700

Well this is my 700^th CDU Newsletter. I wonder how many people have received it from the start. It would be good to know. If you are like most people though you may have changed your computer several times since the first newsletter and lost them.
 

This week is a big week for me as I am turning 70 on Thursday and that’s when I start paddling 7000 kilometres on my 70^th birthday year.

It doesn’t sound a lot but it will be a challenge. 

With this challenge I hope to promote Prostate Cancer. As most of you know I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in 2018 after which I had it removed and so far everything is going well. Fingers crossed I will stay healthy at least this year.

(So if you are a man over 50 why not have a Prostate Check.)

Sunrise at training last Saturday morning.
 

A bright full moon at Garrett Road Bridge.

Marie Andersson at training Thursday morning.

Photo Marie.

AKC Progressive Racing Group
 

Nearly full moon and a red sky.
 

Paddlers passing and chasing each other.
 

PRG Skills session on a Friday night.

Paddlers getting ready for the Avon Descent.  

Ascot Saturday Juniors
 

The juniors finish their training session.
 

Volunteers help out.
 

Ascot was buzzing on Saturday morning. Must have been a hundred paddlers there.

New GT TK1s

I delivered two TK1s to CRCC.
 

Lloyd - Great bit of engineering there David.
 

Canning Canoe Club members Lloyd Noel, Donna West and David Griffiths happy with their new TK1s.

Made in Australia by Grafton Paddle Sports and sold by me.

Canning River Canoe Club

Club Night Tuesdays.

A Reminder that Fishing Lines can Kill our Wildlife.

I went for my usual 12km paddle on Monday morning but turned around early to join a paddler paddling back to Ascot. As I hadn’t done my morning quota I decided to paddle up to the Tonkin Highway Bridge to make up the distance. On my return ravens, white cockatoos and a few other birds were squawking on the Redcliffe side of the riverbank opposite Claughton Reserve, Bayswater. I could also hear the sound of a Whistling Kite so I headed for the sound. To my glee two kites were sitting there on a low branch of a dead tree. As I glided towards them I was hoping I could get my camera out before they flew off. One then flew to a higher tree but the other stayed there which was great.

Then I saw a White Faced Heron below it bound with fishing line to what looked like a stake. It was as if someone had tied it up and left it there to be ravaged by other birds and predators. It was a sorry sight.

I jumped out of my kayak, walked over to it, took my knife out and wrapped my hands around its body. Its body was lower than its legs which were bound unbelievably tight with fishing line. It was hard to understand how the line had wrapped around both legs and how the line had somehow tied itself around the broken off sapling!

The White Faced Heron was staked down.
 

It was hard to consider it had managed to wrap line around both of it legs and then get tangled to the sapling. 

The Heron was quite calm considering the fishing line was cutting into its legs. I cut the line from the sapling and looked for walkers coming down the path so I could ask them for help. It would have been easier to cut the line with two people but no-one was around so I held it with one hand and tried cutting the line with the other.

It got a little agitated when I slipped the knife blade between its legs and the line to cut it, which I had no option to do several times to get it free. Although I was being careful to keep it at arms length, at one point it did manage to peck me on my forehead.

I managed to cut the line which was wrapped around its legs.

Indentations of the line were clear to see.
 

It settled and seemed appreciative.
 

Eventually I cut the line free, let the heron go and watched it walk away a little dazed. It tried jumping on to my kayak but it didn’t seem to have the lift and slid back into the water. I watched it swim with some uneasiness. It tried to fly off but it barely got off the water. I could see it was more injured than I had realized, so I had to make a decision to try to catch it again or leave it to recover on its own. That might mean it could die though.

It was time to let it go to see how it would go.
 

It stood for a while before trying to leap onto my new Time Bandit kayak.
 

It didn't quite get far enough onto the kayak and slipped off.

I slipped back into my kayak and paddled over to it thinking it would skittle away from me, but it allowed me to pick it up and place it under my legs in my cockpit to take it home.

As I reached the steps where I get out to go home the tide was really high so I was wondering how I was going get out in thigh deep water, hold onto the heron and lift my kayak up the steps to head home. Luckily after a couple of pecks it didn’t struggle so I managed to hold it with my left hand and lift my kayak with my right hand.

It sits there and enjoys being free.
 

As it climbs out of the water it looked a bit shell shocked.

Once at home I placed it in a box and rang the Wildlife Rescue Centre. They put me on to the Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Lesmurdie so soon after Jenny and I drove it to the centre to get it checked out. At first they said it seemed to be okay and I could take it back, but after another check they found that it couldn’t fly above a metre high so they decided to keep it there for a few days to let it recover. When it does recover they will give me a call and I will be return it back to its home.

