Some manageable swell and a good strong following wind to get pushed down the 65 km stretch to Hamelin Bay. Just what I needed…

I set out from the concrete launching ramp at Canal rocks very early morning, and again left some gelcoat on the concrete. 🙁

Canal Rocks today from the outside was way less scary than watching the 5m swell yesterday from the cliff top crashing into the channels of the rocks. I kept a good distance, but still felt a choppy rebound on top of a large swell. But nothing too bad…

As I cleared the rocks and the rebound became less, the easy early morning 15kn wind lifted to solid 20-25 kn following nw, and created another kind of chop on top of the swell. Still nothing too bad…just the crest of the big swell waves stared to break here and there. Some fat splashes sideways on leaning into them to stay upright, in German I’d say “Volle Breitseite!”.

On the frequent rain squalls the wind lifted again about another 5 or 10kn, but most of them were “normal” rain squalls with very strong gusts, but reasonable amounts of water coming from the sky.

Just around midday, a solid rain *gale* came across after showing black sky for already a while. It was lasting for about long twenty minutes and brought water like out of buckets, directly from the side where I had to watch the breakers. I couldn’t really see much…feeling and hearing was required…I sometimes wondered how Paul with his glasses managed such wet conditions?

The wind was probably around 40kn, and I had to duck down not to be rolled over the water. Thank goodness I was fully loaded…not to think about the feeling being in such stuff in an empty boat! I felt quite stable, but “just in case…” – there wont be any help anytime soon. I wouldn’t want to be out here in any other craft than in my seakayak, clinging close to the water’s surface going up and down rather than getting thrown and bounced around like probably in a bigger boat…

“Hang in there, Freya, hang in there, Freya, it can’t last forever…” was my mantra in those minutes, laying flat on the front deck, barely making some paddle strokes to stay on course, rather having the paddle ready as a stable outrigger.

“Hang in there, Freya, hang in there, Freya, it is almost over…” as I saw some light spots in the sky behind me…

When the buckets of water subsided, the continuously lifting seas kept on being a challenge, but it pushed me as well nicely along. If there won’t be those more and more frequently breaking swell crests I had to lean in…quite a wet paddle! I had to be constantly alert to watch the seas coming from the side.

“Full concentration and power, only … km left…” – was another mantra I was forming for myself to stay focused on the challenging job. The force and size of the breaking waves I caught became stronger over the day – or did I become weaker? No way…not me…I was full of energy and feeling actually not too bad.

Just the massive walls of water piling sometimes up to the side on a “freak wave” bigger than usual left me with an open mouth and held breath, until it showed it’s clear intention…breaking? Not breaking? Breaking? Before me? Behind me? Besides me? Sometimes it was best just to wait and to watch, sometimes I had to sprint to leave the roaring foamy waters clear behind me. Occasionally, I couldn’t avoid to get smashed full broadside, but I always leant solidly into them and stayed upright with no problem. Just some scary seconds where I preferred to lock my knees tightly into the boat…and I had my saftey line hooked to my PFD – and the latter actually on my body today!

Another rain storm, a bit less strong than the lunchtime one, kept me entertained for a while. I managed to swallow at least some of my Ginger seasickness pills, which seemed to work well for me. No signs of seasickness today in that big stuff!

“Full concentration and power, only 3 km left…” – and I caught another fat broadside breaker. Not home and hosed yet, after the initial protection of some reefs close to Hamelin Bay there was another unprotected gap with swells still big. But the bay was near…

“Full concentration and power, only 1,5 km left…” – and another fat washing from the side…

“Full concentration and power, you are only home and hosed when you are standing high and dry on the beach!” – how true…and approaching the seemingly easy calm landing deep inside Hamelin Bay, I caught a moderate dumper into the shallow shore area which lifted me about 3m through the air and made me hanging in there with a solid high brace! I almost capsized close to the beach after managing the big seas out there – how ridiculous! 

Eventually I *was* standing high and dry on the beach, and thanking the water and weather gods that they got me safely through that exciting day! 

I checked in the dunes for a campsite, but noticed soon that behind the narrow dune belt there was “civilisation” with a road, parking lot and an “official” campsite with a hot shower! Just what the doctor ordered that night for the sore body…and for the next day as well, where there were even stronger winds and big swells forecasted. I was quite happy I didn’t had to camp on the beach in those conditions, but in a protected grassy spot after taking a looooooong HOT shower!

Text message via satellite phone:

34.13 115.01 Hamelin Bay 65km 6.5h to 17h  7star+ paddle. Don’t try this at home. I had fun!

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