Got away at the weekend and visited Alaine and Tom Davin in Augusta. Now it's back to training and racing.

The weather is looking good now although those easterly winds are quite strong.

It's time to come out of hiding.

• Riverpark Kayak Club
• World Marathon Champs - Portugal
• Having Fun at the Penrith White Water Centre - Beau, Connor, Izzy, Hunter, Cody & Nina
• Mr & Mrs Pope
• My Diary - Mississippi River
• A Paddle in Augusta
• Ascot Kayak Club Open Day
  Learn how to Paddle a High Kneeling Canoe
• Paracanoe Open Day
• Classic Paddle - Enter Now
• Ascot 50th Birthday
• The Duel
  Point Reserve, Bassendean Survey

RIVERPARK  KAYAK CLUB

I met these friendly ladies on Wednesday near home. We had a good chat as the wind and current pushed us downstream.

They meet every Wednesday at different locations around Perth.

Although there are no males in this picture males are welcome to join their group.

Marilyn Heron, Julie Rho, Verna Creyk, Margaret Toohey and Judy Jensen 

They paddle from various locations meeting at 8.00am ready to be on the water by nine.

A growing number of seniors now thoroughly enjoy fun and friendly paddles on Perth’s Swan and Canning rivers with the Riverpark Kayak Club.

We are an independent, non-competitive Club and members are required to be medically fit and have their own sit-in kayak.  Weather permitting, members paddle each Wednesday morning during the months of February to mid-December. 

There are no joining or Club fees, however, as we have direct membership with Paddle WA, it is strongly recommended that, for a low annual fee, you join this Association as it offers many benefits concerning first aid and insurance. 

We encourage newcomers to paddling to ‘Have-a-go’. You will be given a very easy introduction to kayaking on quiet waters and are taught a paddling style with an emphasis on correct sports injury avoidance. 

We recommend interested people talk to us about the type of kayaks used and to enquire about any other aspect regarding this Club, please contact:

Ron Jess 9447 6610 - Judy Jensen 040 857 9696 
Verna Creyk 042 6202992

Kate and Peter at the Progressive Racing Group handicapped short race on Tuesday night at Ascot.

WA at ICF Marathon World Championships
29th Sept - 2nd Oct | Ponte de Lima, POR

Paddle WA wishes the very best to our 10-strong team of WA paddlers racing at the 2022 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Portugal!

Clare Pankhurst - Australian Team Manager
Josh Kippin - Open Short, Open K1
Jaime Roberts - Open Short
Luke Dooley - U23 K1
Genevieve Stanley - U18 K1
Noah Boldy - U18 K1
Sue McDougall - 50+ K1

Josh Kippin/Brendan Rice - Open K2
Jaime Roberts/Jane Pankhurst - Open K2
Noah Boldy/Morgan Boldy - U18 K2
Genevieve Stanley/Sarah Major - U18 K2

Opening ceremony.

Sue McDougall 10th

Jane and Clare Pankhurst
Photo Jane Pankhurst.

Beautiful Ponte de Lima! 

Photo Dave Boldy.

WA Paddlers Having Fun 
at the Penrith White Water Stadium.

Beau and Connor Jacob getting a lift at Penrith White Water Stadium.

Beau 

Beau about to take a drop.

Connor

Connor about to take a drop.

Izzy Florisson

Photos below Bec Florisson.

Nina Mueller

Hunter Florisson

Cody Pope

Izzy catching up with WA Olympian Robin Jeffery

Mr & Mrs Pope

Ben & Bec

How stunning is that. The view is okay as well.

My Diary

Mississippi River

By nightfall I had paddled miles and portaged two locks. The moon was hidden so it was darker than usual and my eyes strained to cut through the darkness. It was now a very lonely river. I kept paddling searching for a campsite, but the water, being higher than the forest floor, covered all the beaches. My search for a camp proved difficult. The skies soon turned black and threatening and thunder exploded above. Lightening strikes streaked across the dark gloomy sky. The forest around me started to quiver, as wind shifts scattered and rattled the leaves. There was no sign of life for miles and amongst those darkened forests I felt a sense of mystery and fear. My pace quickened as I tried to get away from the storm and find a camp spot before the deluge.

As the night dragged on a huge bright spotlight eased around a distant corner. I couldn’t figure out what it was; a bulldozer working at night, or a train coming around a corner? The light gleamed intensely and just kept moving closer. Then it moved to and fro across the river, towards the trees, the rocks, the railway line and across the water. As it got closer, the light momentarily flashed towards me, like a search light from a forbidden spacecraft. I felt as if it was chasing me. It looked like a scene from the War of the Worlds. Then as the light moved closer I realised that it was coming from a barge and the spotlight was being used to ensure it kept within the bounds of the channel. After searching every island for a beach I eventually found a picnic area, at 11.30pm, next to a road two miles from the Marquette Bridge.

The following night as it was getting dark I reached the town of Muscatine. As I moved under the town bridge the current quickened. The town looked picturesque in the moonlit night. I looked on checking out all the buildings not realising that the current had raced away. Ahead of me a red buoy was bobbing violently against the current. Beyond it an island intersected the river. The increased power was cause for concern. Which route was the safest? I chose the left route. My eyes strained as I tried focussing on the water. I picked up a shimmer of white water near the left bank which looked like the start of rapids. I was convinced that I had taken the wrong route and the sound of water moving either over rocks, through trees or along the bank seemed to confirm that.

