3000–2500 B.C.) of the casualties. Here a statue of the horrendous losses. As Lt. Col. to Troy IX (350–400 A.D.). Three Lt. Col. Mustafa Kemal commander Mustafa Kemal said to his retreating and a half thousand years of time and of the Turkish 19th Division stands as men on 25 April 1915 ‘If you have not history could be seen in one of the a monument to his leadership in re- got ammunition, you have got your excavated sites. One reason for the pelling the invaders from his coun- bayonets.’ After giving the order to layers is that mud bricks were used try. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk went on fix bayonets and go to ground facing and when Troy was destroyed by war after the war to become the founder the enemy, the ANZACs who had the and burnt it resulted in dirt layers be- of the Turkish Republic. We then advantage at this time, paused and ing deposited. When it was rebuilt moved NE along the Sari Bair range to went to ground also, long enough for it was built on top of the last layer. Hill 971 (Kocacimen Tape) the high- Turkish reinforcements to arrive and Up till the nineteenth century peo- est feature in the area at 305 me- begin a counter-attack. The incident ple thought Troy did not exist because tres and the place from where Turkish that followed his orders resulted in it was not to be found on the coast. artillery pounded the ANZACs three what has been called the ‘lying down When it was eventually discovered by kilometres away. It was also the ob- incident’ and is described as having an amateur archaeologist it was some jective of the ANZAC landing. We ‘decided the fate of the peninsula’.[15] five kilometres in land, since the sedi- then went down the hills to the village By the end of the campaign the Ot- ment of the straights had built up and of Bigali that Mustafa Kemal used as toman Empire suffered 251,309 ca- the waters receded.[17] One thing that a residence and headquarters for his sualties, Britain and Ireland suffered surprised me was the ‘cheesy’ Trojan 19th Division. That night we returned 73,485 casualties, Australia 28,150 Horse that was on display at the front to Seddulbahir Kosk Pension and an- casualties, France 27,000 casualties, of the site. other brilliant peaceful sunset in con- New Zealand 7,991 casualties, India trast to 25th April 1915.[13] 4,779 casualties and Newfoundland 142 casualties.[16]

29Aug02

The next leg was a planned 30 kilometre paddle to the island of Bozcaada (Tenedos), which is 13 miles South East of Hellesport (Dar- danelles) and three miles off the West Anatolian coast. However, the major- ity of us wanted to see the ancient city of Troy. In the end four people who had seen or could revisit the ruins paddled to Bozcaada in a two metre Bozcaada Fortress swell after being dropped off closer to Ataturk’s words about the dead the island by the yacht. The rest of us After Troy we went to the ferry ter- went to Troy. minal to go over to the island of Boz- My impressions after leaving the Troy was not what I expected and caada. The place had a lot of Albani- old battlefields as I sat watching a I am glad that I took the option to see ans on holiday waiting to go to their brilliant sunset over the Canakkale it. As I love history I relished walking destination. We had refreshments at Martyr’s Memorial was a bewilder- around the old ruins listening to our the kiosk and waited for our ferry. ment at a culture of King and Coun- guide Mustafa Askin (who also signed While here one of the lads asked our try, institutionalised British military my book on Troy) tell us the history. young driver what the Turkish word incompetence amongst its senior offi- To see the area where the legend of for F@&$ was. He was most embar-

