the lake, here it is, pictured on Wednesday from a
spot slightly west of where the river runs on.
Doesn't look like fun.
Friday 12 December 2014
Lake Alexandrina
the lake, here it is, pictured on Wednesday from a
spot slightly west of where the river runs on.
Doesn't look like fun.
Tuesday 9 December 2014
Monday 8 December 2014
Wind
Today I managed 32kms, mostly into wind. I got to a picnic area called Avoca Dell, in Murray Bridge, and have trailered the boat to a Marina where we had arranged to keep it overnight. I expected to row in, but at 3pm I was making about 1kph with 8kms still to go, so It would have been a late night. This means I have taken about 8kms off the distance paddled. I think today's run puts me up to 1110 anyway.
Tomorrow more wind is forecast, and the following days are worse, so I intend to give it a go tomorrow and where I end up is "the end". I hope it will be Wellington. One could sit around here for weeks waiting for the wind to drop.
I had the company today of a kayaker, Joel. He is a Murray Bridge local but has paddled down from Yarrawonga, which is a long way. He also was fed up with the wind.
Sent from my iPad
Tomorrow more wind is forecast, and the following days are worse, so I intend to give it a go tomorrow and where I end up is "the end". I hope it will be Wellington. One could sit around here for weeks waiting for the wind to drop.
I had the company today of a kayaker, Joel. He is a Murray Bridge local but has paddled down from Yarrawonga, which is a long way. He also was fed up with the wind.
Sent from my iPad
Sunday 7 December 2014
Pellaring Reach
Pellaring Reach still had a nasty chop and breaking waves. Must be horrible in a fresh wind.
Thursday 4 December 2014
Progress
If I seem to have gone quiet, it is because I have been pretty well stuffed at the end of the day.
I have got as far as Bowhill, between Swan Reach and Manum. At Swan Reach, I camped at Punyerlroo Caravan Park, which was fine. Last night was at Walker's Flat (Hettner Landing) where I camped by a council sign saying "No Camping". Tonight, the boat is camping beside a "shack" and I am camping in a nice hotel at Murray Bridge.
It is a feature of the last few days that the final few kms is straight into wind. Today was no exception and I ended on a SW facing reach with a SW wind pushing me back. I was rowing into wind most of the day but not like this stuff at the end. I still got along OK and ended with 104kms to go to Wellington.
Marg negotiated the right to tie up at this shack. There is a lot of private property down here which makes it difficult to row to one's limit and then just lob onto the bank and camp. In fact, I suspect there are more "private property, keep off" signs than there are trees. More of this later.
I don't plan to row tomorrow as the wind is forecast to be more of the same. A day off will do no harm. The next leg involves Pellaring Reach, which is long and SW-NE, noted for throwing up white caps in a SW wind. It even delayed Sturt in 1830.
The river down here is wide and also floods many lagoons and wetlands. It would be interesting to know what the evaporation rate is from the total exposed surface of the Murray and the associated lagoons in South Australia, and how it compares to the flow delivered across the SA border in the Murray.
Sent from my iPad
I have got as far as Bowhill, between Swan Reach and Manum. At Swan Reach, I camped at Punyerlroo Caravan Park, which was fine. Last night was at Walker's Flat (Hettner Landing) where I camped by a council sign saying "No Camping". Tonight, the boat is camping beside a "shack" and I am camping in a nice hotel at Murray Bridge.
It is a feature of the last few days that the final few kms is straight into wind. Today was no exception and I ended on a SW facing reach with a SW wind pushing me back. I was rowing into wind most of the day but not like this stuff at the end. I still got along OK and ended with 104kms to go to Wellington.
Marg negotiated the right to tie up at this shack. There is a lot of private property down here which makes it difficult to row to one's limit and then just lob onto the bank and camp. In fact, I suspect there are more "private property, keep off" signs than there are trees. More of this later.
I don't plan to row tomorrow as the wind is forecast to be more of the same. A day off will do no harm. The next leg involves Pellaring Reach, which is long and SW-NE, noted for throwing up white caps in a SW wind. It even delayed Sturt in 1830.
