|
|
|
|
50 Years in Australia Thursday morning whilst paddling I realised I have now been living in Australia for 50 years, I have been paddling for 48 years, married to Jenny for 45 years and 6 weeks and been a member of Ascot Kayak Club for 45 years. To get to Australia I hitch hiked across Europe, Middle East and south-east Asia to Singapore where I jumped on a ship the Eastern Queen, which came to Fremantle. My first two years in Australia were working on an irrigation farm/station at Camballin in the Kimberley next to the Fitzroy River, 110kms from Derby.
Hitch hiking to Australia.
Arrived early January of 1973,
There wasn't a lot of paddling competition this week, although we still had the Sandy Beach Saturday Bash, Monday evening interval training, Tuesday evening Progressive Racing Group Training, Wednesday evening
Ascot Kayak Club Race and on Thursday evening the Island Sprints and not forgetting the Friday morning WW Buoys training and race and other morning training sessions.
Osprey on Ron Courtney Island on Sunday evening.
Kate Martin at last Friday evening Skills Training practising her turns.
Jordy Hamer at last at Friday evening Skills Training.
Some of the paddlers of the PRG group on Tuesday.
Paul Paardekooper last Saturday.
Sue McDougal & Agnes Pajor on Thursday. They are paddling
together at the Marathon Champs.
***************************************
Sprint Regatta
4 Saturday 14th January 2023 (Racing in Divisions) State Championships
Sat and Sunday 28th/29th January 2023
(Racing in Age groups
with Heats, Finals and Medals to lucky ones)
***************************************
2023 Lake Leschenaultia Marathon,
Sunday, January 15, 2023 Lake LeschenaultiaRegistration closes midnight Thursday 12th
Jan https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=301316 Please note. If there is a total fire ban in the area this race may be moved.
WW Training & Racing Around the Buoys Friday mornings 6.00am Claughton Reserve, Bayswater
I don't usually get up at 5.00am but for the next 5 weeks on a Friday I will be seeing the sun rise and this morning it was quite beautiful when I looked out of the window. By 6.00am I have 24 buoys scattered along the river ready for 1 hour.15 minutes of practise and 2 races.
Paddlers chasing each other.
Chris Hollier was the fastest this morning.
Loisach Wild Water Kayak. Very light and doesn't leak.
Probably best for flat water. FREE Best for a small person, or someone with narrower hips!. Call Pam for more details. 0408909897
Last week at the 4km Bash at Sandy Beach paddlers paddled in plastic boats.
They are off. Well not very cleanly though.
CDU Sandy Beach training in 2009 From around the year 2000 to
about 2012 plastic kayaks and skis were heavily used at the CDU Sandy Beach training then in later years lighter fibreglass/kevlar/carbon boats took over.
I think someone went on a joy ride and run this boat aground. Even at high tide it must have been going at a speed to get it beach so far from the water. Near Ascot Waters - river side.
50 Years in Australia I arrived
in Australia early January 1973 after hitch hiking across Europe, Asia and south-east Asia getting a ship from Singapore that brought me to Fremantle. My first job was in a plywood factory in Carlisle, Perth, but within two weeks I moved up north to the community of Camballin in the Kimberley, 110kms east of Derby near the Fitzroy River and worked on an irrigation farm/station.
Farm manager Bob Kirby siphoning water from the irrigation channels to the massive paddocks. I started off working on the tractors and machines but within 3 months I became the assistant farm manager. The water to irrigate was from a diversion dam which was fed by the Fitzroy River. We mainly grew sorghum and a little rice, which fed the cattle in the feedlot which was part of the huge cattle/farming station run by the Americans.
My first pet in Australia was an orphaned wallaby.
I joined the local footy club and we played on a clay pan. Although I was a good runner, I didn't know many of the rules so it was a bit chaotic.
I tried bare back bull and horse riding but I wasn't able to stay on for 8 seconds.
Having a horse in England riding with a saddle was much easier.
When the Fitzroy River flooded and wiped out many of the irrigation channels we made rafts and tin kayaks and went paddling.
Some weekends we went to Broome. Cable Beach wasn't so crowded
in 1973.
The Osprey was high up in a dead tree on the south end of Ron Courtney Island. It was New Years Eve. It was 5.10pm. I was paddling my 40cm wide Alchemist racing K1. It was extremely windy, waves were whipping down the Ashfield straight and several power boats were out so it was more than a bit choppy on the river.
