I had a quiet night, and launched undisturbed in the morning out of that bay. I don’t like going into bays for the night, but sometimes it is the only chance.
There were actually quite some beaches again in the next wide bay, but all required some paddling off course.
I was planning to land in that wide bay in Bertram’s Cove when I would have done the 4 days crossing of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf from Cape Ford, but my 7-days paddle was quite some more entertaining. Never encountered that many crocs!
And who knows if I would really have made the 270 km crossing in 4 days, regarding my seemingly “endless” eventually two full days and one night’s crossing of only 100 km further down the Gulf… but probably the tides would have been a touch less strong further out.
I rounded Cape Rulhieras to head eventually due west. I left the quite rough eastern coast astern, and found myself in quiet waters. But not before passing quite some strong tidal races into the wrong direction…paddle on, head down, and eventually I rounded the tip jutting into Koolama Bay.
My hope was to find some cruise boats anchoring in that bay, as it was the entrance of the King George River with the famous waterfall about 20 km upstream.
I was down to 4 litres of fresh water, and my plan was either to hit a boat today to refill, or the paddle into Faraway Bay where an experienced Kimberley’s skipper from Darwin has told me about a fishing lodge.
NO WAY I would paddle into any river to find a waterfall…it would be so much fun to do so if there won’t be the croc guarding each of them…
I paddled quite a detour fully into Koolama Bay to check around the last corner of the anchorage, but no luck…ok, then the fishing lodge tonight.
I didn’t announce myself, as I had only a cross on my map and no phone number, but I simply hoped there would be somebody…
What I didn’t know at that point was that the cross on my map from the friendly skipper in Darwin was unfortunately made in the wrong bay …he really filled me up with lots of information about possible water stops…but I paddled to the cross in the wrong next bay…I was passing the right spot more than 15 km.
There were no bay’s names neither on my map nor on my GPS chart…”unsurveyed” again…just the name written by the skipper on my map.
That late afternoon I was searching and searching in the deep bay, looking into every possible beach, estimating there must be something like a natural harbour for a fishing lodge…but where the cross on my map was the bay became just more and more shallow and mangrovy and muddy…no glimpse of life anywhere.
The airstrip on my map was better to be reached by the previous bay…that should have been my first warning…but you want to trust an experienced skipper’s marks…
I got a bit stuck in shallow water between two small islands, and was quite scared to jump quickly out for dragging the boat out of the shallows. Mangroves close by…I eventually decided to pull on a small beach to call Peter, the skipper, on my sat-phone, when I found quite some footprints. Ahhh, it must be here somewhere!!!
But the call revealed the truth…the lodge was in the previous bay!
Peter felt quite embarrassed and sorry for the wrong information, and promised to give the fishing lodge another call in the morning to find out if there would be some guy with a boat available to come out to me with fresh water. There was only the answering machine tonight on the phone. I should give Peter a call in the morning what he was able to achieve.
It would be not much of a problem to cover 7-9 km with a small motorboat to meet me at the head of the bay, but it would be quite a pain for me in my kayak to paddle back all 15 km into the previous bay.
If there won’t be anybody available from the fishing lodge to meet me, I decided I would keep on going two days with the remaining 4 litres of fresh water to either hit luckily a vessel or to meet up with a pearl farm mother ship which Peter told me was anchoring in Seaplane Bay.
He has told me as well about two water falls in small rivers in Glycosmis bay and Freshwater Bay, but couldn’t guarantee they were croc free…I would NOT paddle into any river!!!
I quickly made camp on the small beach in last light after the sat-phone calls to Peter. It was quite a beautiful remote bay I had paddled into, but a full 10 km detour, plus another 10 km out again. Can’t say I was too much pleased by that, being unsuccessfully…
That night I fell asleep early after having paddled 70 km for that day. No earplugs necessary that night, as there was no noisy surf or animals around…
At 11pm, I woke from the sound of an engine. Could that be a boat? Then I heard a foghorn blowing, and again…was it that foggy that night? I felt like getting out of my tent to have a look.
I was camping right behind a small island, so I could only see the position light of the obviously bigger vessel coming into my bay. What was he doing here?
Maybe…he was coming for ME? To supply me with fresh water? Has skipper Peter maybe used his maritime connections to direct a boat into my bay that night??
I felt it may be a good idea to turn my VHF radio on…and there it was…the call for “kayakFreya, kayakFreya, kayakFreya”, are you there? I answered the call, and was quite surprised asking who they were and who has directed them to me.
It was a commercial vessel delivering fuel to remote places in the Kimberleys, who was following a call sent out by AMSA. Skipper Peter obviously called them without giving me a note to let them know about me being there needing fresh water, and AMSA made a round call to all boats out there. But someone at AMSA seemed to have been taken it eventually as a distress call, as my Melbourne emergency contact Peter Treby obviously got unhappily involved in the whole situation as well as my primary emergency contact number. Sorry, this was not my intention and not my idea to initiate a “distress call” which caused others some grief…
Anyway, I was happy to agree with the skipper of the commercial boat via VHF to meet them next morning in first light to pick up fresh water. My detour into the wrong bay turned out to be a lucky one!