I made it back to the right hand channel but I still didn’t know whether it was any better than the left. Although the city was in sight, my safety was still in my own hands. I was just a small blob in the river and couldn’t be seen. I paddled on, turned a corner and was confronted by a mass of lights, chimney stacks and noise. A huge industrial complex lit up the night sky like some thing out of a James Bond movie. Multi coloured lights, smoke stacks and piercing noises from alarms, machines and the general running of the plant devastated the peaceful evening, but all the activity excited me and my imagination worked overtime. To my left a tug was transporting barges across the river from the refinery and joining them together into one big pod of barges.

The scene was quite a spectacle but environmentally unfriendly, however it will stick in my mind as being another highlight of my journey. Then the lights and smoke of the refinery suddenly ceased. Within minutes I was back in darkness and the noise had dimmed to silence. With the spectacular scene now behind me, I felt a sense of sadness. The moon’s light reflected in the ripples that scurried across the river forming a multiple array of patterns. It was one of those perfect nights to be out paddling, minimal of cloud, silence, reflections and virtual wilderness between the two banks.

A Paddle in Augusta.

Osprey in Swan Lake, Augusta

Dolphin in the off-shoot of Swan Lake.

The water in Swan Lake was shallow and 3 or 4 dolphins just shot past me at an enormous speed.

Three dolphins in the shallows.

Australian Wood Duck 

Introducing Canadian style canoeing at
Ascot Kayak Club

Canadian style canoeing is different from kayaking in many aspects, and it is one of the most difficult sports to learn. In terms of competitions, sprint and marathon disciplines are recognized in this sport. The sprint is part of the Olympic Games, while the marathon discipline is represented in the World Games.

Gergely Nagy (Gary), who was a bronze medalist at the World Marathon Championships in 2019, is leading the program at Ascot Kayak Club.

While children have the advantage of picking up the necessary skills faster and easier, this course is open to anyone above the age of 11.
  

Come and try C1 Canadian canoeing at the
Ascot Kayak Club Open Day - Saturday 1st October
See Gary after the Open Day Race 

Paracanoe Open Day
1st October | Ascot Kayak Club

Interested in trying paracanoe? 
Come down to Ascot Kayak Club this Saturday and have a go!

Each session is tailored to the individuals needs, with an experienced coach there to provide one-on-one coaching. All equipment will be provided.

Register in the link below or contact paracanoewa@outlook.com for any queries!

Registrations are now open for the 2022 

Live_Lighter Classic Paddle!

Sunday 9th October
Deep Water Point to Gilbert Fraser Reserve
Open to all craft types
Catering provided by East Fremantle Cricket Club
All details can be found in the registration link:

https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=287508

Make sure your entries are in by 11.59pm on Thursday 6th October, as we will not be accepting any late entries!

SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2022

AKC'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

More details to follow soon!

Sunday 13th November 2022

Different classes of craft battle it out for line honours in this 12.5km downwinder as they follow the WA coast for 12.5km from the Dawesville Cut to the Mandurah Ocean Club at Halls Head. 

This year, the Duel is part of the 2022 Shaw and Partners Australian Ocean Racing series. As such, the AORS categories and points system applies. 

NOTE: All outrigger registrations will open on the AOCRA platform (Date TBA on The Duel's Facebook page).

FEES
Earlybird (until midnight of Sunday October 16, 2022): $60
Normal: (Monday, October 17 - Friday, November 11, 2022): $75

LATE REGISTRATIONS
There are no registrations on the day of the event. Registrations close at midnight on Friday November 11.

AGE CATEGORIES
Competitor age category is based on your age as of the 1st January 2022. For example, if you are 17 on the 1st January 2022, you can race in the Under 17 (17yrs and under) category.

INSURANCE
Entrants are required to have insurance as fully financial members of Paddle Australia/PWA on the day of the event. If you are not a financial member of either body on the day of the event, you'll be required to pay $20 for day insurance (provided through Paddle Australia/PWA).

PROGRAM 
10.00am – 12.00 noon: Sign in for all competitors and scrutineering of skis sups and paddle board safety equipment. 

Location: On the lawn at the Mandurah Ocean Club (Old Yacht Club), 1A Halls Head Parade, Halls Head (see Map 1). 
12.00pm: Race Briefing. Must be attended by all competitors prior to the race (on grassed area in front of Mandurah Ocean Club). 
12.30pm: Car shuttle to the launch site at Dawesville Cut (see Map 2) 
1:00pm: All Outrigging craft will be inspected by a club or zone official for compliance with AOCRA safety equipment. 
Race start times Please note that start times are firm. We encourage everyone to attend the official race briefing as any changes to these times will be advised by race officials on the day. 1:48pm – 2:00pm: 
Race Start 
1.48pm: SUPS 
1.52pm: OC1, OC2, OC6 
2.00pm: Skis, SUPS, paddle boards 
4.00pm: Presentations at Mandurah Ocean Club
 
ENTRY FEES  Early bird (until midnight of Sunday October 16, 2022): $60  Normal: (Monday, October 17 - Friday, November 11, 2022): $75 Entry includes an icy pole at the finish for each paddler and a 2022 Mandurah Duel Cap.
 

https://www.facebook.com/mandurahduel

https://mandurahoceanclub.com.au/mandurah-duel/
 

Enter Here:

https://www.webscorer.com/register?pid=1&raceid=290303&owner=1&fbclid=IwAR09a3DforgBmaqo1nWfDsKQ2BC32KQD_BK700ceGbNocnJ5pt-6_TkopVY

Draft Point Reserve Foreshore Plan – 
Consultation Survey

Posted: 28/09/2022 Closing Date: 31/10/2022 05:00 PM