Only 160 metres from my put-in-point
I noticed an Osprey in a tall dead tree on the downstream end of Ron Courtney Island. With the wind waves creating such rough conditions it was a gamble to take my camera out as my kayak was pretty unstable and I might capsize, but I couldn’t miss the opportunity. Four years ago a family
of Ospreys lived on the island but they moved on leaving an abandoned nest and an opportunity for a pair of Whistling Kites to take over the island. Now Ospreys only visit the island occasionally and the Whistling Kites for some reason abandoned the island a few months ago also. It’s not easy
taking a photo of a bird high up in a tree whilst trying to balance an unstable kayak in windy conditions. The chances of capsizing are pretty high, but so far I have been able to avoid such a catastrophe, but its only time. After taking a couple of photos from the east side I moved to the west side where the water was even rougher as the waves from the power boats were wallowing.
The Osprey stares down at me.
The wind was a pain as it pushed me along and dashed my chances of getting that perfect shot, but I managed to get a few more photos before I decided to move on. As I paddled along the island I
noticed the moon high in the sky. I had taken several photos of other birds with the moon in the background, but not an Osprey, so I turned my kayak and headed back. But getting a photo of the Osprey and the moon behind it is not that easy and with the strong wind blowing it was even going to
be more difficult. Anyone who paddles a racing kayak will understand how difficult it is to let go of your paddle, look high up in the sky and peer through a small camera screen, and keep balance in the wind and wallowing waves. And not only that I had to be in an exact spot to line up the Osprey with the moon and take the photo. To make matters worse an overhanging low branch was at the exact spot and in the way of my line of sight, which didn’t allow me to get the perfect shot, but I got a
shot as you will see from the photos.
Looking up to the Osprey from under the tree branches and trying to get the moon in the picture.
The wind and tree branches didn't quite allow me to get the Osprey in line with the moon but I was close.
A friend of mine, Bonnie, who I had known for 30 years, but I have only seen her a few times in the last 28 years decided she wanted to try paddling. After a chance meeting at Ascot Kayak Club I
suggested I would take her for her first paddle. So Monday morning at 9.15am we took off in very stable kayaks. She asked if we would see the Spoonbill’s that I had in the newsletter. I didn’t think we would see them because the young had left home and they would probably be out there in the
wide world. Where we put in was only 160 metres from Ron Courtney Island and within 200 metres a young spoonbill was scooping a meal with its bill on the mainland west side of the river. Then an adult and the other young spoonbill started circling overhead. It was like they knew we were
wanting to see them. The young one then flew across to the island and started scooping more food into its bill. It wasn’t at all concerned that we were there watching and taking photos. Eventually we left it to carry on feeding and watched several other birds before seeing an adult and young
spoonbill perched on a dead tree. By the time we had circled half the island Bonnie was ready for a coffee so we paddled across to the Swan Café next to Ascot Kayak Club for a cuppa and later headed home.
A young spoonbill and an ibis search for food.
What an amazing bill they have.
I only use a small non-waterproof camera when taking bird shots, but it takes a fairly good photo. I also carry a small waterproof camera for general shots.
A Rainbow Bee-eater at its nest tunnel.
A Rainbow Bee-eater tunnel. Rainbow Bee-eaters tunnel a hole
and nest underground. They usually pick a sandy bank for their nesting site but this one is directly into the ground. They dig a long tunnel (with an average length being about 80-90
cm). This tunnel leads to a nesting chamber, which is often lined with grasses. The tunnel to the nest is very narrow and the bird's body press tightly against the tunnel walls as it moves in.
This pair of bee-eaters are about to enter the tunnel with insects which I imagine is for their young inside.
Bee-eaters catch insects on the wing and if its a bee it rubs or hits it against a branch to remove the sting before eating
them.
The Bee-eater has a look around before diving into the tunnel with the insect for its young.
Buff Banded Rail. These birds are pretty hard to take a photo of. They are very wary and if I get anywhere close it will skittle out of sight. It usually keeps close to and in the shadow of the river bank, grasses or logs.
Feral Pigeons. (Rock Dove)
2023 Lake Leschenaultia Marathon,
Sunday, January 15, 2023Lake LeschenaultiaPlease note. If their is a total fire ban in the area this race may be moved. Registration closes midnight Thursday 12th Jan https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=301316
Race Day Schedule:
Guppies & Short Course
Registration .............7.30am to 8.00am
Briefing ....................8.00am
Start .........................8.15am
Main
Race
Registration .............7.30am to 8.15am
Briefing ....................8.30am
Start ........................9.00am [or ASAP after Guppies]
Race Preparation:
Number on Boat:
Ensure vertical & readable both sides. Number slots with suction cups on sale
$15
Sun & Heat:
Bring protective clothing, sun block & water to drink
Distances [in laps]
Main Race………10
Short Course……5
U10 Guppies…….3
A SHORT PORTAGE has been introduced for 2023 [see map]. Paddlers in both K1s and Skis can
elect to portage or not portage. All paddlers portaging will do 8 portages starting on the second lap
Waves will be based on Age Groups and Portage or Non-portage |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