The river down here is wide and also floods many lagoons and wetlands. It would be interesting to know what the evaporation rate is from the total exposed surface of the Murray and the associated lagoons in South Australia, and how it compares to the flow delivered across the SA border in the Murray.
Sent from my iPad
Monday 1 December 2014
Day off
Yesreday, with a 6am start, I rowed from Morgan to Blanchetown, and I am now positioned to pass through lock 1 tomorrow morning. That was a run of around 42 kms. The first 3 hours were without any wind at all. After 17 km I stopped at a "shack" and enjoyed a cup of coffee with some folks we met the previous night in the Morgan pub. I was pleased wth my speed, and happy to get a bit of a break with coffee and good company. Shack is a term meaning weekender by the river, and that was the nature of this one, but closer to Morgan, at Morphet Flat, the "shacks" woukd not look out of place harbourside in Sydney.
When I left this stop, around 10.30, a light Northerly had started, and I had any easy time for a while as my main direction is South. Ahhh, but after not long, the wind started to move to the West, inducing chop and giving me a bit of work when the river turned that way. To add to the fun, as I got closer to Blanchetown, Wakeborders appeared. I have not noticed this brand of nautical fun before, but it consists of towing a person on something like a snowboard behind a fairly powerful boat. Unfortunately, the main part of the fun is to get airborne leaping over the wake. This means a big wake is good, and the boats acheive this by not planing, but pushing along with the bow in the air and the back end low. Some apparently can even take water ballast, to push the back end down. High drag, high power, plenty of noise, and a big wake. Now add 4 big speakers on a bar above the windshield, and some thunpa thumpa music and you are close to the picture.
I like to see people having fun, but the drivers of these boats seem totally unaware of what a drama their wake can be to another boat. They are cheery and good natured, And they come close enough to roll my boat over unless I take evasive action, normally pointing the bow into the wake. This way, I bounce over it, slap, slap, slap, and not much comes on board. Alas, this trick removes any momentum I had built up, so it makes the job of rowing somewhat harder.
As the river approaches Blanchetown, it turns Sothwest. As I turned into this 6km straight, I realised that he wind had coninued the journey around the clock and was now fully opposite my direction of travel. Marg had organised a stop at a caravan park and I intended to get there, but this wind was a big pain. So, it was a bit of a struggle at the end of a big day. I reached the park at about 4.45pm after rowing since 6am, with about one hour break. I crawled out of the boat (failed to fall in the water but came close) and just lay on my back on the grass for a bit. Some blokes nearby (wakeboarders!) gave me a hand to haul the boat onto the bank.
I decided that I needed a day off, some steak, and 2 nights in a bed, so the boat is at Blanchetown and I am at Waikerie having fun. I will go back to the boat early tomorrow and get going.
3 days rowing since I came back from my heart tune up, and I have covered about 100kms, leaving me 200 to go. I think early starts are the go down here as the wind is the main problem. I should still be able to finish in 6 or 7 rowing days. We shall see.
When I left this stop, around 10.30, a light Northerly had started, and I had any easy time for a while as my main direction is South. Ahhh, but after not long, the wind started to move to the West, inducing chop and giving me a bit of work when the river turned that way. To add to the fun, as I got closer to Blanchetown, Wakeborders appeared. I have not noticed this brand of nautical fun before, but it consists of towing a person on something like a snowboard behind a fairly powerful boat. Unfortunately, the main part of the fun is to get airborne leaping over the wake. This means a big wake is good, and the boats acheive this by not planing, but pushing along with the bow in the air and the back end low. Some apparently can even take water ballast, to push the back end down. High drag, high power, plenty of noise, and a big wake. Now add 4 big speakers on a bar above the windshield, and some thunpa thumpa music and you are close to the picture.
