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Hi Terry,
I am a regular reader of your newsletter
and it has inspired me to write down some of my paddling adventures
to be able to refer back to in years to come. Below is Avon
2013. Not quite on par with what you have achieved but a small
step in the right direction.
Thanks for the efforts you put into
the WA paddling community.
Regards Tim Wilson
My Avon Story 2013
Tim Wilson
My 2013 Avon descent attempt would be
my second attempt to complete the 124km course. I first tried
it in 2012 which was an extremely low water year measuring
about .4 on the Walyunga gauge. I was knocked out after injuring
myself just after bells rapids. So this year my goal would
be getting through to the middle swan check point......
The preparation starts months in advance
of the first weekend in August. For me I was again preparing
to train and prepare alone as I did last year. I really don't
have the ability to have a regular training schedule with
other paddlers. I have a young family and must be flexible
around their needs. I really don't get to paddle as much as
I should.
This year I did have a couple of guys
from the surf club suggest that they were keen to have a go
at Avon 2013, so this gave me some inspiration to train. My
plan was to sign up to a couple of paddling races before hand,
that way if I signed up I couldn't back out and I would have
to paddle.... Along with the few guys from the surf club I
signed up to the Paddle Challenge. We all got to the finish
eventually and gave ourselves a pat on the back while we ate
our lunch on the grass at Bayswater.
Next was the Capel Descent. The guys
from the surf club couldn't make it to this event. I headed
off to Capel from Perth. This race was 19kms river and ocean.
My trusty old Endorfinn really struggled with its trailing
rudder out at sea. I came in dead last just a couple of seconds
behind another couple of boats. I really enjoyed this race,
even managed to pick up a voucher for the local hardwear shop
in the raffle at presentations! I passed this onto one of
the local paddlers to use, as it would be a 3hr round trip
to use it!!!
Entries opened for the Avon Descent
the same day as the Paddle Challenge. I needed to sign up
so I was committed. There would be no backing out after paying
the big bucks to enter. I was however holding out from entering
hoping that one of the guys from the surf club would want
to enter as a team of two. Unfortunately none of the other
guys decided to enter in the end. I was then contemplating
the one day event that was introduced this year. I had booked
a family holiday to Brisbane only weeks before the event.
Although I had no chance of getting enough time in the boat
I ended up biting the bullet and signed up for the full event.
After signing up it was time to book
a camper trailer for the weekend. A good nights sleep after
day 1 would be critical, the queen size mattress that is inside
the camper trailer tent would be well worth the money to hire
it for the weekend.
We flew back in from the holiday late
Saturday night two weeks before the big event. Sunday we were
in the car up to Northam and Toodyay. Both to have a paddle
and to re visit the support crew spots to familiarise my crew
of the route. My support crew is made up of my very patient
wife and two kids. Each has a very important role at each
support stop. The wife's job description is to fill the water
bladder. My daughters job is to pass me lots of chocolates
to replace the ones inside my PFD. My sons job is to hold
the front of the ski to stop me from floating off. We agreed
on a couple of stops for this years race. Day one would be
Dumbarton bridge, Toodyay and Julimer rd bridge. Day two would
be Bells, Middle sawn and the finish should I get there.
The last weekend before the event, again
I dragged the support crew along to Toodyay and Northam to
have a paddle and check out the stops again. We also timed
between checkpoints to try and guess what time I would come
through each one. One of the things I don't like about paddling
is it is such a selfish sport when you have a young family.
I can't wait for the day the kids are old enough to come along
for the ride. I feel guilty when I'm out there paddling for
hours knowing they are waiting around for me... I like paddling
into Toodyay as there is a good park and skate park for the
kids to play on while they wait. I decided not to practice
the Ti Trees after reading the low water contingency plan
that was advertised on the event website. I had assumed that
I would have the option to finish day 1 at Julimer rd bridge.
I had a really bad run through the trees in 2012 so the thought
of not having to go through them his year was music to my
ears. How wrong I was.
Monday night the the event safety briefing
was held at Bayswater. The water level had risen slightly
and they were predicting a nice safe event. The water level
website was an obsession. The Walyunga gauge website must
be one of the busiest websites in Perth in the lead up to
the Avon.
