Camera: SONYThis wall used to a fountain - a wall with water running down it. Photo taken in Melbourne 2009 before the Copenhagen Climate Conference
Showing posts with label Water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Water. Show all posts
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Cockle Creek and Recherche Bay
Southern Tasmania is beautiful. Recherche Bay, Cockle Creek… One of the many places that I would love to visit again…
Recherche bay is the site of the first scientific experiments on Australian soil. The French explorer Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d’Entrecasteaux (what a groovy name) landed in 1792 and made a garden and observatory and mapped and named parts of Southern Tasmania, which has resulted in Tasmania having some beautiful French names mixed up with Indigenous and English names. Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s ships included the Recherche and the Esperance.
One of the goals of Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s voyage was to try and find the explorer Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse who was last seen in Botany Bay in 1788 heading off towards New Caledonia.
Recherche bay is the site of the first scientific experiments on Australian soil. The French explorer Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d’Entrecasteaux (what a groovy name) landed in 1792 and made a garden and observatory and mapped and named parts of Southern Tasmania, which has resulted in Tasmania having some beautiful French names mixed up with Indigenous and English names. Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s ships included the Recherche and the Esperance.
One of the goals of Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s voyage was to try and find the explorer Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse who was last seen in Botany Bay in 1788 heading off towards New Caledonia.
Recherche Bay
"It would be vain of me to attempt to describe my feelings when I beheld this lovely harbour lying at the world's end, separated as it were from the rest of the universe.”
- Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d’Entrecasteaux
Beach at Cockle Creek
Cockle Creek is the southern most point that is assessable in Australia. The beach is beautiful, and when I was there the sky and water were beautiful shades of blue.
Cockle Creek is also host to a sad period in Australia’s history being a centre for whaling in the 1830s. A bronze statue of a Southern Right Whale Cub mourns for all the whales killed in the area. The whalers used to kill the cubs and when the adults heard their cries would run in to see what the matter was and then be killed as well.
Whale statue at Cockle Creek - sculptured by Steven Walker
“The next stop is Antarctica. And it’s not that far away. Standing here, you are closer to Antarctica than you are to Cairns.”
- Australian Government – Department of Resources Energy and Tourism
The southernmost point that you can buy food is Ida Bay. Where naturally I had a Devonshire Tea.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
The Boat There and Back Again
On the ‘Spirit of Tasmania I’ I was in an ocean recliner, a really comfortable seat in a room with probably 400 other seats. They faced the stern with large windows allowing us to look out.
Things no one tells you: waiting to drive on board takes a very long time. Bring a book. If you have passengers I would recommend that they go on board without you and taking everything to the cabin for you. You and the car will be waiting for what seems like forever. Oh, and getting there first doesn’t mean your car will go on first – they sort the cars by size – which due to balance makes sense.
When I arrived on board I ran to my seat, put my stuff down, applied sunscreen, got my camera and ran to the outside stern area to get a good seat. And when the ship started I enjoyed watching Melbourne disappear into the distance, and then we were treated to a magnificent sunset.
I took so many photos of the sunset - I can not decide which ones are the best.
Warning: In summer if you watch the sunset the kitchens might be closed by the time you get to the restaurant.
The food in the Leatherwood Restaurant was beautiful, small but nice. I did have to have all three courses to feel full. The other restaurant was a buffet and everything looked very oily and there was not much for vegetarians.
Level seven of the ship has two restaurants, a couple of bars and plenty of chairs to sit down and enjoy the ride.
I had trouble getting to sleep – someone nearby was reading and their light kept me awake. Going to Tassie I only get two hours sleep. I was sort of happy that I woke up really early. I found a comfortable position at the bow of the ship and watched the sky slowly turn blue and the mountains around Devonport appear with the entire deck to myself.
Going back to Melbourne on the ship I was quite exhausted so I sat in my recliner and watched Devonport disappear as I did Killer Sudokus. The recliner room was half empty and they seemed to have empty chairs between everyone which made it a lot more comfortable. I was glad that I booked my tickets very early as I was able to get a front row seat in both directions.
I was able to sleep for four hours going back, and woke up as we gained mobile phone services through Port Phillip Heads. It was beautiful to watch the lights of Sorrento, Blairgowrie, Mt Martha glide past, and record their interesting signals of the channel markers.