I like to see people having fun, but the drivers of these boats seem totally unaware of what a drama their wake can be to another boat. They are cheery and good natured, And they come close enough to roll my boat over unless I take evasive action, normally pointing the bow into the wake. This way, I bounce over it, slap, slap, slap, and not much comes on board. Alas, this trick removes any momentum I had built up, so it makes the job of rowing somewhat harder.
As the river approaches Blanchetown, it turns Sothwest. As I turned into this 6km straight, I realised that he wind had coninued the journey around the clock and was now fully opposite my direction of travel. Marg had organised a stop at a caravan park and I intended to get there, but this wind was a big pain. So, it was a bit of a struggle at the end of a big day. I reached the park at about 4.45pm after rowing since 6am, with about one hour break. I crawled out of the boat (failed to fall in the water but came close) and just lay on my back on the grass for a bit. Some blokes nearby (wakeboarders!) gave me a hand to haul the boat onto the bank.
I decided that I needed a day off, some steak, and 2 nights in a bed, so the boat is at Blanchetown and I am at Waikerie having fun. I will go back to the boat early tomorrow and get going.
3 days rowing since I came back from my heart tune up, and I have covered about 100kms, leaving me 200 to go. I think early starts are the go down here as the wind is the main problem. I should still be able to finish in 6 or 7 rowing days. We shall see.
Blanchetown Pub
They don't mess around in South Australia. Here is
the Blanchetown pub, and evidence that the license
was issued only 28 years after Sturt came down the
river.
Sunday 30 November 2014
Lock1
Saturday 29 November 2014
Track me
For new readers, my locations are plotted on the we page below at half hour intervals wile I am rowing.
Sent from my iPhone
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Td96oYC5yElpJeQBDu7FPq7LD7OIOxfW
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Td96oYC5yElpJeQBDu7FPq7LD7OIOxfW
Sent from my iPhone
Morgan
I passed the winery at about 7am so a bit early. However, a little further on, some nice folk on a houseboat offered me a cup of tea and I passed a bit of time with them.
Friday 28 November 2014
Monday 24 November 2014
Google Earth path: Murray Stops.kmz
An experiment. Below is a link to a shared kmz (compressed Google Earth file) which contains a path whose turning points are the locations of my stops along the river. You maybe able to click on it, or at least copy and paste it into your browser and some representation of it should pop up in Google Maps. Try it.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-NI2NTHouAzTk0zcE8yQTk1MzQ/view?usp=sharing
You might note that I followed the wiggly river and not this exact path. This isn't a flying trip.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-NI2NTHouAzTk0zcE8yQTk1MzQ/view?usp=sharing
You might note that I followed the wiggly river and not this exact path. This isn't a flying trip.
Back on deck
Hi All,
I am back in action after a brief stay in Westmead Hospital for heart tune-up.
This morning we went to see the closing ceremony of the Sri Chinmoy Peace Run.
These were the runners we met in Renmark and it was good to see them again after their
successful run. The ceremony also included the unveiling of a fine bronze of Sri Chinmoy in contemplative pose appropriate for this beautiful and peaceful spot an the edge of
Yarralumla bay. For more detail in the images in these posts, just double click (or tap once)
on the image.
For more about the peace run and the aims of the movement, take a look at
http://www.peacerun.org/au/
I hope to be back on the river at Waikerie towards the end of the week.
Friday 14 November 2014
Support crew
Wednesday 12 November 2014
Peace Run.
A lot of folk think I am nuts to do this rowing trip, but in Renmark I met a group doing something I find more remarkable and harder. Take a look at
http://www.peacerun.org/au/
These people stayed at the same hotel we did in Renmark, and I chatted to them at breakfast. They are running from Uluru to Canberra, via Adelaide and the Murray Valley. This is a long way, hot, dry and, in my opinion, the Sturt highway section is scary and not fun. Good luck to them. I hope to be in Canberra when they finish.
http://www.peacerun.org/au/
These people stayed at the same hotel we did in Renmark, and I chatted to them at breakfast. They are running from Uluru to Canberra, via Adelaide and the Murray Valley. This is a long way, hot, dry and, in my opinion, the Sturt highway section is scary and not fun. Good luck to them. I hope to be in Canberra when they finish.
