Brody Crawford playing at Bells Rapid.

Brody has been living in Sydney to train on the Penrith Slalom Course. He was the reserve C1 paddler for the Olympics.

Luckily he came home well before the Sydney lockdown. He will be paddling in the Avon Descent in a double with George Pankhurst.

The group.

After this paddle I have decided to paddle a 415 kayak instead of my Wild Water kayak. I want to enjoy the challenge so changing to a more stable kayak will give me that.

The water current is so fast it won't matter how slow you boat is, you will finish.
 

Emu Falls was one of the easier rapids.

However there are some big standing waves at the bottom of Scorpion's Tail and several trees further downstream that you can be pushed into.
 

The Shredder is washed out but there are still standing waves and trees that you can easily get pushed towards.
 

The overflow channel on the right bank at Syd's Rapid.

Not recommended. 
 

This stopper on the left route at Syd's Rapid is going to create lots of problems.

 

If you capsize or get washed off line higher up on Syd's Rapid you could end up going over the waterfall.

Not recommended.
 

Syd's Waterfall.

That's a pretty big hole.

 

Jeremy, Nina, Kris, Geraint, Wendy and I.
 

Leaving from West Toodyay Bridge.
 

Downstream of Super Chute.

at Walyunga National Park

The winner Harry Langley.

Photo Kris Smith.
 

Wayne Martin.

Photo Kris Smith.
 

Going down the Walyunga Chute.
 

Isabel Combe.

Photo Kris Smith.
 

Jane Dooley.

Down, Down, Down.
Photo Kris Smith.

Kimberley Kayak Expedition #6

Sunday

We were up at 5.20am had breakfast and started carrying our gear down to the water. By 7.30am with the water up to the bottom of the beach we set off towards Dampier’s Monument near Lord and Byron Islands. We heard whale sounds so we stopped and listened, but we couldn’t see any whales and when we started paddling again we heard the sound again and then we realised the sound was coming from Don’s squeaky rudder!

Within a kilometre of Lord Islands the current accelerated and started to push us into the sound and away from where we wanted to go. We paddled hard to reach the island and then we had to paddle hard again to get to Dampier’s Monument. It is an island 97 metres high. Dampier had come through this area in 1688 aboard his ship the Roebuck. We gathered at the southern end of the island and decided to go anticlockwise around it. As we nipped around the eastern end against the current Don spotted a whale. And it was a whale and not the sound of Don’s rudder. He and John moved over towards it. It disappeared for some time then came up again.

Don and John continued the chase and the whale came up close to Don. I tried getting my camera ready but they were too far away. Then the whale rose again really close to Don. What a thrill he got. He started paddling backwards with his hands which he had his camera in.

The whale took off, but later it appeared to our left. John and Tel followed the whale into the distance. Being surrounded by islands it was a magical place. We left it and paddled towards Lord Island trying to avoid all the overfalls and breaking waves that were all around us. We headed for a narrow gap between Lord and Byron Islands which was lined with mangroves and a gulley on our right was choc a bloc with pandanas palms. When we hit the mangroves the guys had the lines out and Gary soon had a fish.

It was a great paddle against the current but then we came to a small rapid and it took quite a lot of grunt to get up it. We collected at the top of the rapid and then moved on skirting the mangroves. Once out of the channel the current assisted us for a while. At the end of the island there was quite a crossing to Hidden Island. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem but the current between the islands was pretty fast. The ferry glide was going to be tough. Looking back I could see we were drifting in the wrong direction but I was determined to go to the eastern side of the island. The current made us drift in a big arch, but we managed to claw our way back.

Getting ready to enter a swift current.
 

The current was swift.

We could now see beckoning beaches on Hidden Island. All we had to do was to get there. It was a tough ferry glide but we managed to get into a bay that had pure white sand, just like Esperance. It was hard to understand why such a beautiful white beach was in an area with the second highest tides in the world, with the fast currents and with so many mud flats around.
 

Heading to Silica Beach.

The beach was as white as white. What a magical place, but it was disappointing to see a bbq plate discarded at the top of the beach. Once out of our kayaks the beach sand was extremely soft but before striding it out we just walked into the water, cooled off and chatted before I climbed the ridge to get great views of the incredibly extra white beach that dazzled my eyes. The beach was so white and dazzling that even in the photos they looked over exposed.
 

