Well it’s official. I was on top of the SUP MY RACE world leader board again in November with a total of 1035.85 kilometres paddled. 

• Only three other paddlers have posted more than 1000 kms in a month since 2015 when SUP MY RACE started. (I think one of those paddlers had a good current to help them along.)
• Having paddled 1004.61 kilometres in October I’m the only paddler to have paddled over 1000 kms in a month twice.
• At the moment I have paddle 7645 kms since January, that's 4000 kms more than the next person.
• My total since November 2024 is 9075 kms.

The top 15 paddlers in the month of November. 

301 paddlers entered the challenge.

The top 15.

Kilometres paddled since January 2024. 

This morning I rescued a Pelican that was tangled with a big fishing lure. The hooks on the lure were connected to its bill and the right leg. Not a pretty sight. More on that story next week.

A large fishing lure with many hooks was attached to the Pelican's bill and its right leg. You can imagine the discomfort it would be in. 

It wasn't easy to untangle the hooks on the lure and line and get it to a safe place. I cut the lure off and left the hooks in the bill and foot which will be taken out by a vet as it was too difficult for me to hold the pelican and do major surgery.

Ascot Kayak Club social paddlers.

Over 45 Canoe Club social paddlers.

Paddle WA Leader/Instructor Course.

The Doctor Race

Results

Shaw and Partners WA Race Week

I have no photos but you can go here:-

Celebrating 50 Years of Paddling

The Year 1985

Drysdale River Expedition 1985 cont

The Walk Out

With the river being a section of short pools intersected by many rock rapids hundreds of metres in length we knew we had no chance of making our rendezvous date with our support team and the only way was to walk out.

A dry riverbed.

Walking across country wasn’t going to be easy though as it meant that we had to drag and carry our kayaks about 10 kilometres overland to the edge of the Carson Escarpment. Here we would leave our kayaks and then walk along a track located on our map that would lead us to the Carson River homestead, meet our support team and drive back for the kayaks to pick them up. It sounded easy.

By 10.30am we were packed and ready for the long haul of carrying and dragging our kayaks through the scrub. Tarquin and John made a simple timber and rope harness so to enable them to drag and carry their kayaks together. The first section was rocky so our kayaks and gear had to be carried. This was exceptionally tiring and not only did I have water, food and gear, I also had a heavy 16mm camera and two still cameras to carry. The heat was intense as we moved over the broken rocky country, but after a few kilometres it flattened and we were able to drag them, which was much easier. After 4kms we stopped for lunch in a creek bed. The stagnant water didn’t entice us to drink any as it was full of cattle urine and poo but the bird and wildlife certainly appreciated it.

Tarquin and John dragged their kayaks like cart horses pulling a trailer. I just pulled mine from the hand loop and I soon had stretched arms and aching muscles so resting every so often was welcome. The heat and strain had John suffering the worst as his excess sweating created severe cramps throughout his whole body. It was hard to believe the agony he was going through. As the terrain changed in character and the temperature increased, severe agony seemed to be the only words to describe our walk as well.

John and Tarquin.

We walked our kayaks from the river to the Carson Escarpment a 10 km trek.

By late afternoon we arrived at the edge of the Carson Escarpment and what a view we had. We could see the Carson River below, wilderness as far as the eye could see and views of the cliffs for kilometres. The cliffs were too rugged and steep to carry our kayaks to the valley below in our tired state so we had no choice but to leave them on top of the escarpment under some very large overhanging rocks and come back for them later.

It was hard to believe that we had dragged and carried our kayaks through the scrub for over 9kms.

Top of the escarpment. 
We could see no track that was on our map for a vehicle to come and pick up our kayaks.

We left our money, films and other gear with the kayaks and clambered down a steep gully carrying only the essentials for 5 days. Our progress was slow and painful, as we scrambled over slippery boulders, brushed against cobwebs and colonies of green ants that attacked us in their hundreds. The gulley was soon dark as a thick canopy of luxuriant trees blocked out the light however we were able to reach the flats and tall grasses and made camp next to a waterhole of the Carson River. Our clothes were soaking with sweat as it had been a hard day so a good rinse in the waterhole and a fire to dry them out had them smelling good again. We sat on the rock watching the rice cook and fighting off the mosquitoes.

Morning brought a new day and a large goanna lizard, with tongue flicking moved slowly across our rock platform in no particular hurry. Within minutes of leaving camp we were pacing at times through shoulder high grass next to the Carson River. The track that was marked on our map and that we were hoping to walk along wasn’t there. It had probably been there many years ago but it wasn’t there now so the walking was a lot harder than we had expected. The extreme heat and physical exercise started punishing John again with violent cramps paralysing his whole body. I couldn’t imagine what pain he was going through. We stopped and broke an oxo cube into some water with the idea of replacing some of his body salts that he would have lost. Getting cramps wasn’t new to John though, apparently he used to get them when he played state football for South Fremantle and Swan Districts.