Waikerie
Waikerie
The river, locks, weirs
A few people have asked me "why locks on a river?". For the benefit of anyone reading this blog from outside Australia, I will attempt to explain. Any river nerds can please excuse small inaccuracies, as I believe the basic explanation here is correct.
You probably think a river is something with water in it. This is mostly not true here in inland Australia. Very few (any?) of them flow naturally all the time. Even the Murray has run dry. It starts in the Snowies and runs through 2400 kms of what is (or was) basically desert or near desert. Sturt just got lucky when he first went down the Murrumbidgee and the Murray.
We stopped a week or so back at Border Cliffs, which is the first civilisation/supplies (you do pass locks on the way down) after Wentworth and is 188 kms down the river from it. Situated there is the old customs house which, pre federation, the SA government set up to tax river traffic, which was extensive at the time. However, just a little later, the great drought struck and the river dried up completely. After 2 years, they abandoned the customs post and attempt at duties collection and it was never reinstated due federation. The constitution says no restrictions on trade between the states.
The Darling has supported paddle steamer traffic, and a couple of them are still to be found high and dry and miles from the river, where they ended up in flood times. So that is the other feature of the rivers. Feast or famine. Droughts and flooding rains, in the words of Dorothea Mackellar ( http://www.dorotheamackellar.com.au/archive/mycountry.htm ) The Paroo, when it flows, runs out of Queensland and wanders around before ending in a swamp most times. But in a huge wet, it gets to the Darling. The Lachlan fades into a swamp after staggering about over half of NSW, and did so even in the time of Sturt because his progress on land was blocked by the towering reeds in the dried up swamp where it might enter the Murrumbidgee in a big wet, so he put their boat in the water and went down the Murrumbidgee that way.
So keeping the Murray wet is a big deal, for irrigators all along the river and to guarantee a water supply to South Australia. The weirs, and a lot of careful attention to storage levels and flows, do this job. The locks permit boats to pass the weirs. There are also fish ladders.
If you are flying over inland Australia and see rivers on your chart, look for lines of trees (in contrast to scrubby stuff and red dirt) rather than actual water. In times of flood, look for lines of trees sticking up out of a great expanse of muddy water.
You probably think a river is something with water in it. This is mostly not true here in inland Australia. Very few (any?) of them flow naturally all the time. Even the Murray has run dry. It starts in the Snowies and runs through 2400 kms of what is (or was) basically desert or near desert. Sturt just got lucky when he first went down the Murrumbidgee and the Murray.
We stopped a week or so back at Border Cliffs, which is the first civilisation/supplies (you do pass locks on the way down) after Wentworth and is 188 kms down the river from it. Situated there is the old customs house which, pre federation, the SA government set up to tax river traffic, which was extensive at the time. However, just a little later, the great drought struck and the river dried up completely. After 2 years, they abandoned the customs post and attempt at duties collection and it was never reinstated due federation. The constitution says no restrictions on trade between the states.
The Darling has supported paddle steamer traffic, and a couple of them are still to be found high and dry and miles from the river, where they ended up in flood times. So that is the other feature of the rivers. Feast or famine. Droughts and flooding rains, in the words of Dorothea Mackellar ( http://www.dorotheamackellar.com.au/archive/mycountry.htm ) The Paroo, when it flows, runs out of Queensland and wanders around before ending in a swamp most times. But in a huge wet, it gets to the Darling. The Lachlan fades into a swamp after staggering about over half of NSW, and did so even in the time of Sturt because his progress on land was blocked by the towering reeds in the dried up swamp where it might enter the Murrumbidgee in a big wet, so he put their boat in the water and went down the Murrumbidgee that way.
So keeping the Murray wet is a big deal, for irrigators all along the river and to guarantee a water supply to South Australia. The weirs, and a lot of careful attention to storage levels and flows, do this job. The locks permit boats to pass the weirs. There are also fish ladders.
