Enjoy your CDU Newsletter
Published: Thu, 01/05/17
528
6th January 2016
Message Bank
TEENS SUMMER PADDLING COURSE
Ascot Kayak Club
About 16 teenagers, 12 doing a paddling unit
at the Swan Christian College, Midland where Ben Dallin teaches
are taking part in a Teens Summer Paddling course at Ascot
Kayak Club this week. Several AKC members have been out there
every morning this week helping Peter Kioutis and Ben with
the course. The teenagers who have paddled several different
types of kayaks and skis have been having heaps of fun and
learning lots.
Peter Kioutis with a group of students
Bonnie Metzke with a group of students
This intensive five-session course, was run
over a week. They were taught basic flat-water techniques,
racing strategies and improve personal performance and paddling
skill.
It is hoped that the students will take part
in the Marathon Championships short course at Lake Leschenaultia
on the 8th January 2017.
************************************************
Santa Arrives at Ascot Kayak Club
Before and after Santa arrived to give out
presents to the children I gave away 25 pairs of booties to
paddlers and children with feet size 5, 6, 7, 8 and size 12.
************************************************
Swan Canoe Club
On the 12th November 2016, Swan Canoe Club
celebrated its 50th anniversary with two very special events:
an afternoon tea for all past Club Presidents, Life Members,
Club Members of the Year and other significant contributors
to the Club over this period. And in the evening a party was
attended mainly by current Club members.
Swan Canoe Club
21 Presidents came along and we managed to
lined them all up in order of their service for a unique photo.
***************************************
Three Rivers to Tuktoyaktuk
4000kms – Stage 1
From the Rocky Mountains to the Arctic Ocean
You can now find the stage 1 expedition story
from Jasper to the Great Slave Lake (2000kms) on my blog.
Go to https://terrybolland.com/three-rivers-to-tuktoyaktuk-stage-1/
The journey was virtually wilderness the whole
way
Leaving the cold of the Rocky Mountains to
paddle 4000kms to the cold of the Arctic Ocean
*****************************************
A Sad Note
Colin Vucak a member of Ascot Kayak Club
in the 1970s and 80s passed away suddenly on Christmas eve.
His family, Fred, Linda, Mark and David were all keen paddlers,
Fred also being the President and the first life member of
Ascot Kayak Club. Colin's life was full of adventure and he
will be surely missed by his family and friends.
As a younster Colin loved paddling
Training & Courses
Monday Night
Training
Ascot Kayak Club
5.45pm
*******************
Saturday Morning Training
7.15am for a 7.30am start
Sandy Beach Reserve, West Road,
Bassendean
*******************
Level 1 Flatwater
Instructors Course
Canoe WA
January 17 @ 8:30 am
- January 18 @ 3:30 pm
Ascot Kayak Club, Fauntleroy Avenue
Ascot, Western Australia 6104 Australia
See more at: http://www.paddlewa.asn.au/2016/12/07/level-1-flatwater-instructors-course/#sthash.20uflULc.dpuf
*******************
Ascot Come &
Try Slalom
11th & 12th February
*******************
Summer Down
River Training
Are you ready to join
the Friday morning 6.00am Summer Down River Training Around
Buoys
If so let me know and
I will make a date to start the sessions
Open to all paddlers
0417 977 330 or terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au
In DR Kayaks and Wavehoppers
Practise on flat water
will benefit all paddlers paddling on whitewater
Being fast is one thing
but being able to control and position your kayak around turns
using boat leans and paddle strokes is another.
Are you able to control
your kayak around buoys at a fast pace without going too wide??
Pictures taken Claughton
Reserve, Bayswater January 2015.
Featured Products
Illusion Ski
(Kayak Centre)
Special Price: $1 200.00
List Price: $2 500.00
You Save: $1 300.00
The Illusion is a ski
designed to suit most water conditions. The speed on flat
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but the Illusion is more stable.
Because the hull has good volume through
the tail, the deck is fairly low and this in turn stops the
wind effect the craft. The other advantage is the ski is able
to ride a shorter/steeper run for longer periods before the
nose digs into the waves. It has enough rocker to allow it
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The unique cowling stops water filling
the cockpit area, saving about 50% of the volume of water
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The pedals are fully adjustable and
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Length: 6.3m
Width: 440cm
Weight: 15kg Vacuum Infused
ONLY ONE LEFT on the Special
Price: $1 200.00
*******************************
Guppy Double
Special Price: $900.00
List Price: $1 600.00
You Save: $700.00
only one left at this
price
The double Guppy is an excellent kayak
for children up to around 14 years old. It is pretty stable
and relatively fast. It promotes good team work, skills and
a lot of fun.
