Enjoy the CDU Newsletter
Published: Fri, 11/18/16
509
18th November 2016
Message Bank
Sandy Robson has finished her amazing trip but there is another
women out there paddling, this woman is paddling around New
Zealand her name is Lynn Paterson and she is on her 388th
day. She is in no hurry so she takes the opportunity to explore
the country from the sea and from the land enjoying every
minute.
*******************************
Have you ever thought of doing an extended expedition or
would you rather see slides and hear experiences of trips
done by others? If you or any club is interested in hearing
and seeing pictures of expeditions that I have done, just
contact me and we can arrange a suitable time. It could be
kayaking around the Kimberley Coast, Walk, Cycle and Kayaking
around Australia or around the USA. What about a trip down
the Yukon River, The Missouri River, The Mississippi River,
The Athabasca, Slave & McKenzie Rivers to the Arctic,
or Across Canada by kayak. Then there are the Alaska's Glaciers
and Bays, or the local Blackwood River. It's your choice.
Just send an email.
*******************************
Lynn Paterson starting her journey around
New Zealand
**************************
The Meeting of the Oldies
With Ann Smart, paddler & former Ascot Kayak
Club President visiting Australia after moving to the Isle
of Wight a few old Ascot members met for a social paddle and
then lunch at the kiosk today. Joined by Pat Whittleston who
did her first Avon Descent at 63 and her last one at 70 years
old, Benny Bennion white water paddler and Canoe Polo fanatic,
John Dinucci who still paddles every day, his favourite place
being on whitewater, Olwyn Brown, James Earl, Pam Riordan
and Giesla Cannon all still keen social paddlers and instructors
enjoy the beautiful weather and company.
John Dinucci, Pat Whittleston, Ann Smart,
Giesla Cannon, James Earl, Olwyn Brown, Benny Bennion and
Pam Riordan.
Ann in the lightweight Barracuda Interface
and Olwyn in the Barracuda Beachcomber kayaks this morning
at Ron Courtney Island.
***********************************
Anne, Bonnie & Ray at Monday night training
and about to watch the super moon rise.
This week is the West Coast Downwinder and
next week the Doctor Race (Rottnest to Sorrento). The worlds
top paddlers will be taking part. Above Jasper and Dawid Mocke.
An Over 55 social paddle group passing by
If you just want to be a social paddler there
are several social clubs
www.over55canoeclub.org.au/
- http://mandurahover55scanoeclub.myclub.org.au/ - https://www.meetup.com/swankayakers/
- http://www.aoa.asn.au/ [ www.over55canoeclub.org.au/%20-%20http://mandurahover55scanoeclub.myclub.org.au/%20-%20https://www.meetup.com/swankayakers/%20-%20http://www.aoa.asn.au/ ] - Over 45 Social Canoe Club
**********************************
Have you ever thought of doing
an expedition?
The Yukon River runs through Canada's Yukon
Territory and the heart of Alaska
The Yukon River starts high in the mountains
dividing Canada and Alaska
Crossing the border and no custom officials
in sight (they were further downstream)
*****************************
Pairs Enduro
this Sunday 20th November
*********************
Training & Courses
PLEASE NOTE:
Monday Night Training
is now at
Ascot Kayak Club
5.45pm
*******************
Saturday Morning Fitness Training
7.15am for a 7.30am start
Sandy Beach Reserve, West Road,
Bassendean
*******************
Featured Products
The Mision Flow
Special Price: $650.00
List Price: $850.00
You Save: $200.00
The Flow is an outstanding sit-on-top
kayak, great for wave surfing and general, all round, smile
inducing fun.
Its size is almost perfect – small
enough for your kids, but still big enough for a hefty adult.
The Flow has excellent stability, is easy to handle, and is
in the enviable position of being great fun whether you are
a novice, intermediate or experienced paddler.
5'' inspection port (including a mesh
bag) can be fitted as an optional extra to give you a safe
storage space for your snacks, sunscreen, keys, etc.
Price includes a paddle
Call Terry on 0472 720 243 or terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au
Length: 2.95 m
Beam: 0.75 m
Weight: 19kg
Max Load 150kgs
New Zealand Made
ONLY ONE LEFT on special
**************************
Adventure Kayaks
Venturer
Special Price: $380.00
List Price: $550.00
You Save: $170.00
The Venturer is a stable
single sit-on kayak suitable for social paddling, general
fitness, fishing or riding the surf or whitewater.
It is easy to paddle, it tracks well
but still maneuvers easily. It is suitable for light or heavier
paddlers alike.
A small hatch for storage.
Optional: Backrest
Length: 2.7 m
Beam: 0.78 m
Weight: 18kg
Australian Made
**********************
Epic Doctor
Sale (New Epic Skis)
Canoeing Down Under is discounting $600.00 off the new Epic
V10 Performance lay-up models which are approx 15kgs to $3290.00.
