Author: PaddlingSouth

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Heads or Tails

Our Spring weather has finally arrived and soon we will be back on the sparkling Southern Ocean waters. We managed to get the kayaks launched a number of times over the Winter period, however, there were no truly memorable paddles and few perfect photo opportunities, so we kept ourselves busy, including some Mountain Bike touring in Northern Australia (see our photos here).

As Spring weather arrives so does one truly Australian dilemma. What do you do when your tearing down a mountain bike trail and find your self face to face with a highly venomous Eastern Brown Snake.

Heads or Tails, Heads or Tails. Aim for the Head and they’re less likely to be able to rear up and strike. Aim for the Tail and you might just get around the back of him/her. Some try to “bunny hop” the snake, some grab all brakes and spear off the track.

Of course that’s fine if your going downhill, but our luckless rider was going up an exhausting 5 km. dirt track climb and wasn’t exactly carrying much speed. Head down, pounding away on the pedals Robyn finds her front wheel is just 50 cm. from a big fat 2 metre Brown Snake. GO TAILS AND HEAD OFF TRACK. She wins as the snake scurries across the track, looking back at her as she picks up the bike and heads off.

Now what’s the rule for Kayaks and Great White Sharks ?. Sit quietly and hope they don’t notice you or paddle to shore at lightning speed. Hope I don’t have to find out which one works best.

 

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Urban Paddler

It’s winter outside with today’s maximum temperature forecast to be 18 °C (64° F). I  really would like to stay in my warm bed, but Steve has organised a morning paddle with Helen and I was invited, so out into the cold I go. Of course it’s not really cold by some paddlers standards; there’s no ice to crack, no need for a drysuit although it did necessitate a beanie and paddling jacket.

We only had a couple of hours so it was local waters for us. Glenelg is one of the closest beaches to the city of Adelaide and has developed into a shopping and entertainment centre as well as having a pretty nice beach, although quite crowded in summer.

It used to look like this back when Steve was a boy……

glenelg jetty old

.. but that was before the storms of  the mid 1950’s. Now it’s just the remains of the breakwater in 10 metres of water which guard the new jetty.jetty 2We launched nearby  and headed along the coast to Glenelg beach proper to explore the old breakwater. In summertime I often pull up here and jump in for a snorkel amongst the concrete remains that are home to many fish species, but there’s was no way that was happening today.

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Launching from the West Beach Marina

The urban sprawl of Glenelg

The urban sprawl of Glenelg ahead of us

But there is always beauty to be found, even in the Urban Landscape.

Looking along the Glenelg Blocks

Looking along the Glenelg Blocks

Yep you guessed it. A couple of New Zealand “backpackers” had decided to set up home right in the middle of this prestigious area. New Zealand Long Nosed Fur Seals, like other New Zealanders are common in our waters.

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Now that is definitely a face only a mother could love.

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Helen decided to get a few mug shots in case Australian Border Protection wanted to check their entry permits.

Helen the photographer

Helen the photographer

We hung around for a while watching the Pied Cormorants doing a little fishing, until the smell of “fish breath” got too much.DSC_0095

We watched the Army /Airforce conducting maneuvers with Black Hawks and other helicopters overhead.DSC_0081

This area has changed dramatically over the years with the growth of hi-rise apartments and hotels on what was once sand dunes. Luckily they are mainly confined to this one area so most of the coastline south of here is still “Blot Free”.DSC_0078

A school of fish bubbled to the surface creating havoc with Seals, Cormorants and Seagulls diving for a feed.DSC_0103

The thought of a feed sent us scurrying homeward. Urban Paddling is a great way to spend a couple of hours of water time and the Glenelg Breakwater is certainly worth a visit no matter what the weather.

Ian                             Steve                  Helen

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Steve King of the shorebreak

It’s late Autumn. The mornings are cooler now as we waited for the first rays of light to slowly rise over the Mt Lofty Ranges bringing a soft light if not warmth. The beach sand is cold on the feet.  You can hear the loud thud of the shorebreak almost drowning out the bark of a dog on it’s early morning run.

A guy riding a mountain bike with multiple flashing lights appears and he’s towing a kayak. That’s him; Steve King “King of the Shorebreak” here for his regular morning paddle and I have been crazy enough to join him.

Within a few minutes he has unhooked the kayak and is ready for another early morning paddle along the coastline. The first task is to negotiate the shorebreak and thankfully it seems quieter than normal although there are several lines of waves to negotiate.