The final days in the lead up to the
big weekend is all about preparation. First the boat. At the
last moment I decided to replace the rudder cables due to
some wear on one of them. Can't be to safe I thought.....
Then packing the matches, spare paddle, event stickers and
the boat was ready.
The next thing was preparing the camping
gear for the weekend. You can never have too many blankets,
spare cloths and food. I needed to make sure the support crew
were dry, warm and fed to perform at their best.
Friday came around and with the kids
getting a very rare day off school we all headed to Northam
pool to register. At the pool I found out that my dream of
finishing day 1 before the trees, was just that a dream. The
low water contingency was not in effect. I would have to contend
the horrible Ti Trees. After dropping the boat off at the
river it was time to head to Cobbler pool to set up camp.
Saturday was finally here. Up at the
crack of dawn for the drive back to the start line. The heavy
fog was a disappointment. The hot air balloons wouldn't be
up over Northam which was a highlight in 2012. With the race
delayed close to two hours my mind raced thinking if I would
make the cut off times through the day. I made a small change
to my support crew stops I cut out Julimer rd and asked them
to meet me at Wetherall reserve as this is the last check
point of the day and they would be pulling people out if they
hadn't made it before cut off. I wasn't sure with the late
start if I would make it.
The start of the race was all a bit
rushed. Our entire grid missed the start by at least fifty
meters. The first couple of kilometres was mayhem. Then things
started to fall into some sort of order. I meet my family
at Dumbarton as planed, all went well. I portaged extracts.
Next stop would be Toodyay. This stop also went well. I think
I managed to eat lunch at this stop. On to Wetherall Reserve
and I was feeling good. I enjoyed paddling along the river
singing along to a plastic k2 that had a iPod playing some
classics....... I had made the Wetherall check point without
a problem, well within cut off times.
Tim caught up in the
shallows just below the Northam weir. Photo John
Most go forwards, but
there are some who love to make it a tougher race and go backwards!
Photo: John
The dreaded Ti Trees was next. I was
quite apprehensive about the next stage. As I entered the
start of he Ti Trees I passed a spectator that suggested I
keep right. I took that advice as I had nothing else to go
on. The field had thinned out so the trees was a somewhat
lonely time. For some strange reason I quite enjoyed my paddle
through the trees this time. I was making really good time.
It was quite funny how some of the spectators would pop up
at different points through the trees. I even ran into an
ex client of mine supporting the masses.
Tim at Glen Avon Rapid
Just before the end of the course I
noticed a paddler on the bank of an island in the middle of
the river. I yelled out to see if all was Ok. They said yes
but I felt something wasn't right. I dived off my ski and
swam it to the bank. I asked what had happened? They told
me that the paddler had been snapped back under a branch while
paddling a k2. He was screaming in pain from his back. I have
been trained in spinal management with the surf club and knew
it sounded bad. Without really asking I decided to step in
and assist. I went behind the injured paddler and started
to treat him as if he had a spinal injury. The poor bugger
was in a bad way. We just worked hard to keep him immobilised,
calm and warm until help gradually arrived. Finally after
an hour, a stiff neck and spinal board arrived. As did an
ambulance officer and the Avon support unit. It was an intense
time face to face with someone in such a dire predicament.
At that point I knew I couldn't help any more, my arms had
seized from holding his head still and I was starting to shover
quite badly. I asked another rescuer to take my position on
his head and I paddled the final six hundred meters to finish
day 1.
It was then back up to the camp site
to get warm and dry. I felt sick inside thinking about the
injured paddler and what might come from his accident. Shortly
after getting warm the rescue helicopter landed to transport
him to Perth. I managed to quickly speak with his brother
for an update on his condition. Fingers were crossed for him....
Day 2 started with me in the last paddle
grid of he morning. It wasn't long before I was swimming and
cold. The trip down the valley on day 2 is the main reason
I was keen to do the event. So many rapids to get through.
I knew I wouldn't see my support crew until Bells which was
hours and hours away. Not to far into the day I was unlucky
enough to snap a rudder cable. The same one I had just replaced.....
