Pelican in Distress

I was paddling through the channel between Kuljak Island and Ascot Waters last Friday,  5^th December on one of my 22 km paddles when I came across a pelican in distress. At first I thought it had a blue plastic bag attached to its bill and part of the bag was buried in the river bottom and it couldn’t free itself. Then when it started thrashing around trying to free itself I realised it was more serious than that. At a closer inspection it had a blue fishing lure attached to its bill and its right foot which made it impossible to move. The lure was about 20 centimetres long and that’s how far its bill was from its foot so it was doubled up and most likely in some sort of pain. 

(Yes it is said that birds can feel pain. In fact, they have similar nervous systems to ours and experience pain in much the same way. Birds are also very sensitive to their surroundings and can be easily frightened or stressed.)

It was distressing seeing this pelican thrash around with a fishing lure attached to its bill and right foot.

The pelican can do little due to a long fishing lure attached.

Fisher people need to know what harm they are doing to the local river birds.

Water birds are dying every day because of discarded fishing line and hooks and lure.

Luckily I was on my SUP board and I was able confine the pelican between the rocks and my board. The tricky part was slipping off the board and onto the rocks to restrain it without injuring it and at the same time keeping myself clear of all the hooks attached to the lure.

When I had it in my control I somehow had to get my multi-tool (with pliers and knife) out of my pocket and then with one hand cut the cluster of hooks off the lure. It was a time I wished that someone would paddle by and give me a hand as I was perched precariously on slippery rocks trying to control the fretting pelican at the same time my board wanted to float away.

I managed to cut the cluster of hooks and tangled line off the lure but I had to leave the hooks in its bill and foot as it was too difficult for me to remove them in the situation I was in, but at least the pelican was now able to move freely and it wasn’t in any danger of ripping apart any of its flesh. Although the pelican was free of its shackle, I was still in a bit of predicament as now I had to get off the boulders without slipping and onto my board with a pretty big pelican in my arms, however I managed it.

The lure with the 3 clusters of hooks clipped off.

I now had to find a beach or a suitable place to get out and luckily there was a muddy shoreline about 100 metres away. Fortunately I was able to paddle with one arm so I reached the shoreline pretty quickly, unhooked my leash and started to carry the pelican up the bank. In doing so I slipped on the mud but caught myself from falling completely over with my left hand. So now I had a muddy glove and knee with mosquitoes swarming around me.

A few metres away there was a footpath and a bench and as luck should have it there was a lady walking her dog coming towards me. We started to change pleasantries. I asked if her dog was friendly. She said yes, but at that moment she hadn’t realised I had a pelican in my arms and that was the reason why I was asking about her dog. The dog was fine so the pelican didn’t fret.

The lady was able to help by taking my phone out of my dry box to ring the WA Seabird Rescue. We talked to Helen who said she would try to find a volunteer to come and pick up the pelican as soon as possible. Before the lady left to carry on walking she asked if I was okay. Then when she left I sat on the bench with the pelican on my lap and waited. 

I waited on a bench for a volunteer wildlife carer to arrive.

Pelicans breathe through their mouth so I gently held my finger between its bills.

The pelican was quiet, its eye lids kept opening and closing in a sideways direction instead of down and up.

The hooks will be taken out of its bill and foot by a vet and given the care it deserves.

Helen had advised me to place one finger between the top and bottom bills and not to keep its mouth closed as pelicans breathe through their mouth so I did. It was peaceful on the bench, the pelican was quiet, its eye lids kept opening and closing in a sideways direction instead of down and up which I found interesting. The things you learn. It had a blood patch on its body but I wasn’t able to see a wound.

A group of older people walked 15 metres away all staring my way and I guess wondering what I had in my lap but no-one asked. Then another female dog walker came by. We had a short chat and when she realised I was cradling a pelican she was suddenly taken by surprise.