Things no one tells you: waiting to drive on board takes a very long time. Bring a book. If you have passengers I would recommend that they go on board without you and taking everything to the cabin for you. You and the car will be waiting for what seems like forever. Oh, and getting there first doesn’t mean your car will go on first – they sort the cars by size – which due to balance makes sense.
When I arrived on board I ran to my seat, put my stuff down, applied sunscreen, got my camera and ran to the outside stern area to get a good seat. And when the ship started I enjoyed watching Melbourne disappear into the distance, and then we were treated to a magnificent sunset.
I took so many photos of the sunset - I can not decide which ones are the best.
Warning: In summer if you watch the sunset the kitchens might be closed by the time you get to the restaurant.
The food in the Leatherwood Restaurant was beautiful, small but nice. I did have to have all three courses to feel full. The other restaurant was a buffet and everything looked very oily and there was not much for vegetarians.
Chocolate Pudding
Level seven of the ship has two restaurants, a couple of bars and plenty of chairs to sit down and enjoy the ride.
I had trouble getting to sleep – someone nearby was reading and their light kept me awake. Going to Tassie I only get two hours sleep. I was sort of happy that I woke up really early. I found a comfortable position at the bow of the ship and watched the sky slowly turn blue and the mountains around Devonport appear with the entire deck to myself.
Going back to Melbourne on the ship I was quite exhausted so I sat in my recliner and watched Devonport disappear as I did Killer Sudokus. The recliner room was half empty and they seemed to have empty chairs between everyone which made it a lot more comfortable. I was glad that I booked my tickets very early as I was able to get a front row seat in both directions.
I was able to sleep for four hours going back, and woke up as we gained mobile phone services through Port Phillip Heads. It was beautiful to watch the lights of Sorrento, Blairgowrie, Mt Martha glide past, and record their interesting signals of the channel markers.
Friday, 24 December 2010
Wineglass Bay
The drive to Wineglass Bay is through the Freycinet National Park, you pay money to drive to the car park, where even out of season there are hundreds of cars and then it is a two or so kilometre walk to Wineglass Bay. Not the easiest walk in the world, but short, and looking out from the high sections to Great Oyster Bay and Wineglass Bay is beautiful. And walking back is easier.
When I reached the beach, I threw off my shoes and walked across the sand to the opposite end of the beach, letting the waves run across my feet. Most of the people stayed near the walking track, so once you had walked half way around the bay it was peaceful and quiet. And the water was the most amazing shade of blue-green, fading to dark blue as the water became deep.
The water was cold, but the funny thing is it seemed warmer as I walked the k and a half to the end of the beach, and then seemed to get colder again as I walked back. Children happily swam in the waves. It would be lovely to kayak in the water. There is a kayak place in Coles Bay… Perhaps next time…
Wineglass Bay - taken straight with Nikon D3000
When I reached the beach, I threw off my shoes and walked across the sand to the opposite end of the beach, letting the waves run across my feet. Most of the people stayed near the walking track, so once you had walked half way around the bay it was peaceful and quiet. And the water was the most amazing shade of blue-green, fading to dark blue as the water became deep.
The water was cold, but the funny thing is it seemed warmer as I walked the k and a half to the end of the beach, and then seemed to get colder again as I walked back. Children happily swam in the waves. It would be lovely to kayak in the water. There is a kayak place in Coles Bay… Perhaps next time…
Wineglass Bay - taken straight with Nikon D3000Friday, 5 November 2010
Photo of the Day
Drinking fountain in Beechworth.Photo by me. Has this fountain transported anyone to other worlds?
Sunday, 31 October 2010
It has been raining
View over Melbourne from Mount Dandenong
It is hard to catch rain drops and bubbles.
Monday, 25 October 2010
Mortality at the BMW Edge
Dr David Suzuki is a biologist and an environmental activist, he has an energy in him, that captivates the audience when he talks and holds us interested, no matter how uncomfortable the chairs. He has such a calming aura/feeling/presence. And is also good at using humour as a tool to get messages across.
He talked about how we are all connected to the world around us, the air we breathe, every breath we take, and the water we drink, and how the water and the air interacts with our body and disperses around the world due to entropy and the water cycle. And as a consequence polluting the world means polluting ourselves.
On a side note, the 'elements' fire, earth air and water have an understandable mysterious connection to the human being. I remember hearing about a study that even today many adults when asked what makes up an atom's electrons and protons will reply; fire, earth air and water.