If you are flying over inland Australia and see rivers on your chart, look for lines of trees (in contrast to scrubby stuff and red dirt) rather than actual water. In times of flood, look for lines of trees sticking up out of a great expanse of muddy water.
Tuesday 11 November 2014
Pause in journey
I should explain this pause, after completeing 846kms of the river, for the benefit of anyone following this blog who isn't up on this heart issue.
A few years back I had the benefit of a procedure to fix atrial fibrillation at Westmead Hospital in Sydney. The procedure is called pulmonary vein isolation and works by creating an area of non conductive scar tissue inside the heart around the pulmonary veins, to stop bad signals sneaking in and making the atria jump before they should.
This fixed my AF for about two years, and then I got it again. This is, apparently, not uncommon, because the scarring may not be complete, and one heals up, so to speak. Thus the folks who do it say that one may need to come back for a second round. This is what I am doing but it just happens to fall in the middle of this rowing jaunt, which happens to also be a fund raiser for Westmead Medical Research Foundation ( https://give.everydayhero.com/au/wagga-to-the-murray-mouth ) as I realise this clever sort of technology does not come for free.
All being well, I will be back on the river towards the end of November.
We are leaving the boat and trailer and associated camping kit here in Waikerie. Andrew, the manager of the Waikerie Hotel/Motel has very kindly offered to store the kit in a secure undercover area, and this is just a great solution. Thanks Andrew!
I should also thank Richard Challis, of Renmark Rowing Club and Peter Lang of Waikerie Rowing club for helping to organise this - local knowledge, mafia of rowers, a fine thing.
While we were in Renmark, Richard, on my day off the river, got me back on the river with his club buddies in a 4 (pictured below). You get one oar each, and are expected to row in sync, which I managed to do. It makes me think about sticking a sliding seat and some riggers on my boat. Anyway, rowing with these guys was a great experience, and I loved every minute of it. They are also a fun social crowd. Richard and Helen also came and helped me put the boat back in the water on leaving.
Now, time for a decent dinner and a sleep in a proper bed without ants, buzzing things, and insomniac birdlife - such are the joys of camping by the river
Les
A few years back I had the benefit of a procedure to fix atrial fibrillation at Westmead Hospital in Sydney. The procedure is called pulmonary vein isolation and works by creating an area of non conductive scar tissue inside the heart around the pulmonary veins, to stop bad signals sneaking in and making the atria jump before they should.
This fixed my AF for about two years, and then I got it again. This is, apparently, not uncommon, because the scarring may not be complete, and one heals up, so to speak. Thus the folks who do it say that one may need to come back for a second round. This is what I am doing but it just happens to fall in the middle of this rowing jaunt, which happens to also be a fund raiser for Westmead Medical Research Foundation ( https://give.everydayhero.com/au/wagga-to-the-murray-mouth ) as I realise this clever sort of technology does not come for free.
All being well, I will be back on the river towards the end of November.
We are leaving the boat and trailer and associated camping kit here in Waikerie. Andrew, the manager of the Waikerie Hotel/Motel has very kindly offered to store the kit in a secure undercover area, and this is just a great solution. Thanks Andrew!
I should also thank Richard Challis, of Renmark Rowing Club and Peter Lang of Waikerie Rowing club for helping to organise this - local knowledge, mafia of rowers, a fine thing.
While we were in Renmark, Richard, on my day off the river, got me back on the river with his club buddies in a 4 (pictured below). You get one oar each, and are expected to row in sync, which I managed to do. It makes me think about sticking a sliding seat and some riggers on my boat. Anyway, rowing with these guys was a great experience, and I loved every minute of it. They are also a fun social crowd. Richard and Helen also came and helped me put the boat back in the water on leaving.
Now, time for a decent dinner and a sleep in a proper bed without ants, buzzing things, and insomniac birdlife - such are the joys of camping by the river
Les
Great Yarra Reach
Great Yarra Reach, and below, Crooked Straight (from ashore).
With a headwind, these would be a problem, but I was lucky.