The Epic V10 Club 17kgs is discounted $600.00 to $2590.00.
The V14 and V10L in Performance
models (15kgs) discounted $700.00 to $3190.00.
Sale ends November 26th (the Doctor race) or while stocks
last.
Epic V14
Call Terry on 0417 977
330 or email terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au
Stories
Moore River
Race
The Moore River Race also
acts as the Mixed K2 Championships so I thought I would try
to get Alaine out of retirement. She hasn't been paddling
a lot this year, probably 6 times at the most, as filling
in job applications has been more important although she has
had little success. We had planned to train a few times before
the race but most mornings after planning to meet I would
get a text message saying she can't make it. As you can imagine
I have heard all the excuses anyone can give, too cold, too
wet, too hot, too windy, the floor sander is on his way, the
plumber is due soon, have to take the dogs for a walk, the
plants need watering. I've heard all the excuses but the biggest
one was when she text to say she had a snake in the back yard,
but for once it was a good excuse because she had.
It's a bit of a drive up to Moore River but it's usually worth
it. The change in the countryside from green to a yellow in
a matter of 2-3 weeks was amazing. When winter is over the
lush green vegetation soon turns and really sending it into
the sunburnt country.
With twenty plus mixed K2s being registered we weren't going
to stand much of a chance overall and not much of a chance
in the 55+ as we had Mark and Judy Martin (both medalled at
the last Australian Champs) Peter and Jane Liddle (who are
paddling extremely well and being husband and wife would be
paddling with passion and love), John Breed & Sharna Farquhar
(who should beat us but John has been on holiday so he will
be weakened and wobbly) and then we had Anne Warger &
John Tomczak who we had a good chance of beating but if we
didn't Alaine would have to be cast to the wolves or maybe
as we were at Moore River, cast to the sharks.
I had my sights set on Jason Gardner and Maya Elston. I love
beating Jason and rubbing it in later but his partnership
with Maya has given him a slight advantage as a team. (Maya
is pretty strong so I just need to get Alaine training more
to equal things up a little). It would all come down to the
start as they were better sprinters off the line but if we
could get on their wash or someone else wash we just might
have a chance.
Hugh and the organising committee had us on the water for
a 9.30am start. The sky was one big mass of blue, not a cloud
in sight. The wind was quite light for Moore River and the
river was quite high as the sandbar hadn't been breached.
Matt Smith had paddled the course the day before and he said
it was pretty deep water (no underslung rudder problems) and
there was a way through the fallen trees at the turn around
island by ducking underneath them rather than going over them.
There was also no weed which was a problem last year so it
sounded as if it was going to be a great race.
T2 (Terry Brooke) and Dave Walter haven't seen each other
for a while!!
Alaine's nerves hadn't
quite settled by the time we lifted the kayak and placed it
in the water though that was usual but once we do that first
paddle stroke her nerves usually go and she starts to enjoy
the race. The K2s were the first grid to go. We were lined
up next to all the top paddlers and hoping their speed would
brush off onto us and we would get a great start. A beautiful
bikini clad female standing on a paddle board in the distance
didn't help me to concentrate on our start. Suddenly everyone
was off, a slight pause and we were chasing them. The wind
had increased a little in the last hour and it was against
us and the wash from the other boats had us see-sawing side
to side but it wasn't as bad as I expected the start to be.
Being next to the faster guys meant that Jason and Maya were
over to our right and they seemed to have had a better faster
start than we did, so were soon several metres ahead. I suppose
my first mistake was not positioning our kayak close to them.
Nevertheless we were coping quite well with the wash and my
positive thoughts of catching them, when we got into cleaner
water was uplifting.
About 200-300 metres from the start there was a big splash
as though a shark had risen from the water and belly flopped
back down again. To my surprise it turned out being the dynamic
duo of Baillie and Michael Liddle falling into the water.
I did mention to Baillie earlier that the only way we would
be able to beat them is if they capsized three times. One
down two to go! They had quite a swim so I didn't think we
would be seeing them too soon unless the water was shallow
and they could get back in before reaching the shore.
Single paddlers waiting
to start. Photo Kerry Smith
Divison 1 is off. Photo Kerry Smith
After another few hundred
metres I now had my doubts of catching Jason and Maya as it
looked as if they were up with Paul McLaren & Dave Walter
(good mates), Ray Smith & Anne Crouch (husband & wife)
and Terry Brooke & Michelle Lachenicht (an oldy at racing
and a newby) and we were on our own.
