With all the different races going on this winter it means I’m jumping from one boat to another. The Marathon and Wild Water Races have finished for the season but Slalom is still going and the
Sprint season is just starting as will the Marathon season.
So with the warmer weather I expect the river will be busier with paddlers.
Slalom Racing
Sprint Regatta
From My Diary - Italy 1971 Dampier Archipelago
Diary Entry - Lake Superior 2011
Epic Paddles Canning Bridges Race
Nanga Challenge
Paddle WA AGM & Awards
Sprint Racing Dates
With the WA Slalom Championships being cancelled because of high winds last week we practised on the white water instead.
Izzy and Jimmy practise. The poles are swinging in the wind.
A few of the slalom paddlers having a good fun paddle.
Izzy Florisson having a good surf in the top was on Walyunga Chute.
Hunter Florisson taking on the wave.
The Florisson Family. Not only do Beck and Scott support their children, Scarlet, Izzy and Hunter, they also do a lot of volunteering for Marathon, Slalom, Wild Water and Ascot Kayak Club.
As the Progressive Racing Group paddle around a 1.3 kilometre circuit 3 times, the slalom paddlers are practising for this weekends WA Championships.
Getting ready for the first sprint regatta paddling C1.
Cameron left is my competition. Gary is too good for us.
Sprint Regatta
18th September
Michelle Major and team are looking forward to a new sprint season start on the 18th September for the Sprint regattas culminating in Nationals being held in Perth 21-25 March 2023.
The 2023 Sprint Nationals are lined up with Surf Aussies so sure to attract a strong and diverse paddling field.
Gergely (Gary) Balazs Nagy is ready for the next sprint regatta.
Sam Myers - a young gun.
Belle McBennett. U16 national champ K1 200, 500, K2 200, K2 1000, K4 200, 500, yes 6 gold.
Femke Negus (front) and Olivia Berson (back) on their way to U18 silver K2 200 and bronze K2 500 sprint nationals.
From My Diary - 16th October 1971 Hitch Hiking in Italy
Our lift dropped us off on the motorway at a place we weren’t legally allowed to hitch hike.Cars flew by at terrific speeds but as we were a few hundred metres from the nearest off-ramp behind us we decided to risk hitching. Several cars passed, but one that we didn’t
want to stop, stopped and that was a police car. A policeman jumped out and started shouting at us and waving his arms, his angry tone in Italian told us to go back to the off-ramp beyond the last toll booth.Like good citizens we shouldered our heavy packs and started to walk back to the off-ramp, but suddenly he walked into the road and stopped a passing
car and told us to get in.
We couldn’t believe what was happening. He opened the car door, said something to the driver and we threw our packs inside and scrambled onto the empty seats, me in the front, Mick in the back. Whow, what a great policeman he turned out to be as he saved us several hours of waiting and he didn’t even issue us with a fine. Even the man in the car
talked to us and wasn’t angry and later dropped us off on a minor road heading to Venice 5kms away.
Dampier Archipelago Sea Kayaking
Sept 2022
with Bryan Lee.
Bryan is always going somewhere. This month is near Dampier.
Starting from the Dampier Sailing Club. Bryan Lee, Chris Ryan, Joel Tate and
Julia.
Dampier Archipelago
Morning tea stop
Aremvee Beach, Burrup Peninsula for the first night camp. We didn't make it as far as planned the first arvo due to 15 -20 knot
headwinds
Karratha Bay campsite sunset
Angel Island
Thylacine rock art on Angel Island. Yes, Thylacines were around this area up until about 2000 years
ago.
Joel, Julia and Chris looking back towards the inlet where our boats were beached for the walk into the Thylacine rock
art.
Dawn on the third morning at Angel Is camp.
The NE cliffs of Malus Is.
The isthmus on Malus Is. Whalers Bay on the left, Mermaid Sound on the right.
Rounding Elphick Knob on Quatermaine Is on our circumnavigation of Rosemary Island.
The sails made useful clothes drying racks in the late afternoon sun
Endersby Is campsite. The second week the winds were much more friendly but so were the sand flies
too!
Endersby Island sunrise
Diary Entry Sunday 18th September 2011 Lake Superior - Canada
It was going to be a testing paddle.
When the big waves came through we crashed up and down them and at times I wondered if the kayak would stand the beating. Alaine who was getting saturated by the breaking waves was quiet in the back so I was hoping she
wasn’t feeling too cold.
The water continued twisting the kayaks around like corks. A huge breaking swell came through and Leo was sat on top of a breaker. I thought her time was up, but she calmly kept control. I was impressed.
The closer we got to the next island the stronger the wind and the point of the island we were headed to seemed to take forever to reach. There wasn’t much we could do, but to watch the waves heading towards us from the southerly direction. From the south-west the waves had about 400 kilometres to generate their power.
The average temperature of the lake during the summer is about 4.4 °C. Lake Superior is the largest, deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes. Annual storms on Lake Superior regularly record wave heights of over 20 feet (6 m). Waves well over 30 feet (9 m) have been recorded. The lake was fed by 200 rivers.