Special Price:
$900.00
*******************************
Solid Wheel
Cart – Small
Takes apart and fits
in the back hatch of touring and sea kayaks
Constructed using puncture proof solid
wheels and oversized anodised 25mm aluminium alloy tubing
for strength these collapsible carts can withstand the roughest
terrain.
Durable, lightweight and compact construction
Hypalon tension straps last longer than traditional webbing
Oversized anodised 6063-T6 alloy tubing for added strength
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Small: 28cm wide – Best suited for kayaks
Each cart has a capacity of 70kg and includes a high quality
nylon tie down with rubber buckle bumper
$150.00
Stories
It was Friday morning and Joe and Thomas
usually paddle up to Barkers Bridge and back and I usually
meet them around Point Reserve, Bassendean on their way back.
I purposely get on the river later so I don't have to do the
11.3km paddle, a steady paddle to start with and a fast 4km
paddle back to the Ascot Kayak Club is enough for me. On these
mornings I usually paddle my Epic K1 as it is the fastest
boat I have and when I paddle next to Joe, I need the fastest
boat or I get left behind.
I reached Point Reserve and no Joe, so I paddled to Success
Hill Reserve to see if the Kingfisher was still hanging around
and yes it was and about 150 metres further I spotted another.
Just seeing it makes my morning so much better. In Australia,
Sacred Kingfishers spend the winter in the north of their
range and return south in the spring to breed. I moved further
up river and saw no one. Joe must have had the day off so
when I reached the red buoy about 700 metres from Barkers
Bridge I decided to turn. I couldn't paddle too far I thought
as it might become a habit.
I rounded Fish Market Reserve on the way back and looked towards
the Success Hill jetty pontoon to see the frame of an old
trampoline that was pulled onto the pontoon yesterday was
now hanging off the side. My first thought was I must ring
Bassendean Shire because if it drops back in the water and
someone jumps off the jetty they could get seriously hurt.
Moments later to my surprise I pass beside a turtle floating
on the top of the water. I put the brakes on and back paddled
hoping it was still going to be there. It was. It floated
on top of the water moving just a little. I could see it had
some red on its head and for a moment I thought it may be
its colouring but then I realised it must be blood. It swam
a little, lifted its head and then became more lively, but
it still didn't look in perfect health.
I was carrying my camera,
but I was paddling my Epic K1 my most tippy kayak and the
camera was inside a dry bag between my legs. I started undoing
the bag and taking out the camera with one hand. My body started
to shake because I felt so unstable but I managed to get it
out and turn it on. Now I had to somehow take a photo, which
was more difficult than you think, although if you were someone
like Josh Kippin he could probably take his shirt off balancing
an unstable K1.
I spotted a turtle near the water pipe bridge, Fish Market
Reserve
I put my paddle in my lap,
my kayak started shuddering but I took my first photo. I took
another and then eventually I held the camera in one hand
and the paddle in the other hand. All the time I was on a
knife edge and one wrong movement I could capsize in the middle
of the river. I don't mind getting wet but I would hate to
lose my camera. The turtle dived out of sight and then came
back up again and floated, propelling itself slowly with its
little legs. Its neck was far from little, it was long but
the red on its head had me concerned.
The turtle looked very
lethargic and didn't try to swim or dive away from me
I wondered what to do,
are turtles usually this lethargic, was it getting old or
had the injury weakened it? I guided it to the shallows with
my boat jumped out and caught it. It struggled a little so
it had some life left in it. Now what do I do? Do I take it
home or am I interfering with nature? How do I get it home
it was nearly 5kms away? I lifted it into my kayak and it
instantly was off heading towards the bow of the kayak. I
grabbed it before it got too far. Ummm - if it wasn't going
to sit still the Epic Kayak probably wasn't the best one to
carry it home. It was tippy enough without a turtle wandering
around and getting excited. I need someone with a wider boat
to come along. No one came by so I had to decide if I should
try to get it home or leave it.
