poor leftovers of a stranded small whale

The wind and seas settled over night, and it was high tide in the morning, so launching from the reef platform was no problem.

It was an easy paddle with easy to moderate quartering winds until about 2pm. I reached Geraldton already around lunchtime, so there was no question about keep on going! I had actually 3 contact addresses to stay in Geraldton, one of them was Phil Hearps, who was escorting me on his surf ski into Kalbarri, but I’m sorry it was no matching time to visit either of my potential hosts! Thanks anyway!

The Greenough River mouth was the next safe landing spot, and although it was only 4pm, I decided to go in. I was not really sure about how the coastline would be further south, with a reef marked on my maps which could be either rocky or sandy. And as the wind turned quite ugly since 2pm as well, I was happy to call it a day then!

Landing was a bit surfy with a long ride broaching a bigger wave which almost swept me on a rocky reef. Almost…

Two women walking their dogs were just at the spot where I was landing, but sometimes by-walkers simply don’t care about the mermaid coming with some speed out of the sea…and mostly I don’t mind as well and am happy not to answer the same questions over and over again. But if a kayak lands almost on your feet with high speed I would have at least given it a closer look if the paddler is allright…

I was just about to strip for a quick freshwater rinse, as a carload of people, 3 brothers with their wives, stopped next to me and started fishing! So I better took my gear bags and found my campsite in the dunes and a hidden changing spot…

When I later started to drag my boat up, one of the brothers came over and asked if he could help anyway? Well, some more fresh water is always welcome, but he had only a small bottle…better than nothing, thanks! He told me about the “official” campsite a bit down inland which had more freshwater and a small shop.

After I set up my camp, I decided to walk to the campsite to sneak into the shower for a hair wash, to fill my water bags and maybe to shop some yummy stuff…when I was passing the fishermen again asking for directions, they were happy to offer me a lift to the campsite, including a shower in one of their campsite shacks! Thanks a lot!

I first went shopping for a few little items out of the limited choice. After I got my shower, I got offered by the three “in law ladies” a delicious feed of Lasagne and carrot cake! Yummy! And that was not all…I got a doggy bag of about 30 cold prawn, some fruit, yoghurt and other stuff! Thanks very, very much to look so nicely after me!

This saved me the dinner cooking time later in my tent…but I couldn’t help but eating ALL of the prawns for a second dinner…what a luxury!

Text messasge from Freya via satellite phone:

28.51 114.37, Greenough River Mouth. 40 km, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Easy to moderate quartering winds until 2 pm, then breeezing up to fresh ugly headwinds. Safe landing at the river mouth, not sure about reef further south.