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 29 SeaTrek 83 ANZAC Advance 2002 rassed as we were in public but was of the many restaurants that face the question us if we had purchase any coerced into telling him. The word marina and the armada of small fish- of the products he was selling at the sounded like the ‘nam-ma-nat’ from ing boats and stray cats. That evening Bazaar from any other merchant. theme song to the ‘Muppet Show’. I sat on the roof of our accommoda- When changing money at the This then resulted in the theme song tion under the lights of the fortress Bazaar I said thankyou (tesekkur ed- being sung. This resulted in our driver trying to soak in the history of the erim) in Turkish to the teller. A young becoming red faced and trying not place. man was standing near by and he to laugh at the awkward situation he was thrilled that I had at least tried found himself in. 30Aug02 to speak in his language. Another On approaching Bozcaada in the point about the merchants is that the Tenedos district, I was raptured by Back in Istanbul, we stayed again at hard sell ones know a lot of phrases the sight of the looming fortress of the Olympiat Hotel. That afternoon and place names of Australia. They Bozcaada (Bozcaada Kalesi).[18] The we completed last minute shopping in also make out as thought they have castle was built in the Ventian’s Pe- the Grand Bazaar followed by more resided near from where you come riod and had been restored many Turkish beers for less than Au$2.00. from. On chap was quite convinc- times.[19] On seeing the castle, I im- If you are ever in the Grand Bazaar be ing until he got suburbs of Sydney mediately thought of the stories that careful that you do not partake of any mixed up with Melbourne. Finding I had read concerning the Knights of complimentary drinks while looking this fault in his story we were able to St. John and the Templars. The his- through shop! The merchants here make a get away into the crowd. Here tory of the island has been traced back put a new definition to the term ‘hard I picked up the fezzes for the boys to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. Excava- sell’. When on my own, I was look- back at work and other trinkets. As tions have uncovered seventh century ing at Persian carpets when I fool- I do not like haggling, I got Melissa B.C. Roman artefacts. We docked in ishly went inside after being invited. to do my bidding, as she knew how a marina that was full of small fish- I said from the start to the proprietor to drive a hard bargain. Here Vaughn ing boats and here caught up with the I did not want to buy anything but picked up his custom-made leather group that paddled to the island. The was interested in the craftsmanship biker’s jacket, because as I found out kayaks were stripped and hung out to and designs of the carpets. Once in- to late, this place is renowned for dry. We then went on a tour of the is- side, the door was closed and locked cheap leather goods. land and swimming in the cool waters behind me and I was hounded to buy That evening, the younger single of Ayazma Plaji under a brilliant blue a carpet. Fortunately, I was dressed lads Shaun, Steve, Glen and Marcel sky. We visited John’s friend, who in my usual style of shorts, collared dressed up and went on the prowl rd owned a small farm in the wine grow- shirt, cap and boots. After resist- with our Turkish guide from the 23 ing area. The hospitality was so wel- ing the overt sales pressure the mer- August. Jeff, Katrina, Melissa and my- coming many of us felt guilty about chant looked at me with a longsuf- self went to a restaurant near the ho- just dropping in. The house design fering face and asked, “Was I hav- tel and then had beers back at the ho- fascinated me as it was about 12 me- ing a mid-life crisis?” “Had I left my tel with John and Herdonna. tres square at the base and was built wife and was just bumming around the like a two story cube, with an open world?” As any Newcastle boy knows 31Aug02 courtyard in the middle and outdoor ‘don’t ever let a chance go by’, so I walkways (would be hallways if they took his supposition and used it to had sides and a roof) to the bedrooms my advantage, to which his partner On the last day some of us again vis- up top. After tasting the local produce stopped guarding the closed door and ited the Egyptian Spice Market in the and hospitality we headed back to the opened it to let me out. On another morning. Katrina, who had taken main centre. After packing the dried occasion that same day when I caught up belly dancing back in Australia, kayaks ready for the trip back to Is- up with some of the group, a mer- bought herself a pink belly-dancing tanbul we then roamed the shops and chant who engaged us in conversa- costume. At the market there are also were treated to a display of what I can tion in order to badger us to buy his cheap Levis and other items that are best describe as ‘ice-cream tossing’. products threatened us. When I say manufactured in Turkey. By early af- The vendor with his cart of gelati- threatened he said “If you buy any ternoon we made our way to the air- nous stringy ice-cream would dazzle items from someone else that he has port to board the flight home. the purchasers with a display of toss- for sale and he saw, he would cut-our- ing the product around in the air. Af- throats”. That evening when walk- ter a few minutes of performing aero- ing back to the hotel from the Grand Notes batics with your food, he would hand Bazaar, the repugnant-little-man who it to you in a comb. It was an amazing had threatened us at the Bazaar came [2] Adventure Training in the ADF is used spectacle. For dinner we dined at one out of a shop on the street and rudely to “develop group and individual qualities”

