Les Bognar is loading my boat on his car Saturday early morning – a big thanks to Les and Anne helping me to get going and hosting me in Melbourne!

Paul Caffyn’s memory plaque – it was a pleasure to chat to you on the phone, Paul, sitting on that historical site! See you in person there in less than a year on my arrival…

Les Irving-Dusting from the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum, waiting for my boat to be hung up besides Paul’s in one year…

David Golightly (VSKC), Les Irving-Dusting and June Negri from the Queenscliffe Museum were organizing the honorable last year’s 25th anniversairy of Paul caffyn’s circumnavigation – putting up that memorial brass plaque and hanging Paul’s boat up there.

Les preparing the canon to shoot off for the start!

It *DID* make a scary loud BANG when I hit the water!!! I think it was quite an honor…thanks, Les!

Epic kayaks Australia even engaged an Oscar-double with a black carbon epic surfski to send me off…he’s ready to go, and I’m still fiddling with my gear…

“Oscar double” Andrew Ponsford – black and white! Thanks for showing up as well to send me off!

The design of the new 18x expedition version will be matching the high-end carbon surfski design – my wish…

The surfski-escort and the expedition model on the water

I was still overtired and highly stressed from the prior week. But on launching day was perfect weather and great spirits allover! Thanks to all guys who showed up to give me a nice set-off – including the canonier!

Paddling the first day was tough as expected – I had frequent powernaps to catch up with sleep. It was some swell going – my body was not used to that any more. At 1pm I decided to throw up my last powerdrink – and instantly felt better!

Fiddling here and ther with gear adjustments took some time and distraction from the goal to reach. Eventually I made it to Flinders – around a corner of a scary nasty reef break which I had to give a wide berth.

Stealth camping on the public beach in “town”after sunset- at least I found a fresh water tap to rinse off! But this put me to bed with frozen feet – I was freezing my ass off the first night in Australia! Missing my down sleeping bag…but I think this will be only temporarly adjustments :-)) 

I didn’t cook that night – still to many things to adjsut and fiddle with…and I can tell my body was sore!!!