In the 1970s I worked up in the Kimberley Region and saw how rugged and beautiful it was. But it was when I bought a Panorama picture book of the remote gorges and the country beyond the roads that I really knew I just had to paddle around the Kimberley Coastline. 
When I decided this I prepared myself by paddling solo from Albany to Perth at the weekends. Although the conditions were going to be totally different it did mean that I still had to rely on my own skills and mental fortitude as in the Kimberley I would be totally alone and far from help. 
Whilst visiting England I spent a few days in a butchers shop skinning sheep just in case things didn't go to plan and I had to live off animals in the bush. Being brought up on a farm I was used to working with animals and getting my hands dirty.

As I was a grade 3-4 white water paddler I was pretty confident that I would be able to cope with the huge 10 metre tides that create enormous ocean rapids around the Kimberley Coast. 

Then there was the crocodiles and sharks which I couldn't really plan for.
As no one had paddled around the coastline before and there were very few communities, there was limited first hand information available. 

I knew good preparation was extremely important for my success. As there were a lot of people doubting my mission and saying I would never come back, the pressure was on. 
Not only that the Broome police sergeant told me I couldn't do the trip and was very insistent and vocal, and not in a nice way. Nevertheless I paddled away from Broome heading north and experienced things most people wouldn't experience in a lifetime and most people wouldn't want to experience.

Below is a summary of the last days of that journey 41 years ago this week.

My bird book is very close.

It is a 150 page all colour book.

It has 54 species of birds, over 412 colour photographs, 
285 being bird photographs.

If you think you will be interested in purchasing one please let me know.

terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au

• ICF Ocean Racing World Championships
• Epic Downwind Summer Series Race
• Progressive Racing Group
• Island to Island Marathon Race
• World K2 Open Canoe Championships - Coran & Stefan
• 41 Years This Week - End of 100 days along the Kimberley Coast
• Birds Along The Way
• Coming Events - - - -
• Bevan Dashwood Race 
• Moore River Race
• The Cut Downwind Race
• Battle of the Bay - Busselton 

2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships

2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships

Well it's getting close and if you are like me and have been a little slack in entering it's getting that time to do it.

(I have now entered)

Excitement is building as the global paddling community eagerly awaits the 2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, set to take place here in Perth.

With just 40 days to go until the world’s most thrilling canoeing event kicks off, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch!

From November 30th to December 3rd, Perth will transform into a haven for paddling enthusiasts, athletes, and spectators, providing a spectacular backdrop for the championship. Competitors from around the world will gather to showcase their skills and passion for ocean racing in this prestigious event.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this championship is that it’s open to anyone and everyone who is a member of their national canoeing federation.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or an aspiring paddler, this is your chance to be a part of the action!

Entries are still open, giving you the opportunity to represent your country and compete against the best in the world.

As the countdown clock continues to tick, now is the time to seize the opportunity and register for the 2023 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships. 

To register and find more information about the championship, visit the official event website.

Volunteers wanted.

Go here 

https://2023icfoceanracingworldchamps.org.au/volunteer/

IOP EPIC Kayaks WA" summer series race #3 

EPIC Kayaks Summer Series Race UPDATE!!!

Don't forget leg leashes, PFD's and PLB if you have one.

Progressive Racing Group

Tuesday AKC

23 of our PRG group paddled in the Island to Island race on Sunday.

If you want to get into a fitness pattern or would like to give some social racing a go, this is a great place to start.

Young Zoe Cobley paddling like a professional. 
She also knows where to look when a camera is around.

Island to Island Marathon Race

The gathering. 108 competitors for the first Marathon Race of the season.

Although it was a perfect day with blue skies, on water it wasn't as perfect as it could have been. With low tide levels and a fairly strong wind times were a little slower than last year which made it a more gruelling race. Nevertheless it was still a good day.

Kris Smith, John Liso, and the terrible three - Steph Bedden-Smith, Izzy Combe and Nishani Jacob after finishing.

Anita Haarmann & Julie Mac Donald flying to the finish.

Cameron Thurgate on his way to the finish line.

Cindy & Stephen Coward.

Noni Wells womens SUP winner.

Emma Raphael-Parker in second place.

Race Results Here

https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=332338&did=414305

World K2 Mens Open Championships 2023

Denmark

The Mens K2 race was nail biting right to the end with the first 3 teams only separated by 1.3 seconds. Even the 6th place team was only 22 seconds behind and 11 of the 24 teams were less than a minute behind.