Two questions were interesting in a weird way and so I though that I would try to answer them myself. Question 1, to paraphrase; is Dr Suzuki preaching to the converted? I am not an environmentalist activist, so in my personal case, no. No. It is so easy to forget, we need, well I need, some one to remind us to think about how we can help the world.
The second question was: how should we live our life. And at one stage I was also hoping that Dr Suzuki would tell me how to live my life, but he didn't, and I guess any choice I make is a choice in my head and in my heart, and would be more powerful than doing something that someone orders or suggests for me to do, would an audience go away and do things just because someone told us to?
I think the big thing is syntheses/application. What can I do? Think of water, waste and energy consumption. Having coffee outside with work, listening to my colleagues talk about buying air-conditioners, thinking why, I've never had one, is it needed. Installing solar panels, fruit and vegipatches, public transport, there are things to do. Cutting down on paper in my office - done, but can do more.
"Every breath you take, Every move you make, Every bond you break, Every step you take, I'll be watching you." - The Police.
He talked about how we are all connected to the world around us, the air we breathe, every breath we take, and the water we drink, and how the water and the air interacts with our body and disperses around the world due to entropy and the water cycle. And as a consequence polluting the world means polluting ourselves.
On a side note, the 'elements' fire, earth air and water have an understandable mysterious connection to the human being. I remember hearing about a study that even today many adults when asked what makes up an atom's electrons and protons will reply; fire, earth air and water.
Two questions were interesting in a weird way and so I though that I would try to answer them myself. Question 1, to paraphrase; is Dr Suzuki preaching to the converted? I am not an environmentalist activist, so in my personal case, no. No. It is so easy to forget, we need, well I need, some one to remind us to think about how we can help the world.
The second question was: how should we live our life. And at one stage I was also hoping that Dr Suzuki would tell me how to live my life, but he didn't, and I guess any choice I make is a choice in my head and in my heart, and would be more powerful than doing something that someone orders or suggests for me to do, would an audience go away and do things just because someone told us to?
I think the big thing is syntheses/application. What can I do? Think of water, waste and energy consumption. Having coffee outside with work, listening to my colleagues talk about buying air-conditioners, thinking why, I've never had one, is it needed. Installing solar panels, fruit and vegipatches, public transport, there are things to do. Cutting down on paper in my office - done, but can do more.
"Every breath you take, Every move you make, Every bond you break, Every step you take, I'll be watching you." - The Police.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
I Would Like a Fish
If I had a fish, I would call it Nero. And people would say, "Don't you mean Nemo, after the Pixar movie?" and I would reply, "No, Nero. The Roman Emperor."
Or two fish. A red fish and a blue fish.
I'm serious! I'm not trying to be funny. I would like some fish. A nice red fish like fire and another as blue as something that is very blue.
An old tumbled down castle and a laurel wreath on the floor of the tank.
A plaque that says, "So Long and Thanks for all the Fish". Some one must make plaques with that phrase... If not I think I have just started a new business... Or could I sell the idea to ThinkGeek...
Fish is one of the words in the English Language that if you write it down too many times it looks as if it is spelt incorrectly.
Or two fish. A red fish and a blue fish.
I'm serious! I'm not trying to be funny. I would like some fish. A nice red fish like fire and another as blue as something that is very blue.
An old tumbled down castle and a laurel wreath on the floor of the tank.
A plaque that says, "So Long and Thanks for all the Fish". Some one must make plaques with that phrase... If not I think I have just started a new business... Or could I sell the idea to ThinkGeek...
Fish is one of the words in the English Language that if you write it down too many times it looks as if it is spelt incorrectly.
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Monday, 9 November 2009
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
I love kayaks
My grandfather used to always have a yacht and a dinghy, and so from an very early age I knew how to row. My sister and I would have fun rowing around and playing in the dinghy.
However the first time I was in a kayak was in Outdoor Education in year 10 at school in 1997. I went to one of the only state schools in Victoria that has an indoor pool. The kayaks were put in the pool and we all had to calmly move so that we were nicely spread out around the pool. We then had to purposely capsize and before getting out (so upside-down in the water), had to lean forwards and tap the underneath of the kayak (which was now above the water) twice to show that we were having fun and then we had to get out.
I was one of the few people who successfully patted the kayak so thankfully I did not have to do it again. We then practiced moving up and down the pool.
