Enjoy the CDU Newsletter
Published: Thu, 01/26/17
530
22nd Jan 2017
Message Bank
After several months of not seeing dolphins around the Bassendean
area I was getting a little worried that they had deserted
us but they are back, I've sighted 2-3 dolphins a few times
now. Paddlers who paddle closer to Fremantle and the ocean
will see dophins all the time but it's 33 kilometres by river
to the ocean from my place and they go as far as 50 kms up
river from the ocean.
***********************************
Josh Kippin is training hard to defend his
Australian Marathon Titles coming up in March. Whilst our
top paddlers at Ascot are chasing Josh and finding it hard
to keep up, Josh has an ocky strap around his kayak to create
more resistance. Brendan Rice who is also going this year
will be a formidable opponent so not only does Josh have champion
paddlers like Michael Leverrett to contend with, he also has
Brendan.
Other Australian title holders like Brett
McDonald, Mark Lawson and Luke Dooley are also making waves
and they will have some stiff competition. Although we have
some top juniors going this year, the younsters to watch out
for in the under 16 class will be Luke Egger and Tom Green
who were flying at the 10km championships.
Many of the team including Josh and Brendan
are also competiting at the Sprint Championship so will that
affect their performance!!
I am saving myself for the marathon only,
don't want to kill myself doing the sprints. I am looking
for another 65 year old paddler to do the doubles competition
with me. Any takers?
A bit of confusing as the paddlers try to
turn around a spit post at the same time as a row boat comes
through. (Morning training on Australia Day)
WA Marathon Team
Seniors: Josh Kippin, Brendan Rice
Masters: Brett McDonald, Mark Lawson,Gary Clarke,
Thomas Paul Rogan, Stuart Hyde & Terry Bolland
Juniors: Matthew Greed, Nicholas Greed, Luke Dooley,
Max Smith, Tom Green, Luke Egger & Tim Hyde
https://www.facebook.com/WMC2017/
***********************************
Whilst Ben Pope is competing on white water
in Sydney and New Zealand our white water paddlers in WA are
having fun on the flat water.
*************************************
Georgina Collin (WA) – Women’s under
23 K1 and Demi O’Brien (WA) – Women’s Junior
K1 have been selected to paddle for Australia in the U23 and
Junior Wildwater Team in Mur Austria.
*************************************
Kieran Simpson was selected to paddle for
Australia in the under 23 Australian Wild Water team at Mur,
Austria.
Week 1 DR around the buoys winner.
*************************************
Young 16 year old Kalbarri resident Luke Dooley who has had
to drive 587 km taking over 6 hours to get to Perth to take
part in our races is now becoming a resident of Perth for
2 years at least. He is living in Bayswater 460 metres from
the river and 480 metres from my place and he will be going
to the John Forrest Secondary College in Morley 4.7kms away
to study. He is off to the Australian Marathon Championships
in March to defend his title, although he will be in an older
age bracket (18 & under) this year with some tough competition
as he has WAs Greed twins, Max Smith and all the young ones
from the east to beat.
Luke Dooley at Friday morning DR practise.
Week 2 DR around the buoys winner.
***********************************
WAIS Coaching Boat Stolen
The WAIS coaching boat has been stolen out
of the Bayswater PaddleSports Boatshed in the early hours
of the morning. It is a 3.5m Stacer aluminium dinghy with
a centre console. Ergo number is DB942 and it has "Safety
Boat" on the side. If any of you early morning paddlers
have seen it abandoned on the side of the river can you let
me know. Thanks.
**********************************
Half the Power Boats on the
River Exceed the Speed Limit
Being on and living on the river I see a lot
of river activity.One of the most prevalent is speeding power
boats and at least half the power boats using this part of
the river are speeding. With a 5 knot speed along the river
from Bayswater up-river very few take notice. These two power
boats are passing the swimming area of Sandy Beach, Bassendean.
These are two of many.
Passing Sandy Beach with a 5 knot sign only
50 metres away.
I met one large power boat at the 5 knot sign
at Pickering Park. It was like watching a Patrol Boat heading
straight towards me exceeding the speed limit four or five
times over. The waves it created were huge, not the sort of
wave you want to meet when you are paddling a K1. The driver
seemed very happy to be speeding and creating this huge wave,
he just raised his wine glass as he sped by.
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
We have demo days every Saturday morning.
Call 0417977330 to book the boat you want to try.
Ann Crouch trying to emulate the Toyoto ad before getting back
on the water. You can see these sessions are fun.