Division 4 is off. Photo
Kerry Smith
Shania & Daniel Smee
(father & daughter) were over to our right and looking
as if they were a bit out of control but they were still going
faster than we were, so when we came together they were in
front. Jerry & Jesse Alderson (Grand dad and grand daughter)
were just in front of us trying to chase them and get around
a young mixed team who all of a sudden capsized resulting
in a long swim. For a few hundred metres we were able to get
on Jerry & Jesse's second wave but they were snaking about
too much and trying to pass others and we lost them. Our chances
of catching Jason & Maya were now pretty slim. What excuse
was I going to give them when they beat us? Luckily I had
about 50 minutes to make up a good story.
Paddling on the right side of Diamond Island we were alone
and it just felt as if we were bogged down and the others
in front were skating a wave. I couldn't see but I'm sure
Alaine was paddling!! Or was she thinking of her trips to
Canada, the scenery around us or dreaming of getting a job
at long last. No, we had just hit a shallow spot.
Former Olympian Ramon Andersson sliced passed us on his ski,
he was the first of the single paddlers and then 14 year old
Luke Egger came by looking like a champion which he will be
if he keeps paddling. The contrast in body form between his
small thin frame to Ramon's solid, wide, muscly frame was
something to see. What a paddler he's going to turn out to
be. Peter Kioutis was close behind paddling well but Luke
managed to keep ahead and beat Pete by 11 seconds.
Getting closer to the turn island I heard some huffing and
puffing behind us. I was hoping it wasn't going to be John
Breed and Sharna Farquhar but thankfully it was Michael &
Ballie Liddle who had swam ashore after their capsize and
had caught us. It turned out being a bit of a blessing as
we were able to get on their wash and surprisingly washride
them for a while. For a moment I thought it was our lucky
day as we just might gain on the others but our ride didn't
last long enough as we lost our spot a few hundred metres
from the turn island. A single kayak also got in front of
us before we ducked under the trees on the left at the beginning
of the island. Things seemed to be going smoothly until Jerry
& Jesse took the last tree on the right whereas Michael
& Baillie, the kayak paddler and we ducked under the tree
on the left. Jerry lost control of his K2 as the tree branch
had bent his rudder and came spearing towards Michael &
Baillie. I thought they were going to t-bone Jerry but they
stopped just in time. We avoided a collision but were forced
out wide while Jerry & Jesse made for a beach to fix their
rudder. Yippee at least we passed someone but we lost the
Michael and Baillie.
Meanwhile, although we had no knowledge at the time, the top
3 K2 teams somehow rounded the island and instead of going
back to the start did a sharp right hand turn and paddled
further upstream seemingly not realising where they were.
All but one of them was familiar with the course so what went
wrong!
Moore River race course
Soon as we cleared the
island Joe Dowse came along side in his Alchemist K1. Joe
used to paddle in Ireland when he was a lot younger and I
think before the propeller paddle came popular and many years
later and a lot older he started paddling again after joining
Ascot Kayak Club. He was the pretty fast paddler who was using
a flat paddle but since the Avon Descent he has caught up
with the times and now paddles with an Epic propeller paddle.
Some mornings I meet Joe and Thomas Pawlowski on their way
back from Barkers Bridge, a 11.5km paddle. I've usually done
an easy 4kms by the time I meet them for a race back to the
club. Joe usually wins and he is getting faster and more competitive
every day. Thomas has got ambitions to beat a few paddlers
as well but I have been sworn to secrecy so I can't tell you
who.
Joe was keeping up a cracking pace. He had already made up
four minutes on us. We had to try to washride him and use
that extra speed to catch up with the others so when he passed
we fought to sit on his wash without him knowing. If he knew
we were behind him he would try to dash off and leave us so
we kept quiet but when we started meeting paddlers coming
from the other direction shouting our names our secret soon
got out.
Although we were paddling
at our max our ride was going well, but then Martin Watson
overtook us. I knew then that our wash ride would soon come
to an end as Joe would wash ride Martin and get away from
us and within the minute that's what happened and we were
back on our lonesome again.
When we came to a long straight we still had a lot of the
K2s in our sight but the straight was long and it was now
impossible for us to catch anyone in front. I thought about
playing eye-spy or something like that to take our mind of
our defeat, but since I became an adult some 47 years ago
I haven't been keen to play trivial games so I just kept paddling.
Alaine who had only trained about 6 times in the last few
months seemed to be paddling well. She hadn't said anything
so I assumed she was still in the back seat!
The field returning to
the start. We were trying to chase down Jason & Maya without
success. Photo Kerry Smith
It felt good to reach the wider river knowing that the end
was nearing. Joe and Martin were duelling ahead and I must
admit I didn't think Joe had a chance of keeping up with Martin
as Martin is very fast. Over the winter though Martin has
been doing swimming training instead of paddling, apparently
it was too cold to get up and 6am to paddle, which I agree
so he might have slowed a bit.
