Day 19, Thursday 05.02.2009

a meeting on the water with a paddler of the other kind…

 

Launching this morning at about 8 am, hesitating to go at all, as upcoming strong headwinds were forecasted again.

There was quite a crowd from the campsite gathering on my launching, as I was passing a promo card to my friendly neighbours and to the caretaker…

It was good, as there was a willing strong man to help me launching through the surf…he held my bow straight in waist deep water until the waves calmed down after a big set. So I had a well-timed dry run out – thanks!

The day started with dense fog – good to have a GPS! I ccouldn’t see the shore anymore after being off the surflines…two hours, then it cleared up to a lovely day again – but with the forecasted strong headwinds!

Believe it or not – I like it better than flat seas, though being a bit slower…I’m way more motivated to paddle in rough stuff than on a millpond where I’m tempted to stop and fiddle around and to relax…so the average speed of the day is not too much worse on strong headwinds! It’s all about facing the enemy…

In the afternnon I met a paddler of the other kind – he was clever enough to enjoy sailing and paddling downwind :-)) – no, I was not envious at all!

I will not use a sail at any point…I’m a paddler, not a sailor…my wide shoulders need to be sail enough :-))

But obviously Mike Snoad was enjoying his day in his home-made kayak and sail! Please check out his website www. kayakits.com!

We chatted a bit about this and that, and then Mike sailed happily off downwind – and I paddled happily off upwind! Bith of us convinced to do the right thing…

 

I kept on pushing into the strong headwinds, knowing I would pull in this day a bit earlier. Checking on Moroya heads didn’t look to inviting on neither side, so Broulee island was the choice, knowing there would be a good campsite. 35 km only for that day – but oh well. I could start over again when it calms down at night, but my body did say “no”…

I didn’t expect it wasn’t an island any more, connected by a slim sandspit. But this made a perfect sheltered bay for landing – the same as some other tourist thought as well on enjoying their day in the heat at 4 pm in the afternoon. But they eventually went off one after the other…

I was hoping to get some sunlight exposed on my sore skin parts, and covered myself more or less successfully when people came too close…this would be the perfect bay having it all for yourself for some days!

A guy from the Narooma press mistook Mike with his red sail for being me passing by, he was just wondering why I was going south…a call made clear who was who! He wrote an article about my trip.

 

Message via satellite phone:

35.51 150.10 Broulee Island 35km in strong headwinds thick fog in the morning beautiful sheltered bay here! Newspaper called…

3 comments on “Day 19, Thursday 05.02.2009

Edda

Keep chin up! But pace yourself, if you have to rest an injury you loose more time and temper..
And when bored: How many paddle strokes would you calculate you are likely to do on this journey?
All the best
Edda

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