Breakfast
while drifting along the Great Yarra Reach 16 k out of
Waikerie
Monday 10 November 2014
Progress
Stopped at km 409. Passed lock 3. Big day 43k with some adverse winds. 29 k to Waikerie. Stuffed and gone to bed.
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday 9 November 2014
Progress
Easy day today. Early start, 5.45 am, and an early finish, 2.30pm at Moorock after 38k. Light tail wind helped.
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
Saturday 8 November 2014
Progress
Got to Thiele's Sandbar just short of Loxton. Retrieved by support crew to enjoy dinner at Loxton pub. 38k in adverse winds.
I tie the boat to a tree to make sure it doesn't get carried off by the wind, even though I have hauled it up on the beach. Just around the corner are white caps and a headwind I would not row against.
Friday 7 November 2014
Back on the River.
Back on the river. Made it to a campsite at Berri, 40k. Eating at Indian restaurant in Berri. Something Sturt couldn't do.
Lock 5 this morning. Smooth and courteous as usual. Also, after lock 5, I was met at the Lyrup Ferry because I had asked "support" for some cordial to alter the plastic flavour of the water in my newly acquired camelback. The cordial was actually provided by Richard Challis, secretary of Renmark Rowing club, pictured here with his partner, Helen, and a thirsty version of me.
Shortly after this shot, we spotted an example of Hydromys Chrysogaster, the native water rat, surfacing and diving just offshore. He looked more the size of an otter than a rat, but ratlike.
Lock 5 this morning. Smooth and courteous as usual. Also, after lock 5, I was met at the Lyrup Ferry because I had asked "support" for some cordial to alter the plastic flavour of the water in my newly acquired camelback. The cordial was actually provided by Richard Challis, secretary of Renmark Rowing club, pictured here with his partner, Helen, and a thirsty version of me.
Shortly after this shot, we spotted an example of Hydromys Chrysogaster, the native water rat, surfacing and diving just offshore. He looked more the size of an otter than a rat, but ratlike.
Thursday 6 November 2014
Progress and fun
From the Border Cliffs into Renmark took me 2 days. 637 kms down to 566 kms. Both days featured wind wind wind. On the first day I got to around 604 and faced with another reach into wind with foam all over it, I had a look at the banks for campsite. It was a pretty poor area. Reeds and swamp, or a high bank? Eventually I found a clear bit on the reedy side and pulled in.
That was about 6pm (SA time). Instead of sleeping on the bank, I reorganised the boat and rolled out a newly acquired swag. It worked pretty well. I made phone contact with Marg and also radio contact, for a tryout, and then knocked together a meal, of packet indian dahl and half a can of corned beef, the other half stowed for breakfast.
Sundown = head down, but I noted that the wind was still roaring in the trees and the slop coming around the bend was rocking the boat. Fine. Rock me to sleep, which it did. I woke up about 1 am and it was still windy. By 3 am it had stopped, and all was still. Birds and the thin grey light of dawn woke me at a bit before 6am and the lap lap noises told me that the wind was back, but not roaring at this time.
I rolled everything up, had a biscuit and got going. All good for a while. I even got along "Crooked Straight" a long east west reach below Headings Cliffs. I had been dreading trying to get down that in a westerly, but it was OK. The southerly coming over the cliffs was a bit moderated and was just a nuisance trying to weathercock the boat. I celebrated finishing that straight with corned beef breakfast, then back to rowing.
As the day went on, the wind got stronger. All the southerly reaches and corners were hard. A couple of times I got a bit of help on an easterly run. The final 8 kms into Renmark are south, and then southwest, and then south through tow, finally turning east to the boat ramp at the caravan park. When iI turned the corner onto the long south reach, it was difficult but not as bad as I expected. The reason was apparent further down. The beastly wind had gone round to sw, so I had the last couple of k straight into it.
