31st May 2019                                                            CDU Newsletter 619

Terry 0417 977 330

terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au email

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https://terrybolland.wordpress.com/ trips & achievements

As there were no big paddling events last weekend I thought I might skip the newsletter this week but after a burst water main under my driveway this morning I was a little penned in so I decided not to go paddling or take Nikki for a walk but to put one together anyway.

At 5.15am a lady walking her dog rang me (whilst in bed) to say a huge amount of water was flooding my verge and road. My front lawn was bubbling up.
(Not sure how she got my number.)

I rang the Water Corporation and around 6.15am as the red rays of the sunrise were dying out the night shift gang arrived.

Water was gushing from my nice lawn so they and I were hoping the break was in the lawn area and not under my driveway.

To replace the broken reticulation and new lawn wasn't so bad.

Just as they found out the break was under my driveway the day shift arrived.

After they started digging up the driveway I could see now that we would end up with a crumpled lawn and a patchy driveway. Not what I really wanted but I had no choice. Worse things have happened to people so I put it down as a life experience.

To dig the trench the digger had to remove some of Jenny's prize plants in the garden area and destroy more reticulation. (Oh dear she loves her plants.)

What a mess it was turning into.

Because the water pipe was asbestos the worker had to get suited up to bag it in plastic and replace it with a plastic pipe.

 

As you can imagine the people in the street weren't too impressed as the water had now been off for 5 hours and the toilets needed flushing. It came back on soon after.

(Give some thought to people in war torn countries who don't have water or electricity.)

The workers however were on the go all the time.

With the pipe fixed it was time to fill in the hole.

It will be interesting to see how it would all finish off looking but I was told a repair crew would come out to replace the concrete and repair the retic and lawn.

We will see.

SunSmart Paddle Challenge 2019
 

Registrations close midnight (WST) 6th of June 2019. Late entries will not be accepted, no entries on the day.

All doubles/triples/dragon boats/outrigger 6's must enter as a team.
Any online entry enquiries contact Christopher Greed on 9285 8501 or develop@paddlewa.asn.au

When: Sunday 9th June 2019
Where: AP Hinds Reserve Bayswater
Check-in: 7:00 – 7:45am
First grid will start at 8:15am.
Food & drink after the race are included in the race entry fee.

THE COURSE
The 18km long course will be the main target for many paddlers training up for the Avon Descent this year.
Other courses available include the 11km short course, 6km novice/guppy/SUP course & a 3.5km guppy/SUP course.
 

Enter Here: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=177101

We now have 33 members who regularly take part in either the Tuesday or Thursday night sessions (and some weekends).

 

 

It was funny, well I suppose that isn’t the right word but as Sue Pankhurst and I were watching the presentations at the recent Marathon Championships Sue commented that very few of the athletes knew the correct way to approach the podium. If they did know they weren’t doing it right. Sue was telling me that the athlete should approach the podium from the back and mount and dismount the podium from that position. According to Sue athletes should also be wearing footwear.

Before now I hadn't given it any thought but as we watched we studied every athlete and only 2 or 3 out of a huge amount going up for medals did it to Sue's standard. They got a cheer from us and the others got the thumbs down.  I must admit I didn’t know the etiquette either but I made sure after Sue’s advice that I did it properly when I went up. Sue generally supports the slalom team and I got the impression the slalom paddlers have been told the proper way.

The champs were a real success but what was evident at this champs was the fact that most  athletes going up for medals including me didn’t dress in state colours, although last year in Adelaide most did. It was cold this year when some of the medals were given out so most paddlers were wearing jackets and jumpers to keep warm and I also suppose that some paddlers didn't expect to win medals.

The WA juniors were the best dressed this year and NSWs had their act together. They had a spare shirt so anyone who wasn’t wearing a NSWs state shirt was given the shirt to put on before going on the podium.

 I’m not quite sure if WA has a state jacket for winter wearing but one might come in handy if the nationals are going to be held again when it’s cold.

Most of our state shirts are singlets although there are some long and short sleeve ones but they don’t have WA on the sleeve so when I and others wear a PFD when racing you can’t see the state name or the state emblem. So really I suppose we need a long sleeve shirt that bears WA on the sleeve as well.

Short Video of the Champs by Harry Langley here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlWr_gAJQRY&fbclid=IwAR0FLHstgtQA8ulHiNwXURr1eaOyjcUy8tdRBj2f6RFErQvy1d0K2zrFud8

David Worthy & Maya Elston win gold in the mixed 45-54 division. Garth Civil & Leanne Smith silver and David Little & Pauline Findlay bronze. 

Photo Britt-marie Good-gerne

I don't know if Maya was dancing because she was happy to see me or happy to see Wendy or just happy because she won a medal at the Australian Championships.

Or was she happy because she just loves her new Alchemist Kayak.

Whatever it was she better not give up her day job.

Wendy and Maya

A few members of the Over 45 Paddling Club taking off from Sandy Beach.

It’s that time of year again when thousands of cormorants patrol the Swan River like aircraft squadrons swooping between the banks sometimes at water level, other times at tree level. To be on the river and watch them soar towards me like fighter pilots and at the last moment, before reaching me, swoop skywards makes for a magical moment.

More excitement comes when they find a school of fish and then dive in the water, many surfacing with a fish in their mouths. But their dinner is not secure until the fish is completely swallowed because pelicans amongst the masses chase the cormorants and try to steal the fish. It’s a real spectacle.

Where these thousands of cormorants come from and where they roost at night I’m not quite sure. All I know is that they fly in from the city direction and usually head back that way. Someone living downstream may be able to tell me where they go for the night.

Pelicans at the ready to steal the fish the cormorants catch.

When their gullets are full they head back downstream towards Perth.

Three Stilts resting at Garvey Park, Redcliffe. Opposite there is a pair of Ospreys nesting on Ron Courtney Island.