Day 302, Sunday, 15.11.2009

I had two reasons today to get going early and to race myself on glassy flat water: The afternoon sea breeze (headwind) was supposed to be very strong with 25 kn, and Greg and I liked to watch an opera performance of “Carmen” in Ceduna, starting at 6pm.

We had to kick ourselves out of the bed at 4.15, to drive 1/2 hr back from our climated fly-free campsite cabin in Ceduna to James Point, where I pulled out yesterday.

I launched at first light at 5.30 on a glassy calm sea with no wind. It was supposed to be a very warm, but not brutal hot day like yesterday.

Inside the van yesterday, 52 degrees outside, inside still 34 degrees, air-condition fully on…

Greg was staying at the cabin that day for household and office chores, and I was well rested from the short paddle yesterday and well fed with fresh food out of the first supemarket after Esperance. I calculated an average speed of 7,5 km/hr on that glassy flat sea, and I got a bit of a north-easterly push during the morning.

I went on a direct line between Goat Island and St. Peter Island, leaving the Franklin Islands to my left and arrived at Edward Bay at 1pm, with the last half an hour pushing the remaining 2,5 km into a strong headwind of 25 kn. Two smaller sharks were floating around my kayak, but they didn’t take any notice of me. My first sharks since the BIG bite at 80 mile beach! I could always hear some dolphins breathing, and at 11.30 I saw three of them beautifully jumping in front of my kayak.

Greg was waiting with the van, we loaded the kayak and drove back to Ceduna to our campsite cabin.

The last time I saw the opera “Carmen” together with Paul Caffyn in New Zealand at x-mas 2007. I came past his house on my circumnavigation of New Zealand South just in time for some relaxing x-mas days off in bad weather conditions. The TV performance was high end and stunningly sexy. Now it seemed to be like closing the circle I had the chance to see it again!

I didn’t really know what to expect of an opera performance in a small country town like Ceduna. But it was high-end quality opera singing and acting, based on a low budget stage setup. Without much decoration the singers must act and sing even better – and they did. Great job! Thanks to the co-opera for a cultural and very entertaining evening. There were not many such things for me in store the last months…

32.31 133.51 Edward Bay 60 km 5.30 to 13

6 comments on “Day 302, Sunday, 15.11.2009

hi freya i offered help with your epic paddle i live in goolwa 90 k south of adelaide you are welcome to use my place to leave your car plus kayak if you do not recieve a better offer maybe closer to the airport looking forward to meeting you when you reach victor harbor phil dingsdale o4o7895113 take care p

greg

Hey Freya
and you thought culture was only found in the bottom of Aussie’s fridges. Great to hear that you are enjoying elements of your epic journey. It must be difficult to perform the great aussie salute, swishing the flies away, with a paddle in you hands. All the best for the rest of your trip

Hi Freya
So glad you enjoyed our performance of ‘Carmen’ in Ceduna. If you just happen to be kayaking near Robe we are performing ‘The Barber of Seville’ on 5th December. Its usually booked out so if you are interested you may wish to contact Maddie Bruce at johnbruce28@yahoo.com.au, to reserve tickets. Good luck with the rest of your journey.

Rose

Brilliant!!! What could be more perfect after all those kilometres of sea, cliffs and beaches, than a surprise visit to the opera! What perfect timing also, to arrive just in time for a visit to what is probably the first opera performance in Ceduna for ages.

It’s good to see you getting the opportunity to do something besides paddling, and to get in out of the heat for a while.

The good news is, the weather bureau is telling us that we can expect a cool change…for about ten hours…ah well…

I love those times in our lives when fate brings things together for us. I’m speaking here of the Caffyn – Carmen opera connection, of course. That you both challenged yourselves around Australia makes it all so much more special. Fun! Best in the days ahead, Freya!

Kalbarri PHIL

Hey Great going Freya and a bit of culture too to go with our warm/HOT weather and the flies are just an extra BONUS .Cheers and good PADDLING PHIL

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