Australia's Joaquin Cuevas & David Cole came 19th and Coran and Stephan were 21st. Considering Coran and Stephan's ages and the lack of racing experience at an international level, and the high standard of competition, they paddled very well and it must have been a great learning experience for them. I hope it has wetted their appetite for future racing. 

They also had a leak in their kayak after another kayak hit them and damaged the post of the rudder. After that the kayak was leaking badly.

On the line Australia has two teams. Coran Longwood and Stephan Weyers, and Joaquin Cuevas & David Cole.

What a start.

The leaders coming to the portage.

The leaders were so fast.

Joaquin Cuevas & David Cole on the left and Coran Longwood and Stephan Weyers middle right.

The Australians are neck and neck.

It's a swift run to the sandy beach.

The crowd loving the high level competition.

Bit of a tangle here. You never know what could happen at a portage.

Emptying the kayak on the run.

Coran and Stephan had a leak in their kayak after another kayak hit them and damaged the post of the rudder. After that it was leaking badly.

The portage seemed perfect and interesting for spectators. 
A pontoon get out, a short run to a sand beach get in.

Coran & Stephan looking good as they come up to the finish line.

They hope to have another attempt to represent Australia next year.

K1 Results

Memosoft Spotfokus | ICF-CANOE-MARATHON-WORLD-CHAMPIONSHIPS-2023

2024 Paddle Australia Canoe Marathon Championships
Encounter Lake in South Australia 
from 5 – 8 April 2024

2024 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships
Metkovi, Croatia, 16 - 22 September 2024

41 Years This Week

The End of a 100 Day Solo Expedition Around the Kimberley Coast.

Leaving Montague Sound and the sight of the 152m Sharp Peak, I rounded the tricky and unwieldy Cape Voltaire, my last troublesome point before Mitchell Plateau. As I passed Krait Bay and entered Voltaire Passage I was stunned to see the frightening sight of the sea crashing violently onto an extended reef. My passage looked completely blocked. I paddled on finding a passage between the reefs and as I did the water calmed and became magical as I could see the reefs, coral, sand and weed below through the crystal clear water. Colourful fish accepted me as no threat and fed on the coral and weed below, but a 2 – 3 metre shark had to destroy my tranquil moment with the sensitive environment. It started ramming my rudder. It wasn’t very big, but it was having fun, the cheeky brat nudged it time after time however it was too small for me to worry about.

Heading south-east I passed Lavoisier Island without the shark. Bigge Point, in the distance looked very uninteresting and flat. I paddled on and then something struck me with the power of a bull. My kayak was lifted and I was thrown off balance. I quickly regained my composure and turned to see the large shark that had just rammed my rear left side.

I was horrified, the shark was at least 1 – 2 metres across, but I couldn’t determine its great length as it faded under the ocean. Oh no, there were two! A 2 – 3 metre shark looking like a midget compared with the other one was directly behind my rudder. I stopped. The closest land was about 3 kms away. I needed to get there, but dashing off could make my position worse. As I powered forward again a large shape suddenly came into view. The big beast was leading the field so I braced myself for the worst, maybe another hit, but nothing happened.

The waiting game was nerve wracking. I knew the shark could overturn me like a matchstick and my chances of doing the Eskimo roll before it started chewing at me were pretty slim. I imagined them going into a complete frenzy and tearing my head off as I capsized.

I couldn’t bear it, the thought made me shudder and I immediately stopped to put my helmet on! I attempted fastening the buckle with one shaking hand, my other was firmly grasping on the paddle keeping my kayak stable and ready for any action that might evolve.

My trembling hands failed to do the strap up, so risking a capsize I let go of my paddle and used two hands. I didn’t know what good the helmet was going to do, but somehow it felt safer!

Extending the paddle I slowly pulled it through the water trying to avoid any big splashes. With hands clearing the water the kayak was on the move. I paddled slowly and it seemed to have worked, the sharks were not in sight. I increased my speed, but hell the 2 – 3 metre shark had returned. I stopped again. There were beaches fronted by reefs, but I found a beach a little further at Bigge Point. My shark situation seemed to be getting worse, was it my rudder or the white hull that was attracting them? Repeatedly I stopped, but the shark always returned when I speeded up. Was it because the rudder was bouncing up and down like a lure? Tomorrow I would try without it.

At camp to erect a shade and distill more water was top priority. From my first boil of the two stills produced a litre of water. Before retiring I had collected 2 ½ litres, but it had taken a lot of sweat.

