James and Margaret, my lovely and helpful “hosts” at the Banksia camp

I had a „date“ with a local camper at 7am to get my boat and gear down to the beach, but as I was alreday ready to go at 6.15 am I was looking around and luckily found two other nice guys being up early that morning to help me with my boat. Thanks!

I launched easily at 6.30, and made my way south east, in eventually quite some 4 m swells and seas on top! But nothing really to worry about…I just knew I won’t make it all the 75 km to Walpole inlet’s safe landing.

I would give the tiny idyllic beach at Cliffy Head a check, and just in case this would be closed up with the swell breaking, there was another beach landing possible just around the corner. Terry told me he has been launching from that one already, it would be ok…

Nearing Cliffy Head, it was already clear for me from the distance it won’t be possible to land in that one, as the swell and seas didn’t really subside in the lee of the high rocky Chatham Island. There was no real lee actually…I didn’t even got close for a better look, I’d rather stayed off the cliffs at the entrance, with breakers almost everywhere.

Ok, around the corner, the beach must be more sheltered, I thought, and happily paddled towards it’s lurking yellow sand. I saw a couple walking along the beach, and guessed they must be camping in that camp Terry was talking about!

Coming closer, I realized that it was quite a steep beach, which meant dumping waves…and the breakers were rolling in around me. I thought it can’t be that bad in this sheltered corner, and worked my way in without catching any wave, until…as usual, the last odd one gets you! I was almost at the beach, and thought the last one can’t be that heavy, a mid-size dumper, just brace high and heavy and broach in! But no way, the last bit off the shore was the worst actually, it was like a washing machine due to the steep beach.

That very fat dumper bloody capsized me! I made one effort to roll up in the turbulent water, probably caught only white foam instead of solid stuff, half lost my paddle and guessed what is it worth so close, about 20m, to shore, better go for a swim 🙂  – and bailed out.

Another fat dumper was throwing the boat over my head towards the beach, and I thought what a luck I had the first time again my helmet with me and actually on! I got some salty water to swallow, until I could swim and wade the short distance to shore, where my boat was already sitting high and dry without me! Nothing was lost, as all was tethered safely to the cockpit besides my sponge I could fish out of the water and my paddle I could grab easily again. Good I didn’t keep my paddle attached to the leash! The heavily thrown up kayak would either have broken the leash or the paddle on rolling up the beach!

I was thinking that couple probably saw me capsizing and would be coming down soon to look after me…nice, but a bit embarrassing as well to have landed like this with “spectators” lined up…but eventually it turned out to be VERY nice that they were there, as Margaret and James offered me a hand to get my boat off the beach into the dunes, and offered a self-made hot shower and a meal up in the camp! Thanks very much, Margaret and James!

We carried all my gear up the dunes to the camp, and later I knew it was right not just to put up my tent right in the dunes…some ugly weather came in that night!

The Banksia Camp offered a corrugated iron shed with 4 small bunk style cabin beds under a solid roof, with a rain water tank and a dry toilet. Enough luxury for me to feel nice and dry during the night!

Margaret and James had a foldable camper trailer set up, and were the only visitors of the camp. What luck they have been walking the beach right when I came in! They have read already in the Geraldton paper about me, and thought that must be she paddling in through that washing machine of surf, that crazy lady paddling around Australia!

They heated some water for a bucket shower, which was actually working very nice in the little room of the camp shed with the hook on the roof provided for that style of showering! Much better than my usual cold rinse out of my water bags!

Margaret cooked a great veggie meal later, and James fried some additional sausages and meat. Thanks for looking after me so nicely, and sharing your dinner with me!

I fell asleep on my bunk bed quite early, with some occasional mozzys buzzing around my nose. But not bad enough to make me put up my tent with the bug screen under the camp shed roof…

The night was stormy, with plenty of rain like out of buckets pouring down on my corrugated iron shed roof. I was soooooo happy to not be in my tent on the dunes…I later learnt there was quite a few hail coming down as well, as James showed me a small pile of ice besides his tent roof…is that my hot Australia??? I dreamt all night I was NOT launching tomorrow, it will be an ugly day next day…

35.00 116.30, beyond Cliffy Head.  6:30 am to 2:30 pm, 45km. A rough landing with a swim, hot shower and feed from lovely couple at the campsite.