I stimply stuffed all my soaking wet clothes and gear into the boat in any mode, and happily launched into a sunny, calm and short 40 km paddling day! I was really looking forward to meet and greet the Perth people, and to be hosted by Terry Bolland and his lovely wife Jenny in a dry, warm and cozy house soon! There I’d be able to wash and dry all my soaking wet and ugly sandy gear…

The first Perth escort paddler, Anthony, pulled already up to me between Yanchep and Minarie boat harbor, and he stayed with me until the Ocean Reef boat harbor. It was quite a nice chat, and just as hel left, the announced Channel 10 helicopter started to buzz over me with a camera guy sitting in the open door for about twenty minutes, for probably later a five seconds footage in the evening news… 

I felt almost sorry the pilot was so polite to keep most of the prop wash off me – I remember funny rescue practise times on the Anglesey symposium where the helicopter prop washed the whole bunch of kayakers under him and made a rolling mess out of everyone! This was kind of fun!

But I really enjoyed the kerosine smell and chopper noise…reminded me to my skydiving times!

Eventually they seemed to have enough pictures, and flew off.

Alan Hale on the green ski escorting me in

 picture by Tim Hale

Minutes later, the next two escort paddlers came up, and it didn’t take long, Terry Bolland and more paddlers came out of the waves for even more escort! Some surfski paddlers, including Ash and John from the leg two days ago, paddled up as well, and eventually the whole party of about 25 very different boats and paddlers escorted me into Hillary’s Boat harbor! What a friendly Perth reception!

Thanks to everyone taking his or her time to come out and greet me into the big smoke!

 cameras and wellwishers on Hillary’s Boat harbor entrance

Then the promo job kept me busy for another half an hour, three TV cameras focused their eyes on my paddling in and interview on shore. Paper press shots, more meeting and greeting here and there, and it was time to unload the boat, strap it to Terry’s roof rack and to head back “home” for a hot shower!  

——————————————————–

I’ll be paddling tomorrow, Wednesday, from Hillary’s Boat Harbor from around 7.30am to late afternoon, with an empty boat, yeah!, maximum to Mandurah 75 km, depending on the weather. Escort paddlers anytime welcome! 🙂

It looks like Thursday, Friday and Saturday will be ugly stormy, thank goodness, some quiet days off… :-)) busy with media, other paddler’s contacts, hairdresser :-), shopping and the talk below! Be welcome to join! (well, the talk, not the hairdresser…)

More updates of the last days to followe the next days, no worries…going to bed now…

——————————————————-

e-mail from Freya:

Hillary’s Boat Harbor 40 km 7,5 to 15 I was met by about 20 paddlers for the last 15 min paddling, three TV crews and a newspaper guy. Channel 10 helicopter buzzing over me 10 km before the harbor for about 20 min. TV news tonight were full of Freya shots! :-)).