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such as leadership, teamwork, initiative, self- [8] During WW2 Maj.-Gen. Freyberg com- [14] “It is sweet and right to die for your coun- reliance etc. In the civilian world it is some- manded the New Zealand forces in Greece, try.” times called “Corporate Training.” Crete and the Middle East. After the war he [15] Les Carlyon, Gallipoli, p. 157 [3] became Governor General of New Zealand. The trip was organised by Major John Thur- [16] [9] http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/ gar SC, MBE, OAM, RFD. It is open to both de- The currents speed depends upon where interactive/gallipoli-casualties-country fence personnel and civilians. John started his you are positioned in the straights. Around of 5Jun15 military career as a mid-shipman recruit with the narrows of Canakkale, which are 13 miles [17] the RAN and transferred to the RAA and SASR from the mouth of the Dardanelles, the current Heinrich Schliemann (1822–1890) exca- where he served in Vietnam. He later joined the can exceed its general rate of 4-knots and is vated the site on the direction of amateur Federal Police and is a Project Officer for the describe as widely varying in rate. The sur- archeologist Frank Calvert (1828-1908) who Army History unit. He is also a qualified Unit face current runs south and the sub-surface identified the site as that of possibly being Troy. runs north. http://www.cerrahogullari. Adventurous Training Leader for sea kayaking. [18] Bozcaada was previously known as Tenedos com.tr/ports/DARDANELLES%20(CANAKKALE) [4] You do not need to be an AWWA member to and was mentioned in both the Iliad and the %20STRAIT.htm be able to come on the trip. Aeneid. The Aeneid records it as the site where [10] In 1907 the British School of Musketry the Greeks hid their fleet towards the end of the [5] Ian ‘Chalky’ Thomas was a legend in the ad- demonstrated that two Maxim machine guns Trojan War in order to deceive the Trojans into venturous training world. He trained both con- could in one minute cut down 1000 men ad- thinking the Greeks had withdrawn from the ventional and Special Forces service personal. vancing in open ground. The beaches of Cape campaign. This was part of the Greek strategy He was also a member of the VSKC. He passed Helles and Cape Tekke had wire entanglements for tricking the Trojans into taking the Trojan away in 2015 aged 54, after battling motor and firing emplacement on the beaches and Horse inside of the city walls. neuron disease (MND). surrounding cliffs. [19] The prehistory of the castle is unknown [6] [11] Istanbul over the centuries has been built Refer photograph below. Note taken at prior to the 14th century. The original castle around a channel called Karadeniz Bogazi around 0600 hours. may have been built by Phoenicians or Romans. (Bosporus) that connects the Black Sea to the [12] Les Carlyon’s book “Gallipoli” Pan Macmil- The form of the existing castle dates back to Marmara Sea (Marmara Denizi). It has a lan Australia, 2001 provides an informative in- Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror (1432–1481), southerly 4–5 knot current and yachts heading sight in to the Gallipoli campaign. when it was rebuilt on the ruins of that cas- north hug the European side where the current [13] P.211. The British landed more than tle used by the Phoenicians, Genovese, and the is reduced. 12 battalions on the Helles beaches and were Venetians (1455). During the period of Kopr¨ ul¨ u¨ [7] Canakkale Bogazi (Dardanelles) connects halted by the end of the day by Turkish two bat- Mehmet Pasa, it underwent a major restoration the Aegean Sea to the Marmara Denizi then via talions. At ANZAC (Z–beach) 8,000 Australians after the damages caused by the fights between the Bosporus to the Black Sea. As a result of had landed by 0800 hours, most in disarray but the Venetians and the Ottomans (1657). Dur- its strategic and trade importance many wars many fought their way up in to the Sari Bair ing the reign of Mahmut II, it was almost com- and battles from the siege of Troy to the Anzac ranges against 500 Turkish soldiers. By late in pletely rebuilt in 1815 and has kept its appear- landings have been fought to gain its control. the day 15,000 ANZACs had landed and 5,000 ance ever since. http://en.wikipedia.org/ This route also enables Russia to have an ice- Turkish troops had been mustered up into the wiki/Bozcaada_Castle free seaway to the rest of the world. fray.

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 31 SeaTrek 83 Day Trips and Overnighters

