A wet, but still “black” Traveller’s Tree silk scarf plus Blu Bandoo visor works well to cool my head down. I don’t like hats, as my hair has to go in a bun first. Therfore this strange bump on the back of my head…And I’m not fiddling with sunglasses on the water.

Launching late again this morning, as Peter was still working on repairing a broken edge of the seat. He had to redo it with some putty as the laminating gelcoat was not gone off from last night for some reason.

I was drilling holes and attaching my special Snapdragon backrest at the stern corner of the seat where it was not reinforced, therefore the stress I put on the backrest everyday made it cracking. I should have used the original reinforced holes with longer straps…learning…

Anyway, eventually the boat and I were ready again to launch at 9.30 am. Peter drove me to the beach, and Phil showed up with his daughter as well to say good bye. Thanks to both of them!

It was glassy clear, quiet water, hot and muggy. I should have been on the water at 6am, I guessed, but sometimes logistics have priority.

The forecasted wind for the lunchtime and afternoon will probably kicking in latest when I’m reaching the NSW boarder, just around the corner of Gabo Island, and the direction will be due North again…so get some distance done until it’s still calm!

Call it lucky or a pity, but it stayed hot and muggy and NO to very low wind all day…but some big swell came up badly around the corner!

It was a different kind of a challenge! I tended again to be seasick in the big swell, as I couldn’t get a fix on land to the left or to Green Cape already. I was too much offshore, heading directly to the Cape. I couldn’t see the land due to the pure distance, plus I was covering my head with a wet cloth to stay cool, plus it was quite misty and hazy as well. I need to get seasickness pills!!! I kept my new borrowed thermal shirt wet all day to stay cool, tried to drink quite a bit, but I ate not much. But no throwing up this time…but maybe it would have helped.

Luckily my sore skin was not getting worse although I was again wet all day, but the sores looked even better at night! Good shirt…thanks, Peter!

I saw my first two sharks!!! One was passing directly in front of my boat…but it wasn’t the great white one… A school of pleasant high jumping black and white dolphins was passing by, and I saw plenty of seals playing in the sun. A sailing boat crossed right in front of my way, but either they didn’t see me at all, or they were to arrogant to wave at a simple kayaker…

A sizzling noise made me thinking of a whale being around, but it was only a huge swarm of fish.

I was turning around Green Cape at about 7.30 pm, and the sun hide a bit in clouds and a light wind was coming up. I felt instantly better, and did my best to reach Bittangabee Bay before it got completely dark.

Just about! Good again to have the GPS…it indicated” Small Craft Shelter” on the chart, that sounded sooooo good after a long day out there in the big swell…and I eventually landed in almost darkness on an inviting quiet beach. Sometimes it’s really a relief to be safe again…

Bittangabee Bay camp

Not only the water conditions with the new big swell changed passing the NSW boarder, but the coastline itself turned from beaches with sanddunes only to high unaccessible cliffs with few landing spots. It was quite nice actually, but much more of a challenge for an experienced sea kayaker. It almost felt like being in NZ south coast…

The wind was kicking in strongly at night then, and I knew the forecast for tomorrow will be right and I’ll have another day off…

I slept deep and sound with the feeling of NOT to have to get up at 5am again!

I shouldn’t have left one of my delicious JAMA drink mix bags outside the tent in an open bag, a mouse seemed to like my JAMA as well…I hope she got a bad stomach and some diarrhoea…bloody bastard! Well, my fault…

Message by satellite phone:

“37.12 150.00 Bittangabee Bay 60 km 11.5hrs calm wind, big seasick swell, two sharks, many dolphins & seals, last light landing, good spot!”