This morning I think it is the first time I have had to paddle in the rain since last winter. 

And it is certainly the first time I have worn a cag.

Every day on the water I see something special.

On the 12^th of June I will have been paddling for 50 years. In that time I have done a lot of paddling in all different disciplines, adventurous expeditions and a variety of championships. Not only that I have been an Australian Canoe/Kayak Instructor (and assessor) for 46 years and have instructed in flat water, white water, and the ocean in canoe and kayak and run Instructor Courses in flatwater, white water and the ocean. I have also been a coach, a guardian and probably an inspiration to some. 

I was the President of Ascot Kayak for four years, vice President for four years, Magazine Editor, Publicity Officer, Social Paddling Co-ordinator, Club Instructor, Club Race Timer, Committee Member, Delegate and I still run the Progressive Racing Group session on a Tuesday evening for Ascot Kayak Club, which I started 6 years ago.

I was the Board of Canoe Education Chairman for many years, (a teaching sub-committee of Paddle WA), I have been on the Slalom Committee, the Wild Water Committee, the Canoe Polo Committee and I'm still on the Marathon Committee and in the past and more recently a board member of Paddle WA. I have organised slalom events, marathon events and lots of training courses and social paddles and still help out where I can.

I have written a Canoe/Kayaking text book, an Avon River Guide and 4 paddling adventure books, as well as doing 890 newsletters to keep paddlers informed with what is going on in WA and the rest of the world. 

I have not wavered from the canoe / kayak sport, although more recently I took up Stand Up Board paddling as an extension of my paddling and to get stuck into another challenge. 

Paddling has given me such joy, it has given me skills, friendships, travel, a test of my endurance, a way to keep fit, it’s been my life for the last 50 years and it all started on the 12^th June 1975.

But before that I was a country kid in England, who at 18 years had a dream to see the world. At 19 that dream was put into action and 25 countries and 18 months later I arrived in Fremantle. 

After a spell of working up north, an around Australia trip was born, which included a lot of kayaking. I haven't looked back. 

It all started in 1970 when I was 19 years old. I left England and started travelling to Australia with my quarter cousin Mick Bolland. I travelled for 18 months before reaching Australia. Mick returned to England after 6 months on the road hitch hiking around Europe.

Mick and I last year.

After working up north for a couple of years a friend and I decided to travel around Australia, so on Thursday 12th June 1975 we bought our first kayaks for $215.00 dollars from Hawk Brothers. Paddles were $30.00.

Our first paddle was on the Swan River. Our first taste of moving water was below Bells to Amiens in the Tea Trees and back then the trees were much thicker. Then it was off to Walyunga and the rapids/

After that we paddled everywhere around Australia on flat water, white water and the ocean. We were invincible, so we thought.

With a Holden HQ car and a trailer we set off camping on the side of the road or in the bush most of the time.

Cracks and holes from the white water rocks were repaired along the way. London Bridge before a part fell down.

This weekend is Double Barkers Race at Ascot Kayak Club.

Upper Swan Marathon coming up on the 8th June.

Buoys Race

1st June 2025

Ascot Kayak Club

The rivers might not be running but you can get some Wild Water practice at the Buoys Race coming up.

Competitors gather.

The young ones ready to show us how it is done.

Wayne tilts his kayak to get a sharp turn around one of the many buoys.

Then it's to the white water.

Australia's Natalia Drobot

is on fire

Natalia Drobot has backed up last night’s bronze medal performance to take silver in the women’s K1 200 final at the 2025 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 1 in Szeged, Hungary.

The 20-year-old has started the international season with back-to-back podium finishes, with bronze in the women’s K1 500 (Olympic distance) and silver in the women’s K1 200.

A photo finish in the semi finals saw Drobot just creep through into the A Final, before leaving it all on the water, crossing the line in a time of 43.98 behind Anna Pulawska of Poland.

Drobot said she couldn’t have dreamt of a better start to the season, with two medal performances this weekend giving her some confidence as she takes on the next four years heading into the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

“It was a really fun race – nice to go pretty quick in that 200 metres,” Drobot said.

“Stoked to be on the podium again, and super proud of how I’ve raced this weekend.

“As Team Australia…I think we’ve all done really well, and we’ve built a nice, solid platform for the next regatta and for the next few years,” she said.

Drobot’s medal brings to a close the 2025 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 1 in Hungary.

The Senior Australian Canoe Sprint Team will now head to Poznan, Poland for the 2025 ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup. 

SES Water Patrol

Belmont's SES rescue boats charge up the river.

They stop at Ascot Kayak Club where somebody important and Channel 9 cameras are waiting.

Birds Along The Way

The Rainbow Lorikeet is unmistakable with its bright red beak and colourful plumage. Both sexes look alike, with a blue (mauve) head and belly, green wings, tail and back, and an orange/yellow breast.

An Osprey.

Spoonbills.

Crested Pigeons

A Coot.

Don't wake us!

A fishing line kills another bird.

This Corella would have had a awful death.