Marg had organised a cheer squad on the terrace of the club, so that was a bit of fun, but the rowing was less than fun. 4 pm, so I had been rowing for around 10 hours and was starting to lose my sense of humour. Finally I got onto the eastern heading and with the wind in my tail feathers I shot along the last bit to the ramp, where Marg had now relocated with the car and trailer. I got onto the ramp and stumbled out of the boat. You cannot really hang around boat ramps so there is a bit of pressure to get stuff out of the boat and the boat on the trailer, but I was staggering around a bit. A chap turned up with shiny speedboat on a trailer. I chatted with him and he offered me a hand getting the boat out, which was very decent.
This young chap was very helpful and interested in the boat. We got it on the trailer and drove it out of his way and he reversed his outfit down the ramp, having first removed the ties and covers. As is common, he reversed the trailer into the water and then braked to let the boat float off. As is less common, he had not tethered it, so it started to drift away from the ramp. The ramp had concrete sides which would have been a metre above the water edge. Instead of wading after his boat, our man trotted along the ramp side, and as the boat went by, took a standing leap for the foredeck! Time slowed. It looked like the ideal situation to just hit the boat with your feet, kick it out into the stream, and fall backwards into the water, possibly cracking ones head on the concrete wall. But no! This guy was built to get airborne. He landed both feet firmly on the foredeck. The boat moved with his added momentum, but he kept upright and, while we cheered, he started the motor and got it under control. What a character. I have never seen a standing jump like it.
Somewhat cheered, we went off to park the boat and car and get sorted out for dinner at the lovely Renmark hotel.
Marg also made contact with the local rowing club, so we are off to see them now. Back on the river tomorrow morning. I expect it will be windy.
Sent from my iPad
That was about 6pm (SA time). Instead of sleeping on the bank, I reorganised the boat and rolled out a newly acquired swag. It worked pretty well. I made phone contact with Marg and also radio contact, for a tryout, and then knocked together a meal, of packet indian dahl and half a can of corned beef, the other half stowed for breakfast.
Sundown = head down, but I noted that the wind was still roaring in the trees and the slop coming around the bend was rocking the boat. Fine. Rock me to sleep, which it did. I woke up about 1 am and it was still windy. By 3 am it had stopped, and all was still. Birds and the thin grey light of dawn woke me at a bit before 6am and the lap lap noises told me that the wind was back, but not roaring at this time.
I rolled everything up, had a biscuit and got going. All good for a while. I even got along "Crooked Straight" a long east west reach below Headings Cliffs. I had been dreading trying to get down that in a westerly, but it was OK. The southerly coming over the cliffs was a bit moderated and was just a nuisance trying to weathercock the boat. I celebrated finishing that straight with corned beef breakfast, then back to rowing.
As the day went on, the wind got stronger. All the southerly reaches and corners were hard. A couple of times I got a bit of help on an easterly run. The final 8 kms into Renmark are south, and then southwest, and then south through tow, finally turning east to the boat ramp at the caravan park. When iI turned the corner onto the long south reach, it was difficult but not as bad as I expected. The reason was apparent further down. The beastly wind had gone round to sw, so I had the last couple of k straight into it.
Marg had organised a cheer squad on the terrace of the club, so that was a bit of fun, but the rowing was less than fun. 4 pm, so I had been rowing for around 10 hours and was starting to lose my sense of humour. Finally I got onto the eastern heading and with the wind in my tail feathers I shot along the last bit to the ramp, where Marg had now relocated with the car and trailer. I got onto the ramp and stumbled out of the boat. You cannot really hang around boat ramps so there is a bit of pressure to get stuff out of the boat and the boat on the trailer, but I was staggering around a bit. A chap turned up with shiny speedboat on a trailer. I chatted with him and he offered me a hand getting the boat out, which was very decent.