En route to and from Snake Island– Photos: KV

Sally McAlpin A Newbie on Snake Island

Snake Island Overnighter. 3 April 2015; cific Raider). The last couple of nights at home on water at 10.00 am at Port Welshpool in my own warm soft bed I started to Boat Ramp – Western side), return 6 April. lose sleep about what I had commit- Trip overview: Four paddling days, three I was persuaded to join the VSKC ted to — would I be able to paddle overnight camps. Head out from Port Easter paddle camp at Snake Island four days in a row? Welshpool (main boat ramp) to East Snake after being assured by Richard that I Would I have packed the right Island. Camp at bush camping site near was indeed welcome (as an inexperi- Port Albert entrance for three nights. Re- things? Would I be able to keep up? turn 6 April 3pm at Port Welshpool. — Trip enced newbie) and that the other pad- Would the other people be nice and leader: Richard Rawling (Nadgee Solo); dlers would look after me. like me? Would I like them? As you participants: Bill Z (Nadgee Solo), Derek After enquiring if this included a can see I was physically and socially W (Nadgee Solo), Greg S (Northshore At- tow if needed, I agreed to camp for challenged — but I was also commit- lantic), Bronwyn S (Valley Etain 17.7), three nights and paddle further than ted to paddling on salt water! Steve C (Valley Aquanaut), Helmut H (Epic I ever have — with a group of near 16x), Kerrie V (Tiderace Xcape), Graeme T total strangers. (Tiderace Xcape), Peter and Annie S (dou- Paddling in the Pod ble), Neil B (Nadgee Solo), Raia W (Nadgee A week out from the launch date Solo), Bruce D (Nadgee Solo), David N I was having misgivings. Luckily (Epic 18x Sport), Sally M (Tahe Reval Richard rang to check if my packing I don’t want to do a descriptive travel Mini RM), Grant D (Selkie), David G and was under control and reassured me log but I will tell you we paddled Heather T (Nadgee Double), Patrick P (Pa- again that I would be fine. from Port Welshpool to base camp on

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Snake Island on the first day, stop- Am I glad I went? My paddling has • Good boats do not make good pad- ping for lunch on a beach on the improved out of sight — sore tummy dlers but they can make a big differ- way. This felt like a very long way muscles to prove it. I have made some ence to speed stability and comfort. but I think was actually less than paddling friends and I feel like I have • (Sorry did I say 10!) Sea kayaking is 20 km. This was when I learned a sense of what this sea kayaking stuff best done in a well-experienced well- I paddled slower than everyone else is all about. I know I want to do more informed and friendly group. — thank you Bill, Steve, Graham, and I know I can do more now. Raia, Derek, and Grant for your for I would like to say a huge thank your endless patience and encourage- you to everyone I paddled with. Be- ment with me paddling slowly. Thank cause of the group members I felt sup- you to Bron, Greg, Helmut, Ker- ported and safe to have this big ad- rie, Richard, Heather, David, David, venture. Let me outline what that Patrick, Peter, Annie and Grant for looked like; lots of encouragement your friendship, inspiration and assis- advice and companionship when I tance. was struggling; Snickers bars to boost energy; laughs and stories around the campfire; building and maintenance of said campfire; toilet trench digging and maintenance; kayak hauling up and down sand dune; reading of tides wind and water conditions; planning the trip and being great support. Bush camp kitchen — Photo: HH

This may be a little corny but bear with me. 10 Things I Learned: • Engineers do have personalities and even senses of humour (who knew!) Following the trip leader – Photo: HH • Someone always has bet- ter/different gear which needs to be On the second day we had an un- discussed at length. successful attempt to circumnavigate • Colour coding of dry bags is de Drum Island as the tide was not high rigueur. enough to clear the mangroves. • Ibuprofen is a kayaker’s best friend. Instead I did my first beach/surf • Stamina is a combination of good (mini) landing amidst cheers and had technique and just keeping on pad- Packing up ... for this time — Photo: HH a fabulous ‘following wind, rough dling. ride’ home. It was almost worth • Feeling scared is ok as long as you ‘beating into the head wind’ for what feel safe with the people you are with. seemed like forever. • Everybody has a vested interest in Signing up for more Third day was a big paddle (at you succeeding (except Helmut who least 24kms) to Port Albert for fish n is desperate to practice his towing chips, good coffee and Devonshire tea skills). I will most certainly be signing up for for some!!! • You do not have to be at the front of more, I would encourage anyone who Last day was pack up and head the group to have a good time (best wants to paddle on the sea to get on back to Port Welshpool – last again, conversations are to be had up the board with a camping trip — just put but very satisfying as some of us man- back — as far as I know). your paddle in the water. — aged to make it back, even without • You can pack a chair/table/wood Big thanks to Richard — god of sails!!!! saw/knitting projects/birthday cake weather and a leader who inspired confidence. Am I glad I went? and candle and at least 6 kilos of Easter eggs in kayaks.