I shouldn't have substituted the correct cable for some cord
that I already had at home. I managed to re tie the broken
cable but my steering was never the same from then. I'm normally
pretty good at most of the rapids but today I was rubbish.
I must have annoyed all those who were following me. I came
off so many times. One thing I did notice this year with the
low number of entrants there wasn't the experienced slow paddlers
that could guide you down the rapids like 2012.
A traffic jam at Emu
Falls. Photo John
I managed to come off my ski quite hard
at Walyunga. I flipped the boat and noticed that I had put
two holes in the hull. One was about three inches and the
other one. I didn't know what to do?? I thought I was finished/
out of the race. My support crew was at Bells so after fishing
out the iPhone from inside the flooded boat I paddled/ limped
it down through Bells. There was a huge crowd to watch my
sinking boat struggle through. I didn't have much left in
the tank when I meet my support crew. We tried to tape up
the holes as the first of the power boats came through. A
big sign saying 32kms to go spurred me on. I bid my support
goodby I would see them next at Middleswan.
Tim taking off from Bells
Rapid
I had really no idea how much the ski
filling with water would spoil my day. I needed to stop about
every three kilometres to empty the water. The tape just didn't
stick. Not long after Bells a power boat decided to bash into
the side of me. Upside down again for me. I wasn't sure about
these power boats...... While going through Upper swan bridge
I got to see one power boat flying through the air. It launched
off a grass island. The landing was superb.
I finally made the next check point. I was still within the
cut off times. My support crew could see I was buggered they
offered the easy option of pulling out. I had completed my
goal of getting to the final check point before cut off.
There was no way I was pulling out so
close to the finish. After all I had been through the past
two days. The final stage was a very hard slog with the boat
filling so quickly. Each time I emptied it it felt like I
was flying when I got back on. I wasn't familiar with the
last stage so I had no idea how far I had to go. It just kept
going..... One good thing was that another paddlers parents
were meeting him every couple of kilometres. They became my
surrogate support crew over the final stage.
Finally I saw the timber jetty at Bayswater.
It was getting dark. Terry Bolland and Alaine were at the
end of it still cheering paddlers on. Then I saw the finish
and the family waiting on the beach. I almost cried as I was
overcome with emotion. I was so chuffed to finish. I was the
last person to finish the 2013 Act Belong Commit Avon Descent.
I had the finishers medal around my neck. The finish line
was half packed up by the time I came through..... I really
couldn't care less. I finished!!!
After emptying the water from the ski
for the last time we loaded up the car and had to head back
to Cobblers pool to pack up the tent and tow the camper trailer
home. It made for a very long day. But so worth it.
The only thing left that I wanted to
know was the condition of the injured paddler from day 1.
I finally got some feedback a couple of days later. He was
still in hospital, the best news was that he shouldn't have
any long term damage. He flew back to Brisbane a few days
after being in hospital. I was lucky enough to catch up with
his brother and the other paddler that stopped to help a week
later. It was good to talk through the event and get another
update on his condition. I found out later that the other
paddler that also stopped to help, received a Knight of the
river award from the Avon Descent organisers. It's great to
have such people out there that are prepared to help.
Big thanks to my support crew. They
put up with my grizzling. Big thanks to everyone else involved.
The boats in getting repaired. I'm keen to get back out there.
Next stop Avon Descent 2014.
**********************************
Holiday Snaps
Megan, Adrian (nephew),
Michelle, James, Sister Janet & my wife Jenny
Megan climbing the Gloucester
Tree. Megan is an under 12 Irish Dancing World Champion
James paddling near Castle
Rock. James is a good Rugby and Basketball player
Megan & Adrian were
a little out of time at the start.
Adrian used to be a good racing cyclist but switch over to
racing motor bikes which is still his passion.
But they did get better.
Near Castle Rock Dunsborough
James on the Denmark
River, Denmark
Megan & Adrian on
the Denmark River
Blocked by a small weir
on the Denmark River.
The start of the paddle
on the King River, Albany
A few kilometres further
upstream on the King River
A few more kilometres
upstream and a kilometre from where the river becomes blocked
with fallen trees
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