At first I though the
red on its head was a natural colouring but I think it was
blood
I decided to leave it hoping
it would recover without my intervention. But as soon as I
paddled off I was a little annoyed with myself for not helping
it. If I had taken my phone I could have called someone to
see what I should do, but I didn't have my phone.
When I picked it up it did have some energy to try to escape
That afternoon I checked on the internet to see if there was
a turtle rescue unit in Perth and there was so I sent them
a message and some photos and I promptly got a reply.
From my photos they said it didn't look good but wild turtles
have remarkable powers of recovery; let's hope it is the case
for this one.
Turtles don't bite; they don't have teeth. Their claws
are very sharp and will scratch you (don't usually break the
skin) as they flail their legs in an effort to get away from
you. If handled roughly, they can exude a potent-smelling
yellow liquid from the edge of the top shell between their
front and back legs - this is a defence mechanise.
Turtles are great escapologists so it may be an idea to take
an old pillowcase (turned inside out) with you next time you're
heading that way again. You'll need something to fasten the
end of the pillowcase - we use those thick elastic hair ties,
or a piece of string would also do the job. Once the turtle's
in the pillowcase it's not likely to move around much.
If you do see the turtle again, please rescue it and call
either our North Metro number (based in Bayswater) or the
East Metro number (based in Kalamunda) both of which are shown
below so we can get it to our vet for a check-up.
Thanks for taking the time to contact us. We're contactable
throughout the Christmas/New Year break.
Emergency Mobiles 0414 476 867 North Metro (Bayswater) 0424
727 411 East Metro (Kalamunda)
0424 727 624 South Metro
With that information I was more annoyed
that I had left it so I decided that afternoon to see if I
could redeem myself by heading back up river with a pillow
case and a more stable kayak. The south-westerly wind was
in so it didn't seem to take me long to paddle the 5 kilometres
to Fish Market Reserve. I was welcomed by the sound of kookaburras,
and white cockatoos. I started searching for it just after
the railway bridges which were a few hundred metres away from
where I last saw it. Getting closer I noticed an empty nest
where the day previous there was a very young darter precariously
languishing in it with its parent watching close by. Had it
fallen into the water?
I reached the spot I last saw the turtle and there was nothing
although I hadn't expected it to be in the same place. The
tide was very high so there were no beaches or mud banks showing,
it could have been hiding under all the flooded tree branches.
I just sat there in my kayak letting the wind blow me a long
scanning the river for the top of its shell or to see its
head pop up. All I saw were branches floating on the water.
I was pushed towards Bennett Brook where it entered the river.
I thought the brook would be a better place for a turtle to
live in so I drifted up it being eased along by the wind.
The grasses at the entrance to the brook were green and looking
very healthy. Ducks and ducklings milled around or scampered
off as I moved along the brook.
The entrance to Bennett
Brook
The sun was shining on the trees on
the eastern side, it was so peaceful. The kookaburras, white
cockatoos and ravens broke the silence. Then I heard the call
of a bird that reminded me of the Kimberley that I used to
hear all the time when I was up there. Sweet memories of the
Kimberley came flooding back to me. I love going back in time
and remembering all the things I have done on my trips and
paddling and walking around the Kimberley were some of the
best. I sat there for a few moments taking it all in. As I
looked around me I could have been in a wilderness anywhere
in the world if it hadn't have been for the bird calls and
unique Australian vegetation. You just can't beat the sounds
of Australian birds or the diverse range of Australian trees
and plants as they are so varied and beautiful.
In Bennett Brook
I came to a patch of water
where the sun was flickering through the paperbark trees and
cast patterns on the water that out did the best abstract
painter. The ravens increased in numbers as I edged around
tree branches trying not to hit the underslung rudder on my
kayak whilst paddling as far up the brook as possible. I eased
over the logs feeling it touch at times and drawing the kayak
sideway to avoid branches. I eventually came to a halt at
old log bridge. My trip up Bennett Brook came to an end.
It was photo time again so I rested my elbow on an old tree
branch that was sticking out of the water to give me better
balance. Instantly the big ants started attacking me. I quickly
pushed free of the branch but an ant had leapt in my cockpit
and started terrorising me. I had to get it out which I did
before it could bite me.
This old log bridge stops
me from paddlin further
I turned to head back out
wondering what the brook would have looked like when the Aborigines
used to live and hunt in this area. Success Hill a few hundred
metres away and its surrounds were very important spiritual
places for the Aborigines. Success Hill is a very important
site to Whadjuk Noongars. Noongars believe the Waugal is present
at the section where Bennett Brook enters the Swan River below
Success Hill. It is also believed that Success Hill was an
important meeting place for Noongars, serving as a great vantage
point looking up and down the river.