*******************
Ascot Come & Try Slalom
11th & 12th February
*******************
Summer Down River Training
Starting Friday 20th January
Claughton Reserve, Bayswater
6.00am
Summer Down River Training Around Buoys
Will run for 5 weeks
Open to all paddlers
0417 977 330 or terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au
Best suited to 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.
organised for the WA Wild Water Committee
The twists and turns of buoys practice
An Evening Race will take part on a Tuesday
evening in 2 weeks time 7th Feb Sandy Beach
Some paddlers are often distracted by the camera.
As you can see here Steve is on the wrong side of the buoy, but
it's more important to him to have a great smile.
Featured Products
Aqua Racks
Small Aquaracks
Aquaracks securely store
your watercraft out of harm's way. They work with kayaks,
sit-on-tops, stand up paddleboards and canoes.
Specially designed padded arms prevent
depressions on the hull and damages to the finish; suitable
for both indoor or outdoor use.
Any size craft can be supported at the
strongest part of its hull by placing support arms at different
spans. Support arms distribute load evenly without creating
pressure points; most watercraft can be stored at multiple
angles to facilitate cleaning.
Closed-cell foam covered with a tough
nylon sleeve protects the boat’s finish.
Mounting kit included.
Price: $110.00
*******************
Kayak/Multi
lift Thule
The perfect way to store
a kayak, ski, surfboards, ladders or your car roofbox. Lift
it up to the garage or carport ceiling while not in use and
get it back onto the car roof in an instant. Works just as
perfectly for a variety of kayaks and roof boxes.
Components:
4 lifting blocks, 2 line grips, 3 angle irons, 1 worm gear,
1 crank, 1 square-profile tube,line, 2 washers, installation
kit and installation instructions.
Material:
Yellow-chromated metal components.
Line made of polypropylene, 1 400 mm long.
Maximum lifting width 1000 mm.
Installation:
Simple installation according to the enclosed installation
instructions.
Properley fixed the lift has a load
rating of 100kg
Once fixed it is lowered with a crank
handle which is very easy to use. Built-in braking mechanism
for maximum safety.
The fixation hardware included is suitable
for concrete or masonry and that fixing to any other material
requires consultation from your local hardware supplier"
$269.00
Special $199.00 one only at that price
*******************
Thule Slipstream
887XT
for easy loading
Sliding roller extends out beyond the
back of the vehicle and supports up to 34kg's, 91cm kayak
width and 50% of the kayak’s weight for easier loading
and unloading.
Pivoting saddles automatically conform to nearly every kayak
shape and size for secure transportation.
Double-coated, corrosion resistant steel designed for long-term
use.
4-touchpoints of padded support conform to the hull for added
protection.
Carries 1 kayak and requires 1 person to load and unload.
Up to 2 carriers per vehicle.
Includes all straps to transport 1 kayak.
Length of unit 178cm.
Kayak cradels lengthways apart 145cm.
Width of base unit 59cm.
Primary watercraft: Kayak.
34kg load rating.
$669.00 RRP
Save $300.00
One only at Special Price of $369.00
*******************
Ocean Racer
PFD
Special
Lightweight PFD with
water bladder pocket.
Soft buoyancy foam for extra comfort
Was $150.00 Special
$70.00
Be quick limited stocks
Stories
Mandurah Duel
2017
Luke Dooley
I had been very much looking forward to the Duel for several
weeks leading up to it. Last year, I had completed the 12km
race in my 20Kg PRS in a surprisingly fast time of 59 minutes.
This year I was in my Epic V14 on extended loan from Terry
Bolland of Canoeing Down Under. So obviously an advance on
last years' time was to be expected; but how much of an advance
is what was about to be discovered.
It took a bit of organising to actually get down to Mandurah
in the first place. I was originally going to head down with
Peter G; however he had some very important family lunches
to attend to, so I was forced to find a lift quickly. Because
I hadn't had internet since moving to Perth on Monday made
the process take a little longer than usual. The matter was
thankfully resolved by the Saturday Morning CDU crew who were
more than happy to organise a lift for both me and my boat.
Race day came around rather quickly after the running around
throughout the week. I was picked up by Mike Holder and we
had quite a nice chat for most of the way to the truck stop
where we met up with Chris Watson and Rob Jarrod; the two
other proud Kiwis from our Saturday Morning crew. I was even
allowed to drive the rest of the way to Mandurah which was
a real joy. Mike's petrol car was substantially faster than
the diesels I was used to which I quickly found out when I
put my foot down. It was also a manual which was great practice
for my driving test the following day.