I gave Chris Cunningham, who updates my website when I am out of e-mail range, a sat-phone call at midnight (his 9am, as he is in Seattle) about the situation, and eventually fell asleep again.
32 comments on “Day 146, Friday, 12.06.2009”
Let me offer my own little “get a grip” here. Freya is giving us all a terrific opportunity to see Australia as few have seen it, under circumstances experienced by only a tiny number of people. To paddle this distance in about a year is an immense undertaking. Adding very much detailed sightseeing to the trip would make the whole thing impossible.
From my vantage point half a World away, this is a vicarious experience far beyond anything someone of my age and ability could ever expect to obtain at first hand. I am far the better for seeing her photos, reading her blog (and the comments of others) and being favored with the chance to do this all in something approaching “real time”.
Freya certainly deserves my thanks, as do all the good folks who have helped her along the way.
I don’t understand what the issue is of Freya deciding to get a replacement kayak for the rest of her journey.
With myself having lived in my kayak for more than six months at any one time, I can speak with some authority on this. Gear fails on long expeditions. The ocean environment is so unforgiving to your kayaking gear.
Let’s look at it in a slightly different view. If you were to spend your 4 weeks annual leave kayaking, it would take you 6 years to do what Freya has done in six months, so to have a hole, or a problem with your kayak, you would be thinking that’s not bad for 6 years of use.
I personally don’t know, but I’m assuming Freya’s kayak is made of a Kevlar composite which is much harder to repair than a fiberglass kayak out in the middle of nowhere. Let’s wait till Freya can reply with what the problem is with the kayak. Maybe the manufacturer can put some light on the situation. Not many manufacturers get an opportunity have so much R&D put into their product.
At the moment, Freya’s kayak is her whole world, and I truly mean that, so it is important that it’s in a-one condition. Once Freya reaches the southern tip of Western Australia, she is going to encounter big seas at some point. So if she carried on in an un-seaworthy kayak and then needed rescuing, how many of us would be jumping up and down then.
Safety is the number one issue here. We don’t need to lose another sea kayaker following his or her dreams. I applaud you Freya on this occasion for putting safety first.
I hope this helps to put this issue to rest.
Oh, Murd, give her a break, she is human! And paddling a little bit more than most people right now. And blogging even though not in on-line reach. And how many weekends has she had off since starting out. And how many days has she “worked” on the trott. I’ve had a lot more days off than she has had.
Regards to self-sufficiency: it’s not the catching that’d be my issue, I just couldn’t kill it. Call me a wimp, but I think I might not be the only one. I’d be happy to eat it though, after some one else does the dirty deed. So if that makes me a hypocrite, at least I’m a happy one.
Of course we all need and give help all the time, from little things like letting another into traffic and saying something nice about a dress, to big things like saving a life in a crisis. Without help, freely offered and given, we’d have a much poorer society.
Evelyn, of course she is being assisted – now she’s about to get a new yak from someone.
Another thing, if this is a fair-dinkum ‘Race Around Australia’, why did she have an extended holiday in Darwin? I really wish she was posting things like, ‘Caught a trevally today and cooked it whole on a fire. Topped it off with mud-crabs and wild oysters…’ She has paddled through some of the best bush-tucker areas in the world and (seemingly) done nothing about it. Such a waste of natural resources.
For me I think that Freya has made, on many occasions, comparisons with her and Paul C. She repeatedly says that Paul was supported but that she is doing this trip entirely on her own. I think that she has gotten and is getting a great amount of assistance from other people.
the desalinator can be found at (German language site) http://www.katadyn.com/chde/katadyn-produkte/produkte/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-entsalzer/
(English language site) http://www.katadyn.com/sgen/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-entsalzer/
Paul, Click on my name and this will take you to my website, then click on contact and email me. Don’t know how happy Freya would be with her website being use as a emailing forum. Seamongrel.
Hello Seamongrel,
What brand is your desalinator, and do you know where they may be available in Australia and at what cost? Do they have a website?
Cheers, Paul.
Hey moaners – paddle two thirds of the way around Australia and then we’ll be happy to take your “But that’s not how I’d do it” observations 100% seriously.
Edda, does that mean Freya is still having trouble with that patch, or is a new boat scheduled anyway?
Freek, My desalinator hand pumps 4.5 litres in one hour, so its not long for a days water supply.
After Broome, Freya will have seen the last of the crocs.
freshwaterfilter; 1 liter=1 minute of handpumping
desalinator; 1 liter= 1hour of handpumping
so this means a lot of work and time.
I guess, she’s using 3 or 4 liters a day in hot weather That means a half day of work.
from what i’m told the crocs are far less prevelant after broome. true?
Re the saltwate crocs – is their habitat all the coastal areas of Australia, or only the northern part? When will they no longer be a threat to Freya?