This young chap was very helpful and interested in the boat. We got it on the trailer and drove it out of his way and he reversed his outfit down the ramp, having first removed the ties and covers. As is common, he reversed the trailer into the water and then braked to let the boat float off. As is less common, he had not tethered it, so it started to drift away from the ramp. The ramp had concrete sides which would have been a metre above the water edge. Instead of wading after his boat, our man trotted along the ramp side, and as the boat went by, took a standing leap for the foredeck! Time slowed. It looked like the ideal situation to just hit the boat with your feet, kick it out into the stream, and fall backwards into the water, possibly cracking ones head on the concrete wall. But no! This guy was built to get airborne. He landed both feet firmly on the foredeck. The boat moved with his added momentum, but he kept upright and, while we cheered, he started the motor and got it under control. What a character. I have never seen a standing jump like it.
Somewhat cheered, we went off to park the boat and car and get sorted out for dinner at the lovely Renmark hotel.
Marg also made contact with the local rowing club, so we are off to see them now. Back on the river tomorrow morning. I expect it will be windy.
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That flag
Monday 3 November 2014
Border Cliffs Retreat
Emus
I meant to the right of
The dark tree, in front of
The silver stump, in the previous entry.
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The dark tree, in front of
The silver stump, in the previous entry.
Sent from my iPhone
Emus
Sunday 2 November 2014
Progress
6am start and made it in to "Border
Cliffs Retreat" at the old customs house. Great place, on a farm doing wheat, oranges and grapes. Even a free bottle of their own red. Sleep in a bed tonight. So that was a decent run, around 40k, and I got on to the beach here at 2.30pm - greated by support crew (Marg) and Duke the dog.
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Cliffs Retreat" at the old customs house. Great place, on a farm doing wheat, oranges and grapes. Even a free bottle of their own red. Sleep in a bed tonight. So that was a decent run, around 40k, and I got on to the beach here at 2.30pm - greated by support crew (Marg) and Duke the dog.
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Saturday 1 November 2014
Progress
Stopped by wind 36 km from Border Cliffs House. Poor reception in this area
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Friday 31 October 2014
Lock7
Wednesday 29 October 2014
Paddle steamer
Draught is tiny, less than 1 metre as I recall
My trail
For new viewers of this blog- my trail can be seen using the following link
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Td96oYC5yElpJeQBDu7FPq7LD7OIOxfW
Produced by satellite tracker.
Sent from my iPhone
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Td96oYC5yElpJeQBDu7FPq7LD7OIOxfW
Produced by satellite tracker.
Sent from my iPhone
Junction
2 days
Heavy day into wind yesterday but I managed 30 k and ended up just past Fort Courage. It had a caravan park with poor water access so I bush camped further on.
Today was light winds and I got going at 7 am. This put me at lock 9 at 2 pm. I saw one swimming snake on the way. Light brown and no obvious markings (visible from where I was). I have stopped 6 k past lock 9.
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Today was light winds and I got going at 7 am. This put me at lock 9 at 2 pm. I saw one swimming snake on the way. Light brown and no obvious markings (visible from where I was). I have stopped 6 k past lock 9.
Sent from my iPhone
Monday 27 October 2014
Darling camp
Murray properly about 500 metres downstream. The
Shortcut put me right at the caravan park, so I get
Bonus of camping beside the Darling. Lock 10 is just
downstream of the junction.
Wentworth
Saturday 25 October 2014
Sunset
up the river. So many, like snowflakes.
Back on the river
Back on the water. First excitement was lock 11. I went through with a houseboat. At the lock was a lady I met on arrival in the dockside cafe ( Jane ) and her dad, Warwick, plus my support team, which is currently Joy. Warwick was very interested in the boat.
Good start out of the lock but after a while, every direction had a headwind except for due north. I was rowing mostly west!
Stop at km 850 after starting at km 888 before the Mildura Bridge.
Easy run into Wentworth tomorrow, where the Darling joins the Murray.
Time for a post dinner cup of tea.
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Good start out of the lock but after a while, every direction had a headwind except for due north. I was rowing mostly west!
Stop at km 850 after starting at km 888 before the Mildura Bridge.
Easy run into Wentworth tomorrow, where the Darling joins the Murray.
Time for a post dinner cup of tea.
Sent from my iPhone
Friday 24 October 2014
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