The next week we took the kayaks to a nearby lake and had fun moving around. Then we were told to circle the island. I was fine with getting to the island, but a large wind picked up when I was on the far side and I couldn’t get back, fighting against the wind. I had to get on the other side of the island so the wind couldn’t effect me and it took me ages to get back.
In December 2008 I visited my friend Charlie and she had a great idea to go kayaking, and remembering how much fun I used to have with my sister I said yes.
So it was arranged that we would go. Charlie ordered a two-person kayak and a great deal where we start on the Murray at Yarrawonga and head downstream to a pre-arranged pickup spot. That way we did not have to do any work upstream.
Just before we left we saw two kayak teams pull in, who had completed the Red Cross Murray Marathon (404km in 5days) on Boxing Day (http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/murraymarathon.htm)
Shayne who we hired the kayak from, and would pick us up five hours later, asked us if we had been kayaking before, I said once and Charlie said twice. He asked about our swimming ability and my is good and I was confident that in the unlikelihood of having to swim, I would be fine.
Shayne also pointed out the line of the kayak and told us that as long as our heads were within the line the kayak is stable and would not capsize. Move your head to far and you will go over.
We were given a water-proof map, life-jackets, a water-proof bag where we put in Charlie’s backpack with the food, camera and mobile phone and we were sent loose. I was in the front and Charlie was in the back. I think we were both wondering if Charlie should have been in the front as she is probably stronger than I am.
We slowly left the Victorian bank and the next thing I know the NSW bank is getting closer, too close. I start paddling on my right to try to turn to left, but no matter how hard I tried the kayak just kept on going straight. We crashed into a log on the bank. What then follows is a mad five minutes where we somehow got into the middle of the river and then turned around the 360 degrees twice.
I told Charlie to stop paddling and I managed to get the kayak pointed in the right direction and then we both paddled off, zigzagging down river, however this time, not crashing into the banks.
The day was beautiful, the sun warm, the water cool when it splashed on to us and after a while we became good at travelling, however sometimes we would just stop, enjoy the scenery and let the current take us downstream and we would just do a lazy stroke every now and then to ensure that we wouldn’t get to close to the banks.
Occasionally I would have to get Charlie to stop paddling while I got the boat straight and we would set off again, until she realised how she can help turn the kayak with me – which is when we got really good at dodging all the trees that had fallen in the river.
To cut out a lot of distance we were told to go down a channel which flowed through NSW. The channel was similar to the main river, but a bit narrower and had a lot more trees lying in the water. At one stage we had to land the kayak and walk it around a tree that went the entire way over the channel – Shayne told us that we might have to do this twice.
We had been kayaking for about three hours when there was another log in the water, one that had a stick sticking out at about head height. We were approaching it rather fast and I was trying very very hard to head the boat right to miss it, when I realised that I just couldn’t get it far enough away, we wouldn’t hit it, but our heads would be in trouble. “Duck” I shouted and lent forwards. Charlie saw the stick and to avoid it lent to her right, right over the side of the Kayak. And over it went.
I realised pretty quickly what was happening. When I knew we were past the point of no return I think I started moving, so by the time we were upside down I was most of the way out. The Kayak was in the middle of the channel, I had it in my left hand. “Are you okay?” I asked and could hear a yes. With out thinking I grabbed everything that I could with my hands and used my right to move us to a conveniently placed tree which I grabbed. The Kayak pivoted and became nicely stuck in the tree and Charlie was able to climb on to it. And at some stage I righted the Kayak and saw my drink water bottle slowly floating downstream.
Thankfully the water proof bag floated nicely underneath the Kayak and when we turned it over, I could put it back in.
There was no beach. The current was strong. The banks were about a three meter vertical climb. We were in trouble. I managed to wedge everything on the vertical bank, at a section where there was almost footholds. And then we had to get the water out. The good news is that the water was beautiful. The perfect temperature. The bad news is that we couldn’t get the water out.
Charlie got out and called Shayne, well she would have, if it wasn’t for the fact that the only piece of paper with his number on in was the map which apart from my drink bottle was the only thing that was lost. Charlie called her workmates who where hopeless and she started panicking.
So I got out of the water, after falling off the tree and probably scaring Charlie half to death. When Charlie pointed out that my Asthma medicine had escaped from my pocket and was floating down river. I had to make a quick decision. I had probably spent a good 45minutes treading water and trying to get the boat empty, would I have enough energy to swim back to the tree and climb out if I were to save my medicine. Oh well, there would probably be another spot to get out, so I bravely managed to save it and climb out.