HI ALL
WHO CAN GET A NEW KAYAK FOR FREYA FROM PERTH TO BROOME?
greg@epickayaks.com
WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU
Who cares! Paddle hard Freya, you’re an inspiration to paddlers all over the world. 🙂
There is no question what Freya is doing is remarkable and requires immense motivation. as for the freshwater dilemma i think that all trips around Australia will be compared based on their individual merits. When I canoe I like to be as independent on others as much as physically/mentally possible but will always look for opportunities or pay/accept hospitality whenever it comes my way. It may be that she can supplement her food and water requirements by finding/producing water and food. However, I suspect that this cannot always be guaranteed. I would like to think that one day when the right person comes along with the latest technology, that a more independent trip can be made. however, i think the preparation and time required to do it would be immense and certainly more than most people can afford or even what to commit. Freya’s trip around Australia will become a benchmark (as were those of others before her) for others to match or improve upon. Personally I would prefer a shorter distance trip (over the same time) where local features are explored and enjoyed more thoroughly, but then again I don’t left on the other side of the earth and a life their ultimately beckoning me back. Moreover I think that Freya is an inspiration for all and that her journey will be judged for what it is and how she went about it. I’m so happy to be thinking of paddling in warm waters when I’m in the midst of a pretty cold winter here in Melbourne on the opposite side of the continent!
There is also obviously the space/weight aspect. Her kayak is packed to the gills at the outset and already 100kg heavy. Something else essential would have to go if the salination plant were added, and of course also the time to tend to it.
I’m sure Freya has taken it into consideration, but it wasn’t viable.
maybe we are forgetting that Freya is racing after all.
While fishing and desalinating sound great self sufficient practices, they all require substantial amount of time.
Looking at her mileage and schedule it seems that she does not stop to “smell the roses” so to speak.
She has and will mooch off others if she only can.
Anything to get around the “Island” in the shortest possible time and set a record that very few will ever contemplate to challenge.
With saying that I don’t necessarily condone her practices but as mentioned before it could also be a chance of miscalculation that she ran out of water.
Whatever will take her I hope that she really sets a record that will amaze all of us.
Hillary/Gayle, I wasn’t being harsh at all. I just can’t see how someone who is attempting to paddle the rugged Kimberley coast, and who has been advised not to head upriver where abundant fresh water lies because of the crocs, could not be carrying a desalinator unit?
That makes her dependant on other people when she runs out of water.
Carrying a desalinator (of which I do) would give Freya so much more peace of mine of not having to think about where her next water supply is going to come from.
Having a desalinator in your kayak makes you truely independant, but it is nice when a boat pulls up next to you and offers to fill your water, knowing you won’t have to pump sea water for the couple of days!!
The best thing that Freya’s doing is staying out of the rivers, the crocs are bad enough out in the ocean, let lone the murky waters that flow out the the rivers up there.
Keep going Freya, if anyone can make it, you will!!!
All the best, Inge)
In the 1969 voyage of ‘ Britannia ‘, where John Fairfax singled handed rowed non-stop 5300 miles from Canary Islands to Florida, there were occasions where he was quite happy asking crew on passing ships to supplement his food supply. His journey had taken longer than expected due to unfavourable winds pushing him further south than originally planned. He had enough room on board for a de-salinator, cleverly constructed out of a pressure cooker and gas stove. 5 hours of cooking sea water = 2 litres of fresh water. If you need it, why not ask for it.
Lighten up, Murd. I have been following Freyas trip from the very beginning, and as far as I am aware, this is the first time she has asked anyone for anything. Even the best of us can miscalculate. Don’t be so harsh. Freya will perservere. GO FREYA!
The crocs average 450 kg (1,000 pounds) and 5 meters (17feet) but 7 meter, 900 kg specimens aren’t unusual. Population estimates run from 200,000 to 300,000. They have been spotted far out at sea. They are opportunistic predators and will take anything that they can get their jaws on, including large animals and even sharks. They lurk just beneath the surface and surge up to grab anything unfortunate enough to be near.
Anybody care to explain to me about the “crocs?” How far out into the ocean do they swim?
Bit harsh, Murd, to say Freya is relying on others. She’s still paddling around Australia.
Seamongrel, I agree. Why doesn’t she have one of those desalinator things? It would save all the hassles of carrying water. Now it seems that Freya is relying on other people in her attempt to paddle around Oz. I’d much rather she did it by herself than having everyone helping her. Is she catching fish for dinner? She wouldn’t need to carry food (extra weight) if she was living on fish each day.
At least she has learnt to keep out of the rivers and creeks where the big salties live and breed. She shouldn’t get attacked if she stays offshore.
Thanks for bringing us up to date Chris. Very good to see that it all worked out. Do you know if Freya is still having trouble with the repair to the hole in her kayak? Is the patch exposed to salt water or was it possible to give it a coat with water proof paint or gelcoat?
Maybe if she was carrying a desalinator, she could be more self-sufficient and not have to rely on finding water. It’s a very remote area that she paddling through now.
nope…
Is Freya carrying a desalinator for these situations?
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