A stranded whale, spouting high? No, just Point Quobba blowhole…

The scary launching through the dumper of Red Bluff was not tough at all that morning, when you have a bunch of helpers coming along to give you a good push! All my dinner hosts and two more guys with their kids came down to the beach to send me off, with plenty of hugs and pictures. Thanks for that!

With a good timing the shove into the open water was quite easy then. I just forgot to attach my “rudder launching string” and had to jump into the water again quickly after launching to pull it out. No big deal, the water was still warmish and my fleece shirt and pant kept me warm and dry.

The forecasted light following wind was waiting a while to shift around, the first hour around the Red Bluff point was quite tough. But then it eased, and paddling became light and quiet. The paddle along the high cliffs was quite impressive and entertaining. A bit choppy at times, but pushing into the right direction!

I was happy I didn’t decide two days ago to push on to Cape Cuvier, as the landing there seemed to be marginally and not pleasant at all. I didn’t take a closer look, but Red Bluff was surely more inviting!

Then Point Quobba came nearer…fist I got to see the impressive blowhole! It really looked like a whale was stranded there and was still breathing!

The whales showed their presence again today, quite close, nice! A big one and a smaller one close together, probably mom and baby I could almost touch with my paddle on their coming up for breath! And one was coming up right besides my boat, and the  decided to dive underneath!!! I could see him clearly under me, and prayed please don’t come up now…I better locked my knees safely! I don’t want to practise the surfing down a whale’s humpback!

Point Quobba has an island sticking out to be seen on the map and I somehow had the hope to be able to pass between into the sheltered lee. If I would have had a close look on Google Earth I would have seen what to expect, but I wasn’t able to, and was quite disappointed I had to keep on paddling for about 2 km along a heavy reef break until I felt comfortable to pass through a gap inside to the more quiet shallow reef water.

I first couldn’t see how long the reef break was going, and was already anticipating I had to keep on going to Carnarvon…but as tehre was no safe landing between Red Bluff and Point Quobba and just cliffs, after Point Quobba there was just beach, and the further south the more easy the swell and shore break became, I reckon. 

It took me a while to get the hole deep enough for the stern to take that shot!

There I backpaddled into the wind towards the quiet anchorage of the boats behind the inshore reef. But I decided to land already before the boat’s anchorage, as there seemed to be a more quiet private place to camp in the dunes. The beach still had a dumper, but this was nothing compared to Red Bluff! The beach was very steep and sandy, so easy launching tomorrow simply sliding downhill!

Text message from Freya via satellite phone:

24.29 113.25, Point Quobba. 60 km 7:30 to 5:30. A nice paddle along cliffs. Six whales, two very close, within 2 to 5 meters.