We arrived safely in Mandurah and headed straight for the
registrations desks at the Ocean Club. The downwind conditions
out to sea looked to be much the same as last year; very good!
Once successfully registered, Mike and I went for a quick
drive to have a look at the conditions further into the course.
Mike had his V10 Sport on the roof and was tossing up whether
or not he wanted to enter the race. By the time we had made
it all the way back to the starting line, he had decided it
was too windy for someone who'd only been paddling six months
and didn't have much ocean experience which was very understandable.
We then went in search of the start area which took a while
due to my navigation. After meeting up with my Dad, who had
been fishing down south with my brother, it was time to ready
the boats. Wise Ray Smith had kindly volunteered to take my
boat down which was an enormous help. It was also great to
catch up on recent holidays around the state.
Finally the time came to get onto the water. I was very excited
for the race. I remembered how much fun it was last year in
the PRS and was keen to see how much faster I could make it
this year with better skills and a much faster boat. I was
not around for the briefing; however I remembered most of
the rules and starting procedures from last years' race so
I had nothing to worry about for the race. I was glad I made
my way up to the front of the pack for the start as it went
off a little earlier than I expected. I wasn't right at the
front when the flag dropped, but I was a lot closer than I
would have been if I hadn't of been looking at the other competitors.
I already had my watch going before race start which was very
handy.
They're off. Photo John
O'Sullivan
The second that flag dropped,
it was straight into action. We pulled out of the extended
channel where the start was held and were immediately plunged
into decent waves. This was a very good feature on the course
for downwind paddlers, especially compared to Red Bluff in
Kalbarri where you have to paddle more than ½ a kilometre
to actually get into the wind properly. Although the course
was great for a downwind race, it didn't really suit my strategy.
I'd have preferred maybe 250 metres of flat water or even
a headwind so that I could get off to a flying start and have
a clear run straight back to the ocean club. This would have
robbed the more experienced paddlers of their ability to start
with a huge lead while the less experienced paddlers would
struggle with the slop at the beginning. However, I had to
make do with the conditions I had and straight into the surf
it was. The double of Matt Smith and his brother Dan were
my main targets to beat. I knew I could beat Matt and probably
Dan, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to beat them both in
the family double as easily. Although they appeared to be
right alongside me, I knew that they were going to be ahead
as they were a lot further out and in the bigger and faster
waves. I knew I had to head further out into the faster waves
or they'd soon get a few good runs and leave me behind. I
also knew that if I were to head out, it would mean paddling
sideways to the course, leaving Matt and Dan to get a bit
of a lead.
Photo John O'Sullivan
I changed my course and
headed out to sea a little further. I paddled hard sideways
to the waves as I knew every second I was headed in the wrong
direction would mean more time I'd waste not going at speed
towards my target. I made sure I was out far enough as I didn't
want to have to waste more speed brining the nose around and
doing it all over again. I was thankful that the double weren't
that far ahead and I was now bearing down on them hot on their
tail.
I continued cruising towards the ocean club. I was keeping
up with Matt, but I didn't seem to be gaining on them. I had
a serious examination of my condition and knew I could have
been doing better. It felt like I was starting to slow, or
the others were starting to increase their pace. I was starting
to switch off and let the race go. I was beginning to brainstorm
excuses for when I got back to hide the fact that I switched
off. It was after a couple of minutes of this that I realised
my average speed was dropping and the dreaded double was slipping
further and further from my reach. I snapped myself out of
it and remembered Thursday night training when I did the same.
It was then I put my determined face on and thought to myself
'Come on, you should seriously be able to catch someone like
Matt who you can beat so easily on flatwater; especially as
you've spent the whole summer in Kalbarri doing downwind every
afternoon'. I put some serious sprints on and within a matter
of seconds; all those who had surrounded me for the last few
kilometres were long gone in the distance behind me.
Getting lumpier out of the cut. Photo John O'Sullivan
I was on a roll. I could
feel the boat pick up and run down wave after wave, only allowing
me to rest during the increasing frequent moments that it
was gliding down the face of the wave at more than 22kms/hr.
Within a couple of minutes I was right on top of Matt and
ready to overtake. I assumed that they thought I would have
been ahead of them and when I caught up with them after the
race, I found my assumption was dead right. I powered straight
past them and left them well behind in my wash. I saw that
Kris Plain was racing and I was really hoping to beat him
after he has beaten me by an increasingly smaller margin each
time I race him. I had not seem him all race, so I continued
on powering because I knew that he was either just in front
and hopefully tiring so I could close the gap, or he was somehow
behind me and I needed to keep myself out of his sight so
that he had no hope of catching me.