We couldn’t get help. Charlie wasn’t in a state to do anything. So I called the police. Dreadful reception, but by a number of phone calls and messages, somehow we communicated for them to contact Shayne (though we had no last name) and all we had to do was sit and wait to be rescued or so we hoped.
I was quite happy. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day. We had one bottle of fresh water and an entire river to drink. We had a bit of food. The time was 1:30ish and if our messages didn’t get through people would know that something was wrong when we weren’t at the pickup spot at 3:00.
Remembering my childhood – a boat is easy to see, so if you get in trouble stay with the boat. So worst case scenario the police rescue helicopter would see us. We had nothing to worry about. However poor Charlie was worried. She was also worried that Shayne left a message on her phone telling us to get to the Victoria side. But as we were in a channel both sides were NSW. So I said we stay here, if we were on the main river we would have been able to get help from passers by, but not here.
So I tried to set her mind at ease and also told her off for forgetting to bring the cards.
At some stage I thought that I could drift the boat downstream to see if there would be any place with a decent beach where we could beach the boat, and then have more luck in emptying the water. However by that stage we had left a number of messages that we were in trouble, so we did the right thing and waited.
We probably only waited for 45mins to an hour when Shayne came. Luckily the channel ended in about 700 meters, and on the Victorian side one of his friends (who I will call Alan) was camping. We walked the 700 meters and Alan picked us up in his boat and took us to Victoria.
Shayne managed to get the water out of the kayak and paddle it to Alan’s campsite without getting wet.
And that was that. We stopped by the Yarrawonga Police Station to say thanks for getting Shayne, but sadly they were not in and we went home, had a bite to eat. Three hours later in Melbourne, I noticed I was covered in bruises, and cuts and grazes.
But, wow, I had fun. Who wants to go kayaking with me?
However the first time I was in a kayak was in Outdoor Education in year 10 at school in 1997. I went to one of the only state schools in Victoria that has an indoor pool. The kayaks were put in the pool and we all had to calmly move so that we were nicely spread out around the pool. We then had to purposely capsize and before getting out (so upside-down in the water), had to lean forwards and tap the underneath of the kayak (which was now above the water) twice to show that we were having fun and then we had to get out.
I was one of the few people who successfully patted the kayak so thankfully I did not have to do it again. We then practiced moving up and down the pool.
The next week we took the kayaks to a nearby lake and had fun moving around. Then we were told to circle the island. I was fine with getting to the island, but a large wind picked up when I was on the far side and I couldn’t get back, fighting against the wind. I had to get on the other side of the island so the wind couldn’t effect me and it took me ages to get back.
In December 2008 I visited my friend Charlie and she had a great idea to go kayaking, and remembering how much fun I used to have with my sister I said yes.
So it was arranged that we would go. Charlie ordered a two-person kayak and a great deal where we start on the Murray at Yarrawonga and head downstream to a pre-arranged pickup spot. That way we did not have to do any work upstream.
Just before we left we saw two kayak teams pull in, who had completed the Red Cross Murray Marathon (404km in 5days) on Boxing Day (http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/murraymarathon.htm)
Shayne who we hired the kayak from, and would pick us up five hours later, asked us if we had been kayaking before, I said once and Charlie said twice. He asked about our swimming ability and my is good and I was confident that in the unlikelihood of having to swim, I would be fine.
Shayne also pointed out the line of the kayak and told us that as long as our heads were within the line the kayak is stable and would not capsize. Move your head to far and you will go over.
We were given a water-proof map, life-jackets, a water-proof bag where we put in Charlie’s backpack with the food, camera and mobile phone and we were sent loose. I was in the front and Charlie was in the back. I think we were both wondering if Charlie should have been in the front as she is probably stronger than I am.
We slowly left the Victorian bank and the next thing I know the NSW bank is getting closer, too close. I start paddling on my right to try to turn to left, but no matter how hard I tried the kayak just kept on going straight. We crashed into a log on the bank. What then follows is a mad five minutes where we somehow got into the middle of the river and then turned around the 360 degrees twice.
I told Charlie to stop paddling and I managed to get the kayak pointed in the right direction and then we both paddled off, zigzagging down river, however this time, not crashing into the banks.