 

This is not the first time I have seen our birds tangled in fishing lines, it happens all the time so this is not an isolated case. Pelicans and dolphins are killed every year after being tangled in fishing lines.

It is certainly a reminder that whenever we see a fishing line dangling from a tree we must cut it down.

It is impossible to stop people to fish. They would never climb a tree to recover their snagged lines, so maybe the fishing association should check the riverbanks to recover all the rubbish and discarded and snagged fishing lines that are left behind and not leave it to paddlers.

If you want to volunteer to help our local wildlife you can contact the centre below. You can also donate to help the centre help more injured wildlife.

 

https://business.facebook.com/KanyanaWildlife/

https://www.volunteer.com.au/volunteering/6928/animal-attendant

https://www.facebook.com/KanyanaWildlife

Sandy Beach Jetty
 

The stumps of the old jetty still remain.

A new jetty that looks similar to the old one is about to be built at Sandy Beach.

The timers for the Saturday morning race will have a better position to record times again.

Yippeee 
 

A crane barge nearly ready to install the jetty.

With that sort of equipment no wonder a small jetty cost so much.

The buoys race is the first Wild Water race of the season, although it's on flatwater but the race still tests paddlers skill and speed. Buoys are positioned and staggered along the edges of the river in a big 1.3km circuit so paddlers have to zig-zag around the buoys. Speed alone is not enough, skill is extremely important. 

Bruce McWhirter on the right sends paddlers off at 30 second intervals. 

 

George and Clare Pankhurst racing over the finish line in a C2.

 

Paddlers waiting for their turn.

 

Over 55 winner Phil Edwards.
 

David Burdette taking off second place.

 

Winner Luke Dooley finishing his first run.
 

Isabel Florisson. First time in a Wild Water Kayak.
 

Lawrence Greed & Grant Pepper checking their race times on Wednesday night
after both and a few others were beaten by me at the buoys race on Sunday.
 

Grant was so disappointed on Sunday.
Why - because I beat him in the Wild Water Buoys Race. On the first run I beat him by 7 seconds and although he tried his hardest on his second run he just couldn't manage to beat me.

Apparently since then he hasn't been able to sleep.

He has also placed a photo of me on the side of his kayak and hits it on every paddle stroke. He has also been training several hours a day to increase his fitmess.

It has affected him that much he has asked for a rematch before I turn 70 on Thursday because he is so embarrassed of being beaten by a much older man.

Next time you see him, be nice to him and try and cheer him up. He is very fragile!!!

(Even people in England have heard about his loss.)

At The Sprint Championships
 

Coach Andrew Crothers with the young team.

Photographer Michelle Major who was also the Team Manager
 

The Boldy family rugged up and ready to go.

Morgan and Noah did exceptionally well.

Photo Michelle Major.
 

Part of the Greed family, mum Anita with Matthew and Nicholas.

Wearing a medal in the Open MK2 200 against a quality field.

Photo Michelle Major.
 

The girls showing some muscle.

Photo Michelle Major.
 

U16 boys. Mitchell Tamblin, James Garratt - Daniel Sharkey, Daniel Rupenovic.

Photo Michelle Major
 

Centre Olivia Berson wk1 200 and U16 Sammy Lourey wk1 200 U16 right.

Both girls did really well in other events.
Its good to see the young team who haven't been paddling long doing so well.

I was chasing Olivia in the last two marathon races.

Photo Michelle Major.
 

Jamie Roberts enjoying her success.

How Will Seeding Work?

Competitors will receive points for:

1. Higher placement in a race, more points awarded (see below)
2. The more races participated in, the more points awarded
3. Entering the Avon Descent prior to a race, extra points awarded
4. Where two competitors have the same number of points at the end, they will be differentiated by total race time across all 3 races.
5. Wildcard draws will be held for bonus points
6. International and interstate paddlers are assessed and gridded on a discretionary basis to be alongside those of equal skill level
7. Teams, doubles and triples will be gridded according to the team member with the highest individual points across the 3 races

Points System

To enter

  https://www.avondescent.com.au/2021-entry-paddle/

For more information about the race

https://www.avondescent.com.au

Winter Series
 

Winter Race Dates 7.00 am Start. 6.30 am rego.

Sat June 19^th
Sat July 24^th
Sat Aug 21^st

Along the Banks
 

An egret stands near and a coot passes the stake that the White Faced Heron was attached to.
 

A egret and a spoonbill enjoy feeding at the end of a drain opposite Claughton Reserve, Bayswater.
 