As we got close to the shoreline the waves were lashing the rock shores. Don’t capsize now Leonie, I thought. Our double kayak was more stable than my Epic 18 she was paddling. As soon as we came opposite the bay we rafted up and I advised Leo to blow up her sponsons which she already had positioned. The sponsons would give her more stability.
The lake was big, the water cold, the clouds were threatening and the conditions were getting rougher.
There was a big swell running into the bay and all I could see was breaking waves at the end. I can't remember being on such a big swell. At that point I wasn’t even sure if there was a safe way in. In theory there should be! We
turned our kayaks into the bay and started moving towards the end of it. The swells were big, even I was cautious and a little worried. Ahead of us were deep troughs caused by the swell and looking quite frightening. We had to be careful not to be picked up by one of these big swells and go surfing down a wave and lose control. I advised Leo not to allow herself to be accelerated by the swells but to back off or even paddle backwards at times to let the swell roll in. This worked well. I would
have loved to have taken photos but it was just too rough and dangerous.
The deep troughs continued moving into the bay but luckily we were able to keep upright and not to be part of one. Even half way in, I still wasn’t sure if there was a safe route into the bay. The waves were pounding the reef at the
bottom leaving a confused mass of whitewater.
Then I saw a safe passage and headed over to the left and we were soon sheltered by an indent in the shoreline. It was a relief to be there. Leo who was all smiles said that she was pleased that she had the sponsons on as they gave her a lot more stability and she felt quite
safe.
Leonie relieved to have reached the calm water.
At the bottom of the bay there were still a couple of reefs and an island that were being slammed by the waves preventing us from getting into the cove but luckily
a small gap opened up and we able to go around them. We paddled between a reef and an island and managed to get to the calm waters although the wind was still strong and we could hardly move against it.
A reef at the bottom of the bay.
We first checked a beach on the eastern side but it wasn’t any good so we went across to the west side where we could see a clearing in the trees. Then we saw an old broken table, a fireplace and a camping spot. It was nearly like
paradise and to Alaine who didn’t like the open crossings, it wasn’t nearly paradise, it was paradise!!
Within minutes I erected a clothes line, we got into warm dry clothes and set up our tents. It was early, but we intended going no further today. You just know when you shouldn’t push your luck. Thirty minutes later we were
eating hot soup and tortillas and were soon on track to feel at home at our sheltered campsite.
It was so good to find a good camping spot and be out of the gale tossed, cold lake.
About 500 metre away the waves were still crashing on the reefs at the bottom of the first part of the bay. It was enjoyable watching the conditions worsen while being safe
and snug on land. The rain started to increase and it soon chased us into our tents. I took the opportunity to do some typing but an hour or so later the rain stopped and Leo had a fire going.
Two Whistling Kites were diving down trying to pick off the young ducklings on Wednesday night until I intervened. Very few duckling born around Ron Courtney Island survive because the kites love them.
It's not the best picture as I was across the other side of the river using my basic
camera.
I suppose the Whistling Kites needs to eat if they are raising a family on Ron Courtney Island. This morning.
Epic Paddles
Club Carbon - $460
737g
Carbon fibre blade, Green oval shaft
Fully adjustable length & feather
Includes Paddle Bag
2022 CANNING BRIDGES RACE 11 Sept 2022, Organised by Canning River Canoe Club
Schedule on Day: Check in: .........7:15 - 7:45 am Briefing: ...........8:00 am Race Start: ......8:15 am
Check in Location: Shelley Sailing Club, Watersby Cres, Shelley 6148
Course Details: Main Course [approx 12.5km]: Refer to Map Short Course [approx 5km]: Shelley Sailing Club to Riverton Bridge & return Guppy Course [approx 3km]: A loop in the bay at Shelley Sailing Club. A guppy escort is required. If you can help, please email secretarycrcc7@gmail.com
PFD required for all under 14 paddlers and those with medical risks
Entry Fees: A Sausage Sizzle and a drink are included in the entry fee. Food can be purchased by non paddlers. Late entries accepted on day: $10.00 extra Adult PWA Member............$25.00 Junior PWA
Member...........$15.00 Guppy PWA Member..........$15.00 Guppy non members add.. $10.00 - This covers Paddle Australia and Paddle WA fees Non members add..............$20.00 - This covers Paddle Australia and Paddle WA fees LATE ENTRIES will be accepted on the day. Cash only payment please and add $10.00 to each category above Race Categories & Grids: This will be an "ALL IN, RUN WOT YA BRUNG" format, so bring your safest, fastest boat. K1, K2, K3, K4, Ski's single and double, Outriggers,
SUPS etc etc are all welcome. The LONG COURSE will start first, followed by the SHORT COURSE and then the GUPPY COURSE
Racer Notes: Team boats: All members must register individually. Select boat & category. Provide name of each team member. Numbers Visible: Make sure you have a number slot [on sale for $15 at rego] Rudder Hazards: If you have underslung rudder, go for river length and weed deflector [logs and wood]
Enquires: Message via Webscorer
secretarycrcc7@gmail.com
Paddle WA AGM & Annual Awards
We are pleased to announce 2022 Paddle WA AGM will be held from 10am on Saturday 15th October at Ascot Kayak Club.
Further details and an agenda will be circulated in the
coming months, and an RSVP form will soon be made available.