Enjoying a cool down at Silica Beach.
 

Silica Beach.

Gary cooked the fish that was caught that day and then had a game of 9 hole golf with Tel while I wrote in my diary. The wind picked up that afternoon so we cooked in the gulley. Believe it or not it got quite cool that night.

Monday

The tide wasn’t high enough by the time we were ready to leave so with time to spare we decided to have a cricket match on the sand flat. Tel used his Ainsworth paddle which was a true testament that they were tough. It was great fun and I thought I was still young so I did two flying somersault dives and survived.
 

Silica Beach on low tide playing cricket and waiting for the tide to arrive.

 

Silica Beach on low tide.

When the water eventually reached the base of the beach we dragged and carried our boats to the water and paddled away punching into a southerly wind. We came to the end of the island where we had to climb a tide race to get out in the open. The wind made paddling difficult, although up to now we have had it too easy.

Looking towards the mainland we noticed an unusual island that looked similar to the ones you might find in Thailand or in a James Bond movie.

We soon started to drift and the closer we became to Shirley Island the further we drifted. I signalled the crew to paddle faster but it was no good we were losing the battle. We quickened our pace towards the cliff shore to try and use any eddies along the cliff. The current was still moving quickly. but it worked. However there was a lively current trying to move around a rocky outcrop and more resistance as we tried to get around the first point. For a while we stood still. Our arms were moving but the kayaks were only inching forward.

After successfully getting up the rapid we had yet another one to fight. With great relief we made it. Our next target was to go through the gap between Shirley and Dorney Island hoping that the water wasn’t going to be against us. It wasn’t so we just sat in our boats and let the water take us.

We found a beach on Dorney Island to have a quick stop before crossing over to three unmnamed islands.

Although the current didn’t seem to be too much against us, the closer we got to the islands the harder it became. We couldn’t believe it when we noticed the currents were spiralling north through the islands instead of our want for it to go south.

Standing waves and overfalls were over to our left of the channel. I led the team towards the right island and stopped just north of it. The water was gushing through the channel at an enormous pace. The question was, could we climb it.

I gave it a go and managed to inch my way up. Gary followed and I thought he was going to go over when he hit the current but it managed to keep upright. The others followed. Just when we had thought we had completed the task we realised that when we relaxed we weren’t moving.

One by one the team climbed the rapid and then paddled to a beach nearby. It was about noon. We pulled our boats up. Don, John and I went to climb the ridge while the others sat in the water trying to cool down. It was an impressive sight from the top of the hill.
 

Within the hour the current had eased enough for us to make a move. We still had about 9kms to go. The paddling was slow as we left the islands but we sped up the closer we got to Wall Island. As we climbed through the gap between Wall and Margaret Island there was little resistance. An eagle’s nest was a top a tall column. We paddled along the vertical cliffs of Wall Island in search for a beach. There were no beaches so we had a quick impromptu meeting and decided to head for Margaret Island.

By this time the current had quickened and a rapid was developing between the islands. We quickly hastened over to Margaret to avoid being washed away. We cleared the gap and within 500 metres found two good beaches that joined to one with a rock outcrop in between. Don and Tel started fishing and I soon joined in and caught a shark. Then Tel caught one and Don caught some smaller fish.

About 4.45pm I walked to the point to get some footage of the rapid between the islands. I wasn’t disappointed, it was raging and I mean raging. Back at camp Tel and John were skinning the sharks. Gary cooked it in dried coconut milk and water, and with beans, curry mix, garlic and rice it was tasty. We had a good campfire and enjoyed being out there under the stars. I woke up when the tide was high and lapping up the beach.

Margaret Island Camp.
 

Swift currents looking towards Wall Island from Margaret Island.
 

Bennett Brook Flood Plain
 

Two Ibis perch on an old fence.
 

There are hectares of reeds in the wetland.
 

There are hundreds of channels in the wetland.
 

Dead tree are like telegraph poles.
 

Trees have interesting features.
 

Reflections.