Oysterbanks and mangroves at low tide
a flash Stradbroke Island ferry on my colors…
The plan was cutting across to Bribie Island in one run, 60 km “only”…but plans have to change sometimes…headwinds came in stronger than expected and made paddling a real slog again. Not many chances to get out of the way on the open crossing…Mud Island was directly on the way, but this didn’t look on the map like having a landing at all through the mangroves.
St. Helena Island should have some solid land and coastline on the western side…so changing course about 8 km before Mud island, and 4 km to the left to St. Helena.
It was high tide, still I had to do a wide berth around the northern tip with massive oysterbanks. Going south on the westen side then showed first a radio station with some kind of beach, but access for strangers not wanted due to radio emission…didn’t sound too inviting either.
There was a jetty about 2 km down to the south, but some kind of white beach showed through the open mangrove trees. Water was about knee high, so I reckoned it may be tough to get off here on lower tide…
I guess I should have tried the jetty landing, on Google Earth it looked later (on a pic taken at high tide as well) like it would have been easier there to get off again, but the beach wasn’t too bad and thinking ahead in this moment kind of blocked…means I had “enough” from paddling into headwinds again!
Marsh flies, mossies…tent put up quickly and staying in there ever since…but with open outer flies and closed bug net. Still HOT as hell…but at least internet available with all charged batteries…enough water for a mini-freshwater rinse – a luxury for my skin!
I could leave tomorrow about an hour or maybe two hours around high tide, I reckon, high tide is 1.18 am or 1.27 pm.
I decided to go for the daylight tide, as if I might be too late at night time I may damage my boat…and my body and skin could actually use some more hours of rest.
It is 30 km to Bribie Island left, and winds are supposed to be very low to following…so this should be possible even with that late start. A night landing on Bribie should be ok as well, open sandy beaches with no swell. Thank goodness to be on the open ocean again then! I’ll definitively pass Bribie on th ocean side…have seen enough mangroves and mud water to NOT prefer the even a bit longer inside passage.
Btw., my second trip stage is finished with today…go for the third one!
27.22 153.13 St. Helena Island no way to get to Bribie Island today headwinds can only leave at high tide here again oysterbanks and mangroves
14 comments on “Day 44, Monday, 02.03.2009”
Hey Freya
Your banner photo is great (thanks to Matt Carter at the Gold Coast). Paddling around icebergs is hard to picture when we know you are (at the moment) somewhere off the Sunshine Coast (maybe heading into Noosa or paddling across Laguna Bay??). Just the sight of our coastline and you out there enjoying it makes it all so real to the many Oz paddlers following your progress. Should be perfect conditions out there today and the swell forecast looks very good for the weekend and early next week…whooo whoo! Shame about Fraser Is flattening out everything for a few 100km.
Go well, keep safe and we love reading your blogs. Amazing that you still have a sense of humour at the end of a long hard day (sand dredges peeing white to grey to black)!! That made me laugh.
thanks richard,
found it!!!
Hi Freya, On Saturday I paddled around Peel Island, in Moreton Bay, and stopped a while at Blaksley’s Landing hoping to meet up with you. You camped Blaksley’s on Satuarday night so I must have missed youl by a few hours. Sorry to have missed you.
Good luck and keep strong and well on your ongoing journey. Your journey is an inspiration to us all.
Hadas
You can follow Freya’s progress on a Google Earth plot on the VSKC website – just click on the the Expeditions linkin the menu and navigate to the expedition dashboard for her trip. (http://www.vskc.org.au/ExpedChart.asp?ExpedID=3). See also link at top left of this screen.
regards
Richard Rawling
VSKC Communications
hey freya
get a good map on your site to follow.
smile to the camera, sexy woman
hf
Hi Freya just found your blog keep up the good paddling when you come to Adelaide your welcome to stay rest and intrernet avaliable .
Paddle strong Mark
Your accomplishment so far has been amazing. I have been following your posts each day since you pushed off. The obstacles you have overcome and challenges you have faced can only be fully understood if you are there or have been there in those situations. The latest pic’s are the best, you look great, your smile says it all. Can’t wait to read the next article in Sea Kayaker mag. Btw. The temps in Toronto today -15 C with a wind chill of -20. May the wind be at your back. take care.
Wish I was paddling with you-we have just had 2 major snowstorms, and got cleared up from that and now an ice storm is here for a couple of days. I enjoy the pictures—Alan
Wish I was paddling with you-we have just had 2 major snowstorms, and got cleared up from that and now an ice storm is here for a couple of days. You’re doing good keep up the good work, I enjoy the pictures—Alan
correction Name is Gary Forrest
Hi Freya,
My Name is Gary Forrest and can give you accom and food internet etc at Mooloolaba
Bribie Island 40 kms of beach the only services are at the most southern end at Woorim (small township) near the surf life saving tower…
camping sites from the top thrid to the near top of Island all numbers you can’t miss them…lots and lots ….at the top of Bribie Island into the Caloundra Bar to the northern side a small group of takeaway shops..east bar enterance….from Caloundra to Mooloolaba (Big town)is around 15kms small rocky headland followed by 15kms of beach to Point Cartwright headland and light house around to Mooloolaba beach surf life saving tower (my Home)…Mooloolaba to Noosa is 44kms of beach Noosa is a rich holiday town and just north of the township is a 60km beach to camp on, to Double Island point and Rainbow Beach small township and the Insip Bar (Caution on the bar, fun fun fun) I can talk more about Fraser Island if you want me to…
If it fits your trip planning
regards Gary Forrest
Sea Instructor
0429 876 955
Foote Street Mooloolaba
Hello Brisbane, goodbye Brisbane!!!
Well done completing stage 2. Congratulations and all that stuff, did you get good press?
And I agree will Karel and Simone, stay safe and look after yourself and the boat.
And great pics again
Have fun
Good decision Freya, you would also be crossing the main shipping entrance into the Port of Brisbane, not a fun place to be in the dark. The ocean side of Bribie island does have swell, so it would depend on conditions as to whether the ocean approach will mean a roll or not. The Pummerstone Passage side is flat, hot and full of jellyfish, which are not fun when you jam your paddle on them, and I think that side has become quite populated since I was a kid. If conditions are good, I would check out the ocean side first. Perhaps a local could give you better guidance?
St Helena is an old penal colony, I think there are some old ruins you could amuse yourself with checking out while you wait for the tide.
Looks like a wise discion to get out when its light out not ripping the kayak apart in the dark,bye the way congratulations on finishing an other stage
Comments are closed