The day was beautiful, the sun warm, the water cool when it splashed on to us and after a while we became good at travelling, however sometimes we would just stop, enjoy the scenery and let the current take us downstream and we would just do a lazy stroke every now and then to ensure that we wouldn’t get to close to the banks.
Occasionally I would have to get Charlie to stop paddling while I got the boat straight and we would set off again, until she realised how she can help turn the kayak with me – which is when we got really good at dodging all the trees that had fallen in the river.
To cut out a lot of distance we were told to go down a channel which flowed through NSW. The channel was similar to the main river, but a bit narrower and had a lot more trees lying in the water. At one stage we had to land the kayak and walk it around a tree that went the entire way over the channel – Shayne told us that we might have to do this twice.
We had been kayaking for about three hours when there was another log in the water, one that had a stick sticking out at about head height. We were approaching it rather fast and I was trying very very hard to head the boat right to miss it, when I realised that I just couldn’t get it far enough away, we wouldn’t hit it, but our heads would be in trouble. “Duck” I shouted and lent forwards. Charlie saw the stick and to avoid it lent to her right, right over the side of the Kayak. And over it went.
I realised pretty quickly what was happening. When I knew we were past the point of no return I think I started moving, so by the time we were upside down I was most of the way out. The Kayak was in the middle of the channel, I had it in my left hand. “Are you okay?” I asked and could hear a yes. With out thinking I grabbed everything that I could with my hands and used my right to move us to a conveniently placed tree which I grabbed. The Kayak pivoted and became nicely stuck in the tree and Charlie was able to climb on to it. And at some stage I righted the Kayak and saw my drink water bottle slowly floating downstream.
Thankfully the water proof bag floated nicely underneath the Kayak and when we turned it over, I could put it back in.
There was no beach. The current was strong. The banks were about a three meter vertical climb. We were in trouble. I managed to wedge everything on the vertical bank, at a section where there was almost footholds. And then we had to get the water out. The good news is that the water was beautiful. The perfect temperature. The bad news is that we couldn’t get the water out.
Charlie got out and called Shayne, well she would have, if it wasn’t for the fact that the only piece of paper with his number on in was the map which apart from my drink bottle was the only thing that was lost. Charlie called her workmates who where hopeless and she started panicking.
So I got out of the water, after falling off the tree and probably scaring Charlie half to death. When Charlie pointed out that my Asthma medicine had escaped from my pocket and was floating down river. I had to make a quick decision. I had probably spent a good 45minutes treading water and trying to get the boat empty, would I have enough energy to swim back to the tree and climb out if I were to save my medicine. Oh well, there would probably be another spot to get out, so I bravely managed to save it and climb out.
We couldn’t get help. Charlie wasn’t in a state to do anything. So I called the police. Dreadful reception, but by a number of phone calls and messages, somehow we communicated for them to contact Shayne (though we had no last name) and all we had to do was sit and wait to be rescued or so we hoped.
I was quite happy. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day. We had one bottle of fresh water and an entire river to drink. We had a bit of food. The time was 1:30ish and if our messages didn’t get through people would know that something was wrong when we weren’t at the pickup spot at 3:00.
Remembering my childhood – a boat is easy to see, so if you get in trouble stay with the boat. So worst case scenario the police rescue helicopter would see us. We had nothing to worry about. However poor Charlie was worried. She was also worried that Shayne left a message on her phone telling us to get to the Victoria side. But as we were in a channel both sides were NSW. So I said we stay here, if we were on the main river we would have been able to get help from passers by, but not here.
So I tried to set her mind at ease and also told her off for forgetting to bring the cards.
At some stage I thought that I could drift the boat downstream to see if there would be any place with a decent beach where we could beach the boat, and then have more luck in emptying the water. However by that stage we had left a number of messages that we were in trouble, so we did the right thing and waited.
We probably only waited for 45mins to an hour when Shayne came. Luckily the channel ended in about 700 meters, and on the Victorian side one of his friends (who I will call Alan) was camping. We walked the 700 meters and Alan picked us up in his boat and took us to Victoria.
Shayne managed to get the water out of the kayak and paddle it to Alan’s campsite without getting wet.
And that was that. We stopped by the Yarrawonga Police Station to say thanks for getting Shayne, but sadly they were not in and we went home, had a bite to eat. Three hours later in Melbourne, I noticed I was covered in bruises, and cuts and grazes.
But, wow, I had fun. Who wants to go kayaking with me?
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