The Carson River. 

As we moved on towards the Carson River Station, following the river, pushing through tall grasses and straddling washed out gullies, beside the beauty of the Carson Escarpment, wild horses galloped ahead with tails and manes flying high in the air. 

It was a tough days’ walk, only 17kms, but at the end of the day the setting sun created magnificent reflections on the steep cliffs of the escarpment that ran for kilometres in a straight line. As we made camp next to the river near Face Point on our second night off the Drysdale River, our sweaty soaked clothes were washed again and dried around the fire. The sun setting on the cliffs was stunning, the evening was still and calm and the night with the stars beaming was brilliant but the mosquitoes viciously attacking us ruined such a glorious evening.  

I awoke to a very faint vehicle sound reflecting off the cliffs but John and Tarquin thought I was hearing things.

With Carson Station being 80 kilometres away and because of John’s condition we decided to detour to the nearer Theda Station which was only 30kms and to call Andrew and Vic from there. By the time we reached the station John had lost all his energy, but our problems didn’t stop there, the station, although marked on our map was abandoned. Apparently it had been abandoned for 12 years, although we had updated maps that still had it listed. Old machinery, broken down buildings, old fence lines and rusty water tanks were the only signs of a station ever being there.

Our plans were changed once again. At least we knew that Carson River Station was still in operation so I prepared myself for a 50 kilometre walk which would take place the following day leaving John and Tarquin to rest near the river at Old Theda until I returned with our support team.

Starting early in the morning I was making good time and after walking 14 kilometres I saw an Aborigine next to a tree carving his name in it. It was like a hallucination, I couldn’t believe my eyes, here I was in the middle of nowhere and out of the blue I see an Aborigine. It seemed like something out of a movie and when I got closer I recognised the young guy because I had met him at Kalumburu Mission when I visited it on another expedition in 1983.

He said he was part of a mustering camp that happens once a year at the old Boomerang stockyard nearby and it just happened that they had started mustering there today so my luck was in. Here I met Gilbert, the manager of Carson Station and he told me that Andrew was waiting for us at Moonlight Yard on the Drysdale River and Vic was at the homestead doing some welding for him.

So later that day Gilbert drove me to the station which saved me having to walk the 35 kilometres. Vic greeted me with some surprise as he was expecting to see me arrive by kayak at Moonlight yard where Andrew was waiting for us to rendezvous. Today was rendezvous day.

Vic and I drove to Moonlight Yard to collect Andrew who had been waiting for two days and as luck should have it at the same time a graded driver from Theda Station maintaining the track to a cattle yard had found John and Tarquin at the old Theda Station so later Andrew and I drove to the new Theda Station to pick them up. They were tucking into large hunks of meat when we found them. John though decided to stay at Theda and try to get a lift back to Broome and return to Perth earlier to catch up with his studies.

 That left Tarquin, Andrew and myself to do the long drive back to Carson Station and then to Boomerang Yard where two helicopters, although one broke down, were mustering cattle. When the helicopter was free we were able to hire it to collect our kayaks as it was the only way to recover them. With there being no track it was impossible to drive and too hard to walk. Tarquin jumped in and the pilot took off and within 70 minutes the chopper returned with our kayaks tied to the sleds.

A helicopter was used to fetch our kayaks from the top of Carson Escarpment.

Birds Along The Way

A Darter reflecting at the end of the day.

A meeting of birdlife. 

A Darter, Caspian Tern, Great Cormorant, Black Winged Stilt and Pelicans. 

Black Winged Stilts

Straw Necked Ibis.

Christmas Is Coming

Think About My Bird Book

What a great present

$35.00 for Paddle WA Members

0417977330

or see me at Ascot Kayak Club

or a race.

Matagarup Classic!

14th December 2025

Courses [See Map]:

Main Race [12Km]:

Le Mans start at Banks Reserve, up, in and out of Claisebrook Inlet [round Red buoy], up to Heirisson Bridge, back under Matagarup and Graham Farmer Freeway, round Belmont Race Course, turn at Green spit at end of water-ski area, come to right of all Red spits on way back to Banks Reserve, DO NOT GO THROUGH FINISH LINE, carry on to in and out of Claisebrook Inlet again, back under Graham Farmer, turn at Red spit just beyond finish line, finish between Red buoy and beach at Banks Reserve.

Short Course [6.7km]:

Le Mans start at Banks Reserve, up, in and out of Claisebrook Inlet [round Red buoy], up to Heirisson Bridge, back under Matagarup and Graham Farmer Freeway, turn at Red spit just beyond finish line, finish between Red buoy and beach at Banks Reserve.

Novice & Guppy Course [3.7km]:

Start at Banks Reserve, up, in and out of Claisebrook Inlet [round Red buoy], back under Graham Farmer, turn at Red spit just beyond finish line, finish between Red buoy and beach at Banks Reserve.

Register Matagrup Classic 14th Dec

https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=412455