It was getting to the stage that at the end of each day I would be thankful that I lived another day and again today was no exception.

A bit barren further north.

It had been a disastrous night, the heat made my thirst chronic, but I had to ration what I had. The mosquitoes attacked me like it was their last summer and no tomorrow. I was restless, hot and tired and my mind was full of thoughts. As I laid in my hammock surrounded by mangroves, mosquitoes and night noises I sneaked a sip of water before trying to sleep, but the water from my still tasted like aluminum.

At the start of the new day I was wondering what things were in store for me. I had been bothered by mosquitoes all night and now I was being attacked by sandflies as I walked my kayak and gear down to the beach in the hazy morning light. I decided to take my rudder off to see if it was the rudder that was attracting the sharks.

I paddled around Bigge Point wondering, watching and hoping that my passage across Walmesly Bay was going to be a safe one. I had been away ninety three days. Only but a handful of those days have I been with people.

Without the rudder to help steer my long, heavy, slightly unstable kayak it became another challenge for my body to cope with. Crossing Walmesly Bay was a painfully frustrating affair. The wind hit broadside making me paddle more on one side to keep the kayak straight. Many of my muscles I didn’t know I had started crying out for mercy. Heading south also made it harder for me to see any sharks that were following as the sun was in the wrong direction.

After conquering my last exposed crossing I beached at Pickering Point stretched my legs and had a leak before starting my next 6km crossing. So far my luck was in, I saw no sharks only a coastwatch plane over in the distance. The appearance of three dolphins broke my spell of loneliness. They gracefully swam parallel to me, their pale grey leader showing scars of previous fights or attacks from sharks.

With the wind blowing harder, my uncontrollable kayak was driving me crazy. I had to sweep and paddle on one side repeatedly to keep the kayak straight. Even leaning the kayak failed to help it track. The increased strain on my body soon buggered me and gave me the willies but when a black tipped shark began to follow I now wish I hadn’t taken off the rudder blade. I had thought it was the rudder that was attracting the sharks.

I was so frustrated with paddling without the rudder that I decided to beach and put it back on. Now my steering problems were suddenly over so I could concentrate on paddling. The difference it made was incredible, I made a remarkable recovery and felt much better. Moving into Crystal Creek Bay I discovered a beach just around the corner in the shelter of the point. 

It was extremely hot and fresh water was kilometres away up the creek, but the tide was out. 

In this area this week it is 39-41 degrees.

My hammock was converted into a shade, a swag or a ground sheet.

I was hoping to paddle up Crystal Creek to get water from the river but the tide was dropping fast and it was surrounded by some unfriendly mangroves. Instead I decided to walk to it after I had unloaded and made camp. At 12.30pm and in the crippling heat I started the 4km walk over the mud flats. For 45 minutes my feet sank deeply into the sand and slippery mud. The flats were dotted with oyster laden rocks, which took some traversing.

The tightly woven mangroves that had tentacles that grew through the mud like spikes and hard to walk through, were backed up by sandstone boulders and outcrops that encouraged thick grass and spinifex to grow. A small mangrove creek created another problem and walking around it was just too much to take in the unbearable heat. With only 3 litres of water left I couldn’t afford to waste any more sweat on what could be a wild goose chase. 

Energy depleted and light headed, created by the scorching sun, I decided that returning to camp to distil water and rest was much more sensible. I had been told of a creek with running water near my finish point at Walsh Point, a day away, so I took the gamble and returned to camp. 
I arrived back taking only two sips of water, I really needed more, but I couldn’t spare any. My body was in desperate need to cool off. I’m sure doctors would put my present position and suffering in the first stages of exhaustion or hyperthermia.

For 10 minutes I dosed myself with salt water and a slight breeze, combined with the water cascading down my body cooled my body a little. I kept a look out as small reef sharks patrolled along the shallows, seemingly waiting for me to go in deeper. The refreshing shower had revived my ailing body, giving me the energy to erect a shade, do some sewing and get the stills boiling. After distilling for several hours my fresh water supplies were increased to 4 litres. Not a good amount of water considering how hot it was and that I didn’t know for definite if the creek at Walsh Point was still running. Due to my water situation I decided to sacrifice my usual nightcap.

With no luck getting to the fresh water I had no choice but to distill salt water again. 
It doesn't taste good but it's water.

With the food packs low and water virtually exhausted it didn’t take me long to load the kayak and escape the menacing mosquitoes. I was really remote, the weather was extremely hot and getting hotter, I was being chased and hit by sharks, it was harder to find water so it was good to be near Mitchell Plateau.

