G'Day, Christmas and here in Oz its baking hot; a time of year when I sometimes miss the midwinter snow and cold and long mysterious dusks of the UK! So in the spirit of Wilky's post here's an antipodean trip report as a reminder, for you Northeners, of warmer times. A summer Sunday morning and the offshore forecast is for a 30knot north east wind followed by a 30knot southerly buster. There's a clear blue sky, its 35 centigrade and dry as a bone. Out on the harbour is the best place to be. Theres no swell so we paddle close to the cliffs between Grotto Point and Dobroyd Head. Too rocky for other boats this is a secluded magical place in the heart of Sydney. Nothing but wind and waves sounding against the cliffs and the occasional stray shearwater skimming across the sea. Quite often theres surf and a bombora, which can make this area challenging. A friend caved in the deck of his kayak at Washaway Beach some months ago and its here that Sydney's first boating tragedy occurred. But today is very calm. The water slides and ripples refracting the weed and oyster coated boulders, making them dance in the sun. After an hour of weaving our way around the rock gardens its time to land at Manly Wharf. I've sworn off coffee for the duration so take off to the Magpie for an Angel's Kiss*. By the time we return, the wind and whitecaps have kicked in. Up go the sails for a race home. I stay outside the Bombora trying to get more breeze for my smaller sail. Jay** hugs the shore taking the shorter route. Until Grotto Point I'm ahead but as we round the point he pulls away, easily winning the race. Running towards Balmoral beach two speed boats appear in the distance. They too are racing and decide to split either side of me, but don't show any sign of staying at a reasonable distance. Altering course doesn't seem to be an option so I maintain a straight heading figuring that its predictable and they don't want to damage their boats with a collision. Christmas seems to bring out the best and worst in people as this kind of bad manners is not common on Sydney Harbour. The boats shoot by at a distance of 3 or 4 meters either side, leaving a hugely disorganised wake. Should I roll, hide under the boat, pretend to be drowning and see if they come back? Realise its irresponsible and not worth the effort. Jay is way ahead of me next to some people swimming from a yacht - he calls out that its as good a place as any to practice rolling. The water is clear and cool and refreshing as the Angel's Kiss at Manly. It makes rolling practice the most sensible and pleasant activity for the day. The kayaks rock in the wash from passing boats but we're protected by a nearby reef. The conditions are perfect to reinforce last weeks lessons. As we practice, the two swimmers drift away from their yacht into a current, which is taking them around the reef - one of them is learning to swim and in a slightly exasperated voice says she is getting tired. Jay in his trusty Greenlander "Beauseant" (named for the battle standard of the Knights Templar) paddles over asking "Prithee fair maid, dost require assistance?" she replies in a sweet but anxious tone "Kind sir I am taken by this current and would find my way back to yonder craft". Jay, the sun glinting from his titanium coated shirt offers her the stirrup at his bow and manfully strives against the 20 cm waves and 2000 milliknot current until she regains the boat and safety. We make farewell rolls; then they ask for an encore! The younger woman is from France and wants to video the rolls for her friends. We're gong to be famous in Paris!!:~) A slow paddle along the beach going home - three small boys call out "hey mister would you capsize your boat - pleeeease??" Seems its showtime on the water this weekend and also its very hot so naturally I oblige, smile and paddle on. Jay is several yards behind and as he passes the young fellers I hear them call "Hey mister ..... !!" I'm not sure what the moral of all this is - perhaps our best rolls are when showing off! Next week we will take off for points south so back at Skiffies its time to 'make and mend'. We clean the salt from our boats with damp cloths (its one of the longest droughts on record over here). In the distance carollers are singing at the Middle Harbour Yacht Club. As we leave the boathouse, complex gusts whirl the dust while the north and south winds strive for equilibrium. Driving slowly home, soundless lightning flashes. Coming in through my driveway the rain pours down. All the best, PeterO * An Angel's Kiss is an icy drink of coconut milk, fresh mango, rasberry and various secret spices - its much better than coffee:~) ** Names changed in this thoroughly reliable report - to protect the innocent:~) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). 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Thanks Peter it felt good to paddle in warm waters with you even if it was only in my imagination. Bob an antipodean trip report as a reminder, >for you Northeners, of warmer times. > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
For me, the electronic-sun-therapy is working. The story by Peter was drenched in sunshine, and really, I felt a bit of sunshine diverting to my white skin. Keep those stories coming, please! Meanwhile, the worst is over. The temperature will surely drop further, but once more we made it past the shortest day. An interesting physical phenomon will occur: Although the sunrise will stay at the same time, or even get a little later, the sunset is already getting later every day. Soon you will have the sun full in your eyes when you drive back from work. By then, every day will add two minutes to the time available for an afterwork paddle. Hang in there! Niels. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Mon, 23 Dec 2002 19:57:23 -0800, "Niels Blaauw" <niels.blaauw_at_wanadoo.nl> said: Soon you will have the sun full in your eyes when you drive back from work. By then, every day will add two minutes to the time available for an afterwork paddle. Niels, some us are perfectly happy paddling in the dark, in the cold, bumping off ice, and hauling icy pogies around on every stroke in our afterwork paddles. Or at least one of us is! But the list I just made doesn't make it sound nearly as nice as it is. The advantage of dark paddling is listening to the owls calling and beaver tails slapping that don't happen so much in the times of light paddling. And the fact that the kids on the bridges can't see me as well, so their rocks usually miss. Jim Tibensky *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Fun to read, Peter. Oh, I wish it were a bit warmer here. Mike, Chris and I took off this morning from Newcastle, New Hampshire. We paddle from the Commons on the ocean up the Piscataqua River, and down through Odione Point, a round trip of five miles. I got to use my new Cricket Inuit Paddle. Took some getting used to, I'd say. Some squirly water taught me I need several more miles to feel comfortable with low and high braces. But I'm happy with the acceleration of the 90 inch wood laminate paddle. I made it easily under the bridge against a 5 knot flood tidal current. What wonderful craftsmanship from Cricket! Mike's Greenlander stick is nice; he made it himself and it cost him only $12 or so. But it is heavier than my Cricket, being solid wood... and it's a bit shorter and tapers more quickly to the loom. Our 38 degree F. temp and 15 mph southwest wind, combined with one of the northeast's strongest tidal river currents gave us good practice. I've got a goal too! I need 17 more miles to make it to 200 for the previous 6 months. Only seven days left... Tom At 11:53 PM 12/23/2002 +1100, PeterO wrote: >Next week we will take off for points south so back at Skiffies its time to >'make and mend'. We clean the salt from our boats with damp cloths (its one >of the longest droughts on record over here). In the distance carollers are >singing at the Middle Harbour Yacht Club. As we leave the boathouse, complex >gusts whirl the dust while the north and south winds strive for equilibrium. >Driving slowly home, soundless lightning flashes. Coming in through my >driveway the rain pours down *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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