my campsite on the middle lane of the “local highway”

The forecast I got in for the next day said nice 10-15 kn south westerly’s all day, something which sounded like a relief after that front and quite manageable for that 50 km lap to Geraldton.

The would be a bit of a sheltered landing at Drummond Cove, and maybe in one or another nook or cranny, but it would be basically more or less open beach surf.

I had to pack a soaking wet and sandy tent this morning, after a bit of a humidity chill during the night quite an ugly task!

The sky looked clear, and the wind not too bad inside my reef lagoon…

I jumped with disgust into my cold wet paddling fleece gear, and guessed if it would be chilly from the wind blow I’d be protected enough with my PFD I may happily keep on then after launching through the surfy reef gap.

From the beach the gap looked all morning as if there was one with less surf, and with good timing paddling out should be as ok as coming in with good timing.

I paddled out to where I remembered the gap was, but all I found was one fat breaker crashing in front of my nose after the other! I caught quite some water, in some way it was luckily always already breaking in front of me instead of over me, ad with some good bracing I got pushed back again and again heavily, but not too much trashing showers to capsize.

In this way I was slowly making my way out through the reef break, and was probably missing the “gap” by some meters only.

But sitting there and trying to get going, the gap was either to narrow to be easily spotted from the water or too short in time without breakers to enable me to find it and pass through with ease. It was really a miracle I didn’t capsize, and had energy left to say twice “now” and lighting the flame again, when it looked like no more breaking stuff…on the second “now” I was out, in big 4 meter seas, but I made it! It was really a “Horror Beach”…never see you again so soon!

And I was soaking wet and freezing cold that early morning. But no way i was going to open my dayhatch in those conditions to pull out my cag…I noticed I even lost one of my open palm mitts in the bloody surf! They usually at least keep my hand warm a bit…

I was searching then out there for the forecasted 10-15 kn south westerly’s – in vain, all I found out there were 4 meter swell with 2 meter confused seas on top, created by a solid 25 kn headwind! But no way I’d go in there again…so no option than to think positive “what can I expect after that massive front yesterday?” and “it can only get better and calm down during the day…”

It got better and calmed down during the day – to say it in positive terms! I “calmed down”  towards lunchtime from solid 25 kn to “easy” 20kn headwinds, with flat 3 m swell and a bit less confused seas on top. But I felt my energy reserves and motivation to keep on fighting towards Geraldton today were rapidly going down…especially my motivation!

And maybe I’m simply eating not enough in the big seas…nothing like the other months like sitting there nice and relaxed, peeling an orange, and dipping some crackers into heavy creamy cheese dip! I was only able and had appetite for eating a quick apple and a few other nibblings, plus getting some quick sips of my energy drink.

After two or three temptations to call it a day and attempts to go in somewhere where the surf looked a bit less from the water, I eventually found a spot and decided to go for it! It was going all right, besides that I was sitting at the end high and dry on a flat rocky reef platform…I noticed that it was no sand only later when I got washed off again by the next big breaker! But landing was no problem, and no damages on the boat. Just hoping next morning’s tide will be high enough to get me off again with ease…

I picked as well a spot where I saw a car on the beach, and was hoping to catch up with the guys to ask for some more fresh water. I was not really out, but it was not enough for a generous fresh water rinse after landing. My timing was perfect, just when I landed safely, the car drove by and asked” Are you the lady from the paper?” It never hurts to have had already some publicity in the Geraldton paper out of Kalbarri…I got filled up with fresh water and checked on a campsite.

The only option was to put up in the grassy “middle lane” of the “local highway”, a sandy 4-wheel track which seems to be frequently used by campers from the nearby Coronation Beach. As it was Saturday night, I was just hoping I won’t et run over by a drunken midnight maniac driver…

All afternoon I counted 6 cars, four quad-bikes and two motorbikes going back and forth. Quite some traffic!! One car was stopping and was asking me the same question: ”Are you the lady from the paper?” I was busy with some little repairs on my kayak, but this was a nice chat.

All afternoon I was typing on updates, and was hoping the next two days very low wind forecast will come true to make some decent progress!

Text message from Freya:

28.30 114.32, before Coronation Beach. 20km, 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. I stopped on a moderate surf beach with a reef platform after a bloody 6-hour slog into 25 to 20 knot solid southerly headwind with 4 to 3 meter seas. I simply had enough!
Launching from Horror Beach was exactly like that, where was the reef gap?? Probably 10 huge smashing breakers, but amazingly no capsize.