It was quiet again, a mosquito was annoying but it didn’t damper the special time I had with the pelican. Not many people would have experience a pelican sitting on their lap. (I had once saved a raven hanging in a tree by a fishing line and there is some evidence to suggest that ravens are able to remember both kindness and harm from humans and I was wondering if pelicans had similar recollection.) 

It had a blood patch on its body but I wasn’t able to see a wound.

I heard a quiet voice behind me and it was Halina the seabird rescue volunteer who had arrived to take the pelican away. I had met Halina a few times before at bird rescues. She gently took the pelican off me and placed it in a big mesh crate so it was secure to take it to a wildlife vet to remove the hooks and check its well-being. We carried it to her car and she was off.

Four days later I heard from Halina:- The “Pelican ref no 30231 is currently in ICU. The hooks were removed and wounds cleaned. It is now on pain relief and fluids. There will be further X-rays taken and assessment.”

Halina - seabird rescue volunteer arrived.

I was passing the same spot on Monday morning and came across 3 lads fishing inside the Ascot Waters no fishing zone. The lad on the bank asked his mates - what he should do with the duck. He had hooked it and was trying to work out what to do. I went over and helped him get the hooks out. It appeared okay so I let it go.

3 days later a lad had hooked a duck.

Bayswater elite paddlers passing Ascot on Tuesday evening.

Saturday morning training at Sandy Beach in 2010.

Jeannette Busch

I have some really lovely paddling friends and Jeannette is one of them.

When she is not paddling she has a coffee van, called the Coffee Lady.

Jeannette always turns up to my Progressive Racing Group sessions on a Tuesday night. 

If she is not there it's most likely because she is overseas paddling, or out of the state doing something adventurous.

Jeannette loves paddling rapids locally and overseas.

She was once seen in New Zealand doing a rolling course.

Back in 2010 Jeannette and brother Andre (centre) paddled a 515 double in the Avon Descent. Since then she has never looked back.

That year 4 teams, (including me and Alaine) from Ascot had some great fun racing these plastic double kayaks.

Jeannette paddling the lndus River in India.

Paddling the lndus River in India.

Jeannette was encouraged and supported by the other paddlers on tour.

In November 2015 Jeannette had the pleasure to go to Bhutan with a group of amazing paddlers who looked after her on her first expedition and gave her confidence to paddle wild waters she would never have thought she could paddle.

It began with a Day hike to Tigers Nest Monastery to acclimatise and mountain bike riding down from high passes. They then Paddled the Mo Chuu and Po Chuu (mother and father Rivers of the west) and the highlight was the confluence. Jeannette had seen amazing videos of the river and thought she had bitten off more than she could paddle, but she did it without even realising. She was so surprised. They then travelled to the remote Drangme Chuu, East Bhutan paddling for a few days, ending at the boarder of Bhutan and the India Delta.

Apparently if you were the last person on the day to capsize you had to drink out of a bootie.

 328km of walking El Camino from Saint Jean Pier de Port, over the Pyrenees and on towards Santiago in Spain.

Ascot Pairs Enduro

Race results here:-

(https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=415683)

Isabel Maddison/Ray Smith & Justine Stewart/Hayley Williams (SUP).

Photo Jill Laura

Terry Bolland & Declan Hoare

Photo Jill Laura

Sharon Cobley & Anne Harris.

Sharon was also the organiser.

Photo Jill Laura

Chris Watson/Simon Osullivan.

Photo Jill Laura

Matthew Jacob/Luc Jacob.

Photo Jill Laura

Stephan Weyers/Coran Longwood.

Photo Jill Laura

Alasdair Marsden/Alexander (Sasha) Small.

Winners

Photo Jill Laura

Cory Hill

Doctor Winner

One week into the offseason. Still reflecting on such a great week in @westernaustralia for the @shawandpartners_ WA Race Week. To win my 7th Doctor was just amazing. I remember a long time ago @alastairday asked if I had a goal with Doctor victories and I just threw out the number 7 as it sounded pretty good. To achieve that is crazy. Time to sit back reflect and set new goals for the year ahead.