Mike & Bonnie (red
K2) pass Paul McLaren & Dave Walter, Shania & Daniel
Smee, Anne and Ray Smith/Crouch about 11 other double kayaks
and many singles after their capsize near the start. Photo
Kerry Smith
Nicholas Greed in the
single, Jason & Maya in the yellow double, Terry Brooke
& Michelle Lachenicht closest and Lucy Watson in the V8
doing the short course. Photo Kerry Smith
There were several social
paddlers and families taking advantage of the beautiful day
and the sand dunes. A ski started passing us so it gave us
our last chance to wash ride which we did for a very short
time but Kris Plain was just too fast and eventually he catch
up with Joe and Martin and beat them over the line by one
second.
About 300 metres from the finish line and when we just started
our last sprint home we passed Hugh Trivett, Doug Hodson and
Chris Watson's wives, Angela, Karen and Lucy who were doing
the short course. Once over the finish line I looked back
to see Jerry & Jesse Alderson and the female team of Robin
Smith & Fifi Tan were very close behind. I was very impressed
with Robin & Fifi who paddled extremely well, being only
21 seconds behind us and beating the super team of John Breed
& Sharna Farquhar by 3 minutes 16 seconds. It looks as
if the super team might have to reflect on their future!
First in the doubles were
Yasemin/Matthew Ray/Greed, then Jane/Peter Liddle/Liddle and
third Nina/Darryl Mueller/Long.
By the time we finished, helped to carry another competitors
ski up the steps, tied our kayak on the roof racks I glimpsed
three doubles crossing the line, one looking like Mark Lawson.
It was the three lost K2s crossing the line after deciding
to go on a longer journey. And it was thanks to Mark &
Judy for exploring the countryside further upstream that Alaine
and I came second in the over 55s, with Peter & Jane Liddle
winning the category.
It was yet another great day out. The weather was glorious,
the river had treated us well and the ocean was a colour to
die for.
Full results here: http://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=86462&did=92929
Ramon squats down to
make me feel bigger. Ramon Andersson (1st), Peter Kioutis
(3rd) and Luke Egger (2nd) division one winners
Division 2. Martin Watson
(3rd) Nicholas Greed (1st) and Kris Plain (2nd)
Div 3. Steve Cashion
(3rd) Stuart Kirby (2nd)
Lynn Paterson
- Paddle around New Zealand
It is my inner desire
to paddle around New Zealand.
I have dreamt of doing this all my life, you could say it
is on my "bucket list"
When I share this dream with others their normal response
is
"ARE YOU MAD?"
Maybe a little!.. some people will understand, some will not.
This is just a personal journey, not a race, not to beat others.
I have so much admiration for those who have completed this
trip they truly are awe inspiring.
What am I attempting?
To paddle the entire coastline
of New Zealand in a kayak, this is not a race, this is just
my journey, I am wanting to share with anyone interested.
Always keen to talk and gain information from like minded
people along the way for help with my journey. Others who
have already completed this I admire and I have followed their
journeys and daily blogs, their adventures and challenges
along the way have made me smile and now it is my turn to
have an adventure like them.
This is something I have always wanted to do, maybe you could
say it is on my bucket list of achievement's, like many it
is about my dream seeing a vision, setting a goal and doing
it, you know like wanting to run a marathon, jump from a plane,
ocean swim, dive with sharks, climb to the top of a mountain,
just something I have always wanted to do.
Start Tuesday 27th October from Takapuna Beach, Auckland at
8.00am
Paddle 30km per day
Finish 180 days later (tongue in cheek as this is dependent
on the weather gods)
She is now on Day 388
http://www.redznzjourney.com/
Day 363. Blue-bird day
at Rapanui Stream.
Day 349. The Three Sisters
Read all about the
journey
http://www.redznzjourney.com/
******************************
The Yukon River
with Ed Vaneer
Heading into the mountains
to start our trip near the Canada/Alaskan border
The mountain range acts
as the border. The lake feeds into the Yukon River
Cliffs along the way.
Smoke haze in the distance
Mountains downstream
of Dawson
The Canadian/Alaskan
border
A small bear watches
on. We see about 12 bears along the way
The river drops leaving
large sandbars to camp on
Smoke from forest fires
virtually block out our views
A camp close to the end
of the Yukon River
The end of the Yukon
River. Russia 400kms
**************************
6 ducklings on Wednesday
morning looking for their parents
Race of the Week
Sprint Kayak
Regatta
dates for this season
Regatta 3 - Saturday 3rd December - Champion Lakes
State Champs - 14th - 15th January - Champion Lakes
Regatta 4 - 26th February - Champion Lakes