My pull out point which was only a few kilometres away encouraged me to paddle quicker around Crystal Head. At this point I could see Warrender Hill and a bay with several sandy beaches and further around MacGregor Point, high hills, cliff faces and then a big bay with mangroves took my divided attention. I was just hoping to land without any more shark hits or crocodiles chases. The end didn’t look that far from here.

By the time I reached Walsh Point at Mitchell Plateau nearly 100 days had passed since I had left Broome and now it was all over. What an unbelievable, amazing trip. I pulled ashore to see a trickle of water filtering along the creek. With only 1 litre left I was overjoyed that I was saved. If the creek hadn’t been running I would have been in deep shit. I was pretty happy, although I was sad to be at the end of my journey.

My plan now was to store my gear in the kayak and walk to the Mitchell Plateau mining camp in the hope to get a mail plane out to Kununurra at a later date. The next morning my luck was in after starting my walk. A four wheel drive vehicle drew up and offered me a lift to the camp. I didn’t argue as it was 40 kilometres away.

Arriving at my destination Mitchell Plateau.

I buried the kayak at Mitchell Plateau as I had no way of taking it out.

It was dug up seven months later and I used it on two other Kimberley Expeditions. 

It was also 33 years this week since I finished a 800 km paddle from Cooktown to Cape York.

Birds Along The Way

They are Back

The Rainbow Bee-eater is back and searching for a nest site in the sandy ground.

If you keep your eyes open you might see them around the Bayswater area.

My bird book is very close.

It is a 150 page all colour book.

It has 54 species of birds, over 412 colour photographs, 
285 being bird photographs.

If you are considering buying one, please let my know. 

terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au

Below Nannup

IOP EPIC Kayaks WA" summer series race #3 

EPIC Kayaks Summer Series Race UPDATE!!!

Don't forget leg leashes, PFD's and PLB if you have one.

Bevan Dashwood Dash 2023, Sun Oct 29th

This race is organised by and is a fund raiser for Slalom. All race classes encouraged to enter [great course for K1s]
Race Day Schedule:

Registration: 7:30am – 8:15am

Briefing: 8.30am

Race Starts: 9.00am

MARATHON #2: THE MOORE RIVER RACE

 & MIXED DOUBLES OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

5th November 2023

SUMMARY: The race runs upstream [and back] from the mouth of the Moore River at Guilderton, approximately 1hr north of Perth. The main focus for this event is the Paddle WA Marathon Mixed Doubles Championships. 

The Moore River marathon takes place in parallel. 
COURSE DESCRIPTION Distance: Long: 12.5 km. Short: Approximately 7 km.  Guppy

HAZARDS: This course can be very shallow [under-slung rudders are at risk] The turn around the top island is narrow with low trees and submerged logs There is a risk of some boat traffic.
NOTES: Championship classes will have medals awarded on the day. 

The Moore River Foreshore is a DOG FREE AREA.

Parking is ticketed [one has to pay] 

TOILETS AND PLAYGROUNDS: Close to Car Park and Start

The Mandurah Cut Run 

Saturday, November 11, 2023

The recently formed Mandurah Ski & Kayak Club (MSKC) is holding its inaugural race on the same course as the Mandurah Duel race was held in previous years. 

Ensure you get your unique The Mandurah Cut Run cap by entering now!

The race is part of the Australian Ocean Racing Series (AORS) 2023, promoted and organised by Oceanpaddler. We are proud to be associated with Dean Gardiner and his team and look forward to having them back in Mandurah once again.

The Mandurah Cut Run has a 1 Star rating in the AORS Series so there's up to 1,000 points on offer. 

The 12.5km course is well known to paddlers, being a fast downwind race that starts at the Dawesville Cut, follows the coast north to Halls Head and finishes at Doddis Beach in front of MSKC.

This exciting race is the perfect warm up for both The Doctor and the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships off Perth.

We moved the event to a Saturday to enable competitors and their friends and family to come and spend the weekend in this special part of the world.

Race categories are the same as for AORS events such as The Doctor.

Early bird pricing ends October 11 at 23:59.

Timing:

10:00 - 12:00        Registration

12:00                    Safety briefing

13:48                    First wave starts

14:00                    Final wave starts

To all our sponsors and in particular the City of Mandurah, we thank you for your support and encouragement - we couldn’t have this event without you. 

Go here to enrol:

The Mandurah Cut Run 2023 | Event registration | Webscorer