Justine Laprun

A French lady living in Hong Kong

Separated from her ski

 I was shaking, very cold and I had drunk a lot of seawater.... 

There will be no photo finish for me this year, no running up the beach to cross that iconic finish line. I must say, I had played that moment in my head and it’s hard to accept but yesterday came down to safety, and I am safe. On the video is the Centaur marker where I came off my boat and got separated from it. I was having a great race and really enjoying it but I couldn’t see the marker for the longest time. I could sense I was a little too far left from it as I could see people on my right and people in front of me paddling right when I finally spotted it. As I was surfing down a very steep wave, I tried to turn right to clear the marker but the wave overtook me from the right and I fell off. At first, I was fine, I rarely come off but I know it can happen and I just need to get back on the boat, I know the drill. But the water was big and as I tried to remount, I fell off again and my boat got away from me. I reached down to pull on my leg leash and realised the leash had come off. I tried to swim towards my boat, no way, the boat was gone. I was so confused, soon I realised the race was over for me and I needed to think about my rescue. Luckily I was near the marker, where paddlers were converging, so I could see some paddlers. I started shouting “help” as loud as I could, nobody could hear or see me. I reached down to my whistle and started blowing as much as I could. Nothing. I put my paddle in the air but the waves were too big, no luck, and my paddle is black. That’s when I realised I might be in for a while and needed to save my energy and wait for a paddler to come closer on my line. I also thought someone would see my boat drifting at some point, with no paddler on it. After a while, a double came past and I blew my whistle as hard as I could continuously and I saw the guy was turning his head, he heard me!!! (Garth and Nicky) 

What an immense feeling of relief! As they were attempting to circle back towards me (tricky to do), I heard someone coming at my back and that’s when I saw an OC1 lady coming straight at me. She told me to hang onto her ama and dragged me for a while. I was safe! Shortly after I saw the rescue boat was searching for me as they had spotted my boat, and we could indicate to them where I was. All I wanted to do was getting back on my boat and continue my race, even if that meant no official result but I had a failing leash, this was over for me. I was shaking, very cold and I had drunk a lot of seawater but the rescue team gave me towel, dry clothes and food. I am so thankful for the rescuers, the OC1 lady who I found out to be Tori and the guy on the double. This combination of people saved my life. And thankful no 🦈 seemed to be in the area. By that point, I had accomplished 17km, I missed the last 9, which were looking absolutely epic, I know they were and I couldn’t wait to clear that marker to line up with the waves. I will have to be back…. 

A few lessons to be learnt, but also the realisation that it is an extreme sport and one needs to be prepared for this. 

Now time to unwind, that was my last race of the season and I can’t wait to fly back to my love and my babies 🐶 🐱 .. and get back on my boat. 

Accommodation Sale aboard a Luxury Boat

Two nights on board a luxury boat close to the city of Perth in the vibrant suburb of Maylands only $100.00.

You will be greeted with champagne, olives and cheeses. For breakfast oysters are gathered from the nearby rocks and for dinner fish can be caught straight out of the Swan River.

On one side of the boat you will get a unique view of the river and the other side of the boat you will get a great view of the night sky.

Pillows for sleeping not required as beds are a little angled but they will be on board should you need them.

High heeled shoes not recommended. Ropes and PFDs are provided for those people who think they might fall out of bed. 

Paddling Guppy Camp 

Save the date - but also register NOW. 
 8th,9th and 10th January 2026.
Venue at Bayswater Paddlesport Club and Champion Lakes for the regatta. See details on the registration link.
Paddling for the little ones, they have so much fun together paddling guppies and guppy k2 and guppy k4's. 
Register early please - https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=415257

GT Aero

(Grafton Paddle Sports)

$1500.00

Great condition.

Contact Robyn Holmes on 

0427383596

Venture Kayak

$500.00

Contact Robyn Holmes on 

0427383596

Polyethelene (Plastic) 
4.63 m x 56.5 cm