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Meet the locals — Photo: PP

Patrick Platt Snake Island without a Paddle — Lighthouse Point to Big Hole

My quest for the day apart from posted. I did a bush bash, straight lin- an enjoyable ramble was to find out ing it from the Hole to the beach to It is wise to bring some water, when which of the waterholes on the East- return to Lighthouse point. It should one goes out to look for water — ern side of the Island were drinkable have been about 1km but I found it Arab Proverb and would make satisfactory camp- impossible to follow a bearing as the I have always been interested in ex- sites. Unlike kayaking one of the main vegetation was very thick and impass- ploring the tracks on Snake Island and challenges when walking is the quan- able at times. It was a bash along an- since the forecast for our second day tity of drinking water you need to imal tracks to get through but these (VSKC Snake Island 3–6 Apr 2015) carry. So I was basically looking for put you way off course and the bash was strong winds it was a good op- bushwalker campsites for any future ended up probably being a few kilo- portunity. So I packed a day pack extended explore of the island. metres. — a Caribee Trident Dry Bag Back- The first destination was Light- The Island isn’t all boring sand pack. This is quite useful as it can house Point Waterhole which was and bracken tracks. Long Flat is a be used as a dry bag for your gear very small and definitely didn’t de- deviation loop track from the main or rolled up and squeezed into your serve the name waterhole. It had a Track and is an extensive area of kayak. No worries about damaging a very high algae level and it would grass tussock. The Big Hole flat has framed pack or the destroying it with need more than courage to drink from open grass areas due to the grazing. salt water. it. I followed the main track towards While crossing it I startled a kanga- Cattlemen’s Huts for about 7 kilome- roo, a huge Hog Deer with antlers and tres and then on a side track to a caused a mini stampede in the cattle. clearing called Big Hole. The Hole Checking out the Parks Victoria had a sizable quantity of water. It was Nooramunga page I found an ex- a magnet for wildlife as well as the cuse to spend more time exploring cattle that are agisted on the Island. the Island in the future. Parks Vic- The water was clear and would only toria is seeking help in finding ev- need sterilisation to make it safe. idence of the Eastern Ground Par- For navigation the 1:25,000 map rot in the Northern Wilderness of series do not show tracks accurately Wilsons Promontory National Park, and are pretty useless. Google earth Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park images are very good as they show and Cape Liptrap Coastal Park. Now good detail and most tracks can be where is my planning calendar? traced. The Parks Vic sketch map of the Island has basic track loca- Big Hole tions and most intersections are sign-

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Peter Hansen 2160 Kilometers — Paddling the Murray River

Peter Hansen paddled the Murray in about tackling something like this? packing planning I found that I could March/April 2015 over 53 days. Find here Apart from risk assessments and the carry a maximum of 22 liters of water. an edited summary from his blog https: formal methods the basic categories In this grouping I would include the // pdhansenhansen. wordpress. com/ – are: survival, sustenance, kayak in- electrical setup which was also a diffi- Ed. tegrity and navigation. cult decision. I opted out of solar and Lithium Iron batteries and used a sup- Being solo, survival had a special ply of AA and AAA batteries. I had a focus. I could roll, but not consis- A 53 day 2160 kilometer paddle 240volt charger for the SLA bilge bat- tently at all so I made absolutely cer- from Richardsons Bend near Albury to tery which I used in caravan parks. the Goolwa saltwater barrage in the tain I could get back up with a pad- Coorong. The Kayak was a 16.8 feet dle float, getting in upside down and Being solo, getting the kayak to Dagger which became known as the rolling up. I practiced this at the lo- camps and portages involved wheels. Magnificent Machine. cal pool over about 3 weeks. The Spot The wheels worked with an empty Why? Firstly, it was a physical device was the backup and I had some kayak but not loaded. During the trip challenge. Recently retired and keen rules and plans arranged with friends I evolved a bracket which I have since to show that old geezers can do stuff and family for various outcomes. rebuilt. This meant I could exit the water fully loaded to a camp with ev- was an important message to deliver. Sustaining myself was somewhat erything in the one spot. I had no Second was the love of Kayaking and different as I am a vegetarian and was other problems with the Magnificent the scary part of the trip. This would also on the 5/2 diet (fasting two days Machine. be a solo effort with all the associated a week). I agonized over continuing challenges. The third reason was a the 5/2 diet but the vegetarian diet Navigation was a Garmin GPS, a step to the next challenge, whatever was a given. Eventually I decided to deck compass, Google maps, Mur- that might be. continue the 5/2 diet which I con- ray River Access Maps and Mau- So, how do you start thinking tinued for the complete trip. In the reen Wrights Murray River Charts. I

