Day 190, Sunday, 26.07.2009

The forecast fort the next days was quite strong south-easterlies! I got up, and felt they were more easterly than southerly, so quite pushing!! No way having some days off…I felt refreshed from the short day yesterday, and was looking forward to the nice challenging paddle.

 

Alan was not surprised I rather felt like keep on pushing on, although he probably would have enjoyed a bit more of my company! Well, maybe some other time…

 

I was already packed, when I was knocking at his van door to say good bye!

He helped me bringing my boat and gear to the water, and waved me off.

 

Yes, those *were* strong east-south-easterlies!

 

After getting out of the bay, the direct line in my bearing plus the direct line from the strong wind was underneath the long jutting oil loading jetties. As it was not the first time I was paddling under a jetty, I was thinking nothing bad about this way to go…but obviously the guys on the Sunday morning watch did! They probably thought I was a spy and would like to blow up the jetties…They were yelling at me “Get out of here!” and made heavy signs to head offshore into the main shipping channel.

 

Offshore would mean as well to cut path upfront the bow instead of the stern of two huge oil tankers moored at the jetty, and way out of the winds way. This is not where I’d liked to be! I felt quite safe and happy close to the a bit sheltered shore for now, and *behind* those huge boats…it was blowing like hell! So I mentally showed those watch men my upright middle finger, pretending I haven’t heard or noticed them.

 

Under the second jetty there they were again, this time driving out with a car to yell the same stupid stuff – what did they think  a kayaker was going to do in this wind? So I kept on going, hardly keeping myself off making really the middle finger up sign.

 

I passed the second jetty with no incident (what should have happened?), and was hoping to be rid of those yelling Sunday morning watch men…but 10 min later, almost expected, a small motor boat was heading towards me out of the next harbour, and tried to tell me politely “this is a restricted area!” – which I actually was hardly able to hear.

 

It was rough as hell, and the up and down bouncing boat besides me was nothing I could approach for a chat. I made signs I’ll be heading downwind towards Roe Point, and after a bit of thoughts they obviously noticed this is the only way to let me go. They thought here was no reasonable fine to pass on, and that I seemed to be quite capable to handle the conditions.

I eventually tried to pass over via paddle on eof my promotion trip cards, but it was too rough to come close enough, and a throw with th ewind failed as well…so my card was sinking into the rough waves.

 

They were driving a while besides me, and I was at least able to communicate in some words where to go and what I did.

Over some time they seemed to be more impressed than acting ”official”, and wished me a nice day, which I had!

 

It was fun challenging paddling downwind in about 25kn, but no way of having my usual breakfast on the water or my early morning phone call to Greg…this had to wait until I could land in the lee of Roe Point for doing that.

 

The wind eased a little over lunch time, but I was still happy to make good progress.

 

I landed at dusk at South west Regnard Island, where I had a note “rats” on my map, probably from Sandy’s diary…I couldn’t see them, but I reckon I could heart them at night! I couldn’t tell what else that should be, making those strange noises…quite scary, actually! My earplugs were quite helpful again to get me a quiet sleep.

 

Text message from Freya satellite phone:

20.48 116.14, SW Regnard Island. 65km, 7:30 am to 5:30  pm. A lovely very strong following wind decreasing afternoon. Some spooky noises on this island!

2 comments on “Day 190, Sunday, 26.07.2009

Peter

It may have been the Ghosts from the British Nuclear Tests on Trimouille Island May 1956, and the event/mistake/problem they had on Alpha Island in June 1956 (Monte Bello), the truth was concealed until 1984. Did you see any 2 headed sharks?

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