King of the River

Extreme Race

King of the River is a new race designed to get everyone in to extreme racing. Held on the top rapid to the weir on the King River, Vic, and in Sprint format - the race is designed for safety and sprint racing allowing everyone a taste and practice for the bigger races later in the season.

The Race will be in head to head format, with the top competitors moving through to the next rounds.

Cash and gear Prizes. $80 entry fee ( includes dinner and presentation)

VENUE: King River Vic

Date: September 5, 2021

Sponsors - EXO kayaks, VAIKOBI, CANOES PLUS, LIQUIDLIFE

Craft: Inflatables, plastic Kayaks less than 2.9m

http://learntokayak.net/contents/en-us/p24220_KING-OF-THE-RIVER---EXTREME-SPRINT-RACE.html?fbclid=IwAR1tDMNWrjsFPgpdWxeJPjbbtShpVWzWhpv9Khi1dtr7dOtHwUIoS5awFU8

Register for 2021 Double Barkers 30th May 2021

IOP DownWind Race Dates

Here’s the IOP tentative 2021-22 summer race schedule.
Some of the dates are still tentative requiring DOT approval.

Winter Race Dates 7.00 am Start. 6.30 am rego.

Sat June 19^th
Sat July 24^th
Sat Aug 21^st

Summer Series:

Sept 18^th              IOP. (Swanbourne to Sorrento). (19^th backup).
Oct 16^th                Australian Masters Games. (Fremantle to Sorrento).
Oct 30^th                IOP. (Fremantle to Sorrento) (31^st backup).
Nov 14^th               Mandurah Duel.
Nov 20^th               West Coast Downwinder (21^st backup).
Nov 23^rd               SSS#1 Tuesday.
Nov 25^th               SSS#2 Thursday.
Nov 27^th               The Doctor.
Dec 1^st                   AOCRA Series Race. Skis invited on the Snapper Course (Wednesday).
Dec 2^nd                  SSS#3 Thursday.
Dec 4^th                  King of the Cut, Mandurah.
Dec 18^th                Christmas Paddle – Swanbourne to Sorrento. (19^th backup).
Jan 15^th                 Gauge Roads. (16^th Backup) (29^th & 30^th also backup).
Feb 19^th                Drummers Run. (20^th backup).
March 26^th           IOP Race TBA.

LiveLighter Paddle Challenge 2021

Sunday 13th June | AP Hinds Reserve
Entries are now open for the 2021 LiveLighter Paddle Challenge!

The race is sure to be bigger than ever, with the number of outriggers, SUPs and Dragon Boats increasing at every event! This year, the race will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2021 Avon Descent 🌊 And as always, a wide range of race distances is on offer so that everybody can pick the best challenge for themselves!

18km Long Course
11km Short Course
6km Novice Course
3.5km Guppy Course

Registrations close 10.00am on Friday 11th June. Please contact develop@paddlewa.asn.au for all queries.

Paddle WA

Basic Skills Course 

12.30pm | Johnson St, Mosman Park

Paddle WA's next Basic Skills Course is almost here so get your bookings in now. 
Skills 
- Knowledge of craft & equipment
- Correct paddling strokes
- Correct posture and technique
- Launching & landing your craft
- Assisting with deep water rescues

$120 (adults) or $80 (12-18 years)
Perfect for all ages & paddling abilities
All equipment provided (kayak, paddle, life jacket)
Certificate upon successful completion

Go here:

https://paddleaustralia.azolve.com/workbench/public/events?ref=1F860F7373ADC9D2D19C552A8A1E6BC536F18D2C

2021 Australian Masters Games

9th-16th October 2021 | Perth WA

Western Australia will be hosting the 2021 Australian Masters Games later this year, and Paddle WA is excited to announce that we will be offering events across three disciplines to compete in!

Canoe Marathon 10th & 11th October 2021
Canoe Sprint - 13th October 2021
Canoe Ocean Racing - 16th October 2021

Like the Gen 3 V10, the V9 has been optimized for downwind surfing, with increased rocker, and stability. Flatwater speed is a step up from the V8 Pro due to the slightly narrower beam. This is the boat many paddlers have been waiting their whole lives for – the one that launches you onto the swells, glides efficiently across the water, and keeps you in the “zone”.

Length: 5.79 m (19'0")
Width:  49 cm
Depth: 32 cm
Capacity: 120 kg
Ultra 12kgs
$4900.00

Epic Paddles
 

Club Carbon $460.00

Midwing Club Carbon construction - 737 grams; comes standard with Epic’s Length-Lock 2™ adjustable ferrule technology.

Carbon fibre blade, Green oval fibreglass/carbon shaft.

Fully adjustable length & feather.
Includes paddle bag.

Vaikobi PFD
 

Lightweight and comfortable.

$165.00