c Victorian Sea Kayak Club – http://vskc.org.au 35 SeaTrek 83 Day Trips and Overnighters needed all of them at different times. turned out to be a small sailing skiff shared a very pleasant evening with I copied and laminated the paper with some ply nailed on the gunwales them, having my first beer in more maps and each time a map became re- with the tent on the ply. On the bow than a decade. Great conversation, a dundant I had a burning ceremony in was a young guy paddling into the great night. They dropped by the next the fire. wind. The paddle was a modified fish- morning to wish me well. Despite the The trip itself was amazing and I ing rod with a table tennis bat tied reality that there is an abundance of never tired of the river. Each section onto the end. He was making no nice people, the wash is serious and was new and different in its own way. progress into the wind. We had a long needs to be addressed. In one small From swamps, fast running streams, chat. His plans were to mainly drift town a lady who lived just back from dams, locks, towns, villages and mas- and the goal was the mouth. He had the river has each public holiday up to sive cliffs. The things that surprised several packs of instant noodles and fifteen boats operate out of the park in me were the isolation, the generos- some water. I was hugely impressed. front of her house. In recent years 5 ity of people and the fragility of the Here was a young person having a meters of the bank has been washed river. crack at something that may or may away. In 20 to 30 years her house will not be possible, working out the prob- be at risk. Canoeing and Kayaking, lems as he went. How does anybody which the locals enjoy are abandoned know what can be possible unless you on the days the boats operate. have a go. I paddled away wishing him every success. Later I learnt from fellow paddlers that he got a long way. From Echuca to the Torrumberry weir and though the lock. With blis- tered hands, a tired body and some reflection he sold the boat to some kids and returned home to write the story. I passed through the Torrumberry impoundment on a public holiday which involved negotiating the many Lifting fog — Photo: PH wake boats, ski boats and jet skis. After a day of having bad thoughts I came across some special peo- about things with motors the cara- ple during the trip but one stands out. van park manager found me a spot Day 41 . . . Photo: PH Just downstream from Echuca I could in the middle of a wake boat conven- see a tent which appeared to be float- tion. Next to me was a family from ing on the water. As I got closer it Bendigo who are regular skiers. I

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Kerrie Vogele and Graeme Thompson VSKC Level 3 Course 2015 — Intake Weekend

Seatrek is covering this year’s Level Three gods were not totally on our side but Cowes was the destination for our training course in a series of short articles did ensure that we were learning and evening meal before returning ‘the by participants, starting with Kerrie’s and practising in very real conditions. long way’ (land based navigation was Graeme’s report. To be continued in the next On Saturday night we all enjoyed a challenge for some) to our accom- editions. – Ed. a delicious meal, cooked by Safina, modation for a session on leadership, Arieta and Samuel Stewart, before judgement, communication and sea- doing some further reading from the manship. This was also an opportu- selection of books and resources pro- nity for each of us to identify areas Saturday 25 April vided by Bob. for improvement over the next few months. Seven VSKC paddlers converged on Ventnor, Phillip Island to begin their Sunday 25 April level three induction. Participants in Monday 26 April the weekend were president and in- Sunday morning we spent time look- structor Bob Fergie, Brandon Stewart ing at weather forecasts, calculating A surf training session was held at (training coordinator and trainee in- ferry glides and considering first aid Shelleys Beach on Monday morning structor) and Wim Buelens (trainee contingencies in case of trip injury or with plenty of opportunity to practice instructor), Terry Barry (instructor) illness. As the winds built and the wet exits, re-entries and rolling under and level three candidates Ken Bulke- whitecaps became more widespread waves due to the big 2m plus surf. It ley, Steve Collins, Helmut Heinze, it was back to the beach for some was a great session with paddlers un- Gerard O’Reilly, Jeannine Strohbeck, more on-water skill development. A familiar with the large conditions ex- Graeme Thompson and Kerrie Vo- relatively sheltered are of the beach periencing success thanks to the sup- gele. was chosen and plenty of towing prac- port of more experienced paddlers. Saturday morning saw us off wa- tice followed – contact, short tows, The level three intake weekend ter getting stuck into some theory inline and v-tows. Conditions wors- was a fantastic start towards gaining and studying weather, tides and nav- ened and a quick walk around the the level three competencies and was igation. After lunch boat setup point and into the sand blasting past a great way of building comradery be- and equipment was checked and dis- saw the anemometer measuring 30 tween paddlers. Our thanks go to cussed at the water’s edge and then knot winds. The cooler conditions led everyone who was involved in the it was on to paddling skills. We to some very cold paddlers but that weekend, especially to Heather T and now have an amazing array of paddle was soon fixed after carrying all the David G for their part in helping with strokes to choose from when going kayaks back up to the house for the the accommodation. forwards or backwards! The weather night.

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I could have stayed home dry and warm — Surf Training Barwon Heads May 2015 — By Helmut Heinze

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