The sun was slowly disappearing and
the brook was now in the shadows of the late evening. I slowly
made by way out trying not to rush and break my rudder on
a submerged log. The ducks joined in my retreat and after
a photo or two I was back into the river. The wind was strong
so there would be no help on the way home.
When the sun shines on
this small cliff at Success Hill its extremely picturesque
The light was fading fast.
I checked the water for the turtle on the way back and started
paddling harder once out of the area. At a drain just after
Guildford Bridge a crowd of pigeons and ducks were drinking
the fresh water that flowed out of it. It was a favourite
place for pigeons which lived under Guildford Bridge a few
hundred metres away. At the Point Reserve Jetties a pelican
was hanging around a family who were fishing. They have a
habit of waiting for any left overs. Less than a kilometre
further I could see an Osprey at the top of a big tree just
about to tuck into a fish it had just caught. Suddenly a large
branch from one of the lower limbs crunched to the ground
creating a loud thudding sound and giving me a bit of a start.
The Osprey took off with the fish still in its claws.
As I was taking a photo of the tree a darter had just caught
a fish and was trying hard to juggle it down its throat. It's
one of the most regular things I see on the river and its
great seeing how they cope with a wriggling fish. I was just
about to focus on the darter and get a picture when the fish
slid down its throat and long neck and then the darter slid
into the water and disappeared.
I paddled home, it was too dark to capture anything else.
Since then I have paddled up to Fish Market Reserve several
times but the turtle has been no-where to be seen.
********************
Two days after finding
the turtle I was paddling passed the Point Reserve jetties
at Bassendean and I noticed a Darter with a hook and line
in his mouth. The question was how am I going to help it?
I had a bag in my kayak just in case I saw the turtle so if
I could catch it I could take it to a animal rescue group.
I get closer to the darter
on the Point Reserve jetty
Fishing lines cause so
much damage to our bird and marine life and many fishermen
just don't care if their line gets snagged on trees or jetties.
They just leave them there and when a bird find the bait they
think they are getting an easy meal.
The hook is inside it's
mouth and the weight and line dangles free.
I decided that I would
try to get as close to it as possible just to give catching
it a go so I exited my kayak and walked on the jetty. For
a while I had high hopes as it didn't move but when I was
a hands span away it took off.
It looks as if not only
do I need to carry a pilow case or bag I now need to carry
a net to catch birds in distress.
The next morning I paddled
back to Point Reserve and noticed the darter high up in a
dead tree only 100 metres away from the jetty surrounded by
a number of ravens. Since then I haven't seen it.
Social
paddle of the Week
Colin Greedy, Billy
McMullan & Geoff Corlett near Walpole. Photo Louisa Pieterson
Colin & Billy. Photo
Louisa Pieterson
*********************
Swan River Kayaking
Club
The Swan River Kayaking
Social Group invite paddlers with short and longer kayaks
and sit-on-tops to join in with their activities.
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/swankayakers/
*********************
Three Rivers
to Tuktoyaktuk 4000kms – Stage 1
From the Rocky Mountains to the Arctic Ocean
This expedition was part of the big
four North American rivers that I had planned to paddle. I
had already completed the 4000km Mississippi River, the 3400km
Yukon River, the 4000km Missouri River and now the focus was
on a near 4000km journey down the Athabasca, Slave and MacKenzie
Rivers from Jasper in the Canadian Rocky Mountains to Tuktoyaktuk
on the shores of the Arctic Ocean.
Read about stage 1 of the trip by going
here: https://terrybolland.com/three-rivers-to-tuktoyaktuk-stage-1/
Leaving the Rocky Mountains
around Jasper
A Moose and it's calf
swim across the river
Attacked by the locals
- or Tony just having fun
At the Grand Rapid. After
paddling down rapids to this portage point we decide to portage
around a grade/3/4/5 rapid
Near the bottom of the
Grand Rapid
Cascade Rapid
The sun rises at 4.30am
on the Great Slave Lake. We paddled much of the lake at night
to avoid the rough waters. It never really got dark up here.
Race of the Week
**************
Ascot Come &
Try
11th & 12th February
2nd Hand Boats