I continued on the pace all the way to the finish. I got some
pretty amazing runs and felt like I was absolutely flying
down some of the waves. My footwell only got swamped once
which was good, although I probably spent a couple of seconds
too long fiddling around with my venturi. What I should have
done is opened it fully, carried on and then closed it a little
more when I was on a wave and the boat was empty. It only
cost me one wave and I was soon back on the pace. As we neared
the point where we had to head through the bay and over the
finish line, the field which, as with most downwind races,
was widely spread came together a lot closer. I could see
Kris about 200 metres ahead. I was closing in on him, but
I could see that the finish line was closing in even faster.
I powered along, leaving young Byron and his dad in their
double and another man who'd been leapfrogging me in his bright
blue Nelo ski in my wake. I rounded the point and saw that
there was another leapfrogger following Kris into the finish.
I powered along, somehow finding even more power within myself
than I had already been putting down since leaving Matt. Although
I knew I wasn't going to completely close the gap behind Kris
in the distance left, I made a special effort to ensure the
time difference was as short as it could have been.
The leaders and winners
Michael Booth (180) and David Graham. Photo John O'Sullivan
As I powered to the line,
I could hear the support cheers of Wise Ray Smith and his
wife from the shore which was very welcomed. I crossed the
line in a time of 51:19 which I was very pleased about, especially
compared to last years' 59 minutes. I came 9th in the open
section which gave even more cause for celebration.
The presentations were much better than last year as we didn't
have to hang round for ages after the race waiting for them.
It was great as usual to catch up with everyone afterwards.
The ride home was a good chance to catch up with Dad and James
after their adventures through the Deep South, although it
was still quite a lot quieter than the drive down.
As with last years' Duel, the 2017 Mandurah Duel was very
successful and great fun due to the wonderful organisation
and fantastic conditions. Another great credit to Matt Smith
and the rest of the Duel team! I will almost certainly be
back next year.
More photos of the race
can be found online at https://johnosullivanphotography.smugmug.com/.../2017.../.
All rights of photographs belong to Mr. John O’Sullivan.
Luke Dooley
1. Michael Booth 42.50,
2. David Graham 42.58, 3. Brendan Rice 43.25, 4. Travis England
45.20, 5. Dean Beament 45.41, 6. James Duncan 45.54
Full results here:
https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=90594
Pictures
of the Week
On the Water Near
Home
It seems a strange time
of year to give birth but the Darter doesn't seem to care
how hot it is. I suppose they are usually shaded by overhanging
branches. There are several nests along the river at the moment.
It's fun watching the little ones chatter and feed. and grow
so quickly.
Four young darters share
this nest
Eye, eye - what beautiful
plumage
How they grow in a week.
(Australia Day)
They get so big compared
with the small nest they jostle for a position in it and sometimes
one or two of them fall out of the nest.
****************************
An Egret on Australia
Day
****************************
Everytime this fisherman
sits at this spot the pelican joins him. It has worked out
that it's easier to wait for a fish rather than waste its
energy trying to catch one.
****************************
From our Balcony
This man has got it all
worked out. Just sit back and relax and let the ladies do
all the work.
****************************
There must be a rowing
race coming up. The river was full of rowers on last Sunday
afrternoon which isn't usual
Rowers are more prevalent
on the river this time of year
****************************
Not many people have
the Ice Cream boat pull up 20 metres from their front door,
(Australia Day)
This is just one of dozens
of power boats exceeding the speed limit in the 5 knot zone.
Several boats tow tubes
in the 5 knot zone. They create erosion of the river banks
especially on high tides but the kids are enjoying themselves
I suppose!! (Australia Day)
****************************
I have circled Ron Courtney
Island hundreds of times but I hadn't seen this sign until
I met a paddler on Australia Day who asked me why Ron Courtney
Island belonged to the Dept of Immigration.
Why does this tiny Island
belong to the Dept of Immigration?
Ron Courtney Island
Is it our next island
detention centre!!??
****************************
Swim Through
Perth
Several members of the
Ascot Kayak Club volunteered to be rescue paddlers for the
Swim Through Perth.
Photos Geoff Corlett
Swim Thru Perth event
.....very tough conditions for swimmers ....strong winds and
big waves....congratulations to all that finished the swim!!!!!!
Well done Jason Gardner for leading Ascot Kayaking Club members
who did an awesome job on the water shepherding swimmers,
keeping them on course and providing visual and psychological
support
Race of the Week
****************************
Canning River Race on 5th February
****************************