Out through the first line of waves

Out through the first line of waves

Sometimes there a lull in the waves so you get through the first line easily……

Sometimes there a lull

Sometimes there a lull

……only to find the second line waiting for you.

About to get very wet

About to get very wet

The wind was light so we we headed along the coast stopping to play in waves generated by the offshore reefs. These waves can be savage at times as they break over the shallow reef shelf, however, today they were just lots of FUN.

Steve launches of the top of a small wave

Steve launches off the top of a small wave

Hey Steve…Just paddle over there. I think I can get a good photo.

Yep. He's in there somewhere

Yep. He’s in there somewhere

We bounced around for quite a while, enjoying the waves cascading across the reef in all directions.

Managing to keep control

Managing to keep control

The turbulence of the bluff

The turbulence off the bluff

We sat in the lee of a large chunk of reef and enjoyed the scenery.

Checking out an exposed rock

In the lee of the reef

That’s lots of fun on an early morning paddle, but I have housework to do, so it’s back to the run the shorebreak again.

Trying to come in on the back of a wave can work sometimes...but not always.

Trying to come in on the back of a wave can work sometimes…but not always.

You get through the outer line to find more surprises waiting for you.

Caught between 2 lines of waves

Caught between 2 lines of waves

And sneaking through the quiet part of the break we caught the last wave of the day.

and then the last wave home

the last wave home

Just in case you thought that some of the photos were a little blurred, think about this. I was in there with him, using a dinky toy Canon waterproof camera in one hand, meaning that I had only one hand on the paddle. This was quite often an interesting position to be in; but lots of FUN…. Ian

Ian                                                                        Steve
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He who dies with the most toys wins !!!

He who dies with the most TOYS wins !!! or maybe it’s He who has the most FUN wins !!!.

I’m not really sure which one is true but I think that I am having a bet each way. Maybe it’s the competitive streak coming out in us older paddlers. They say that when you get to a certain age you tone down the “competitive streak” in your personality. Maybe that’s true for some, but it seems not true of some “PaddlingSouth”. Even if we cant compete at a high level anymore or have the stamina for ultra marathon journeys we still want to WIN.

When riding road bikes we would never consider drafting someone for miles and then attacking as the finishing line approaches or ganging up on someone in the final sprint. There would be no competition for the best wave when surf kayaking or the last pasty at the cafe. Well maybe sometimes; OK ..ALWAYS.

But there is one area that I try to have a clear lead and that is TOYS….and here’s another one for the toybox.

My new toy....Mega Surf ON

My new toy….Mega Surf ON

After years of paddling all sorts of surf and WW kayaks in ocean surf I recently acquired a Mega Surf ON. This is a great craft for just having fun, but is still a solid performer having the same hull as the Mega Bullitt kayak. My old bones are just loving it.

Mega Surf ON

Mega Surf ON… out for a quick surf.. it was only a tiny swell but we still had FUN

Small but at least they were clean

Small but at least they were clean

Like the new hat ? Not really a toy but my new Ocean paddling Hat from our local kayak shop stays on in all conditions, even when rolling in the surf. Have to be Sun Smart with temperatures around 32° C.

Of course I’m not the only one having fun in the surf.

Steve in his new toy

Steve in his new toy

I’m not the only one with a passion for new toys. Robyn our hard working photographer, is the owner of a new Fatbike. 5″ tyres and lots of gears makes it perfect for zipping along the beach with her camera, tackling the sandy tracks in the northern arid lands and superb fun along the 4WD tracks.

Two FatBikes on the beach

Two FatBikes on the deserted beaches at Robe, South Australia.

He who dies with the most toys wins !…if I’m not winning then I must be a close second.
Have Fun…Ian 

 

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Walk the Yorke Trail

Yorke Peninsula is a great place for kayaking, with beaches that range from mild to wild and lots of rocky coastline to explore. We have spent many years wandering the coastline, calling in at the various small towns and enjoying the less populated areas that kayaking gives you access to.

Haystack island

Haystack island

However, this trip we decided on something a little different.

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The Walk the Yorke 500km walking and cycling trail has just been opened from the town of Port Wakefield to Moonta Bay. It follows the coast in most places with lots of beaches to traverse by walkers. For bikes it follows the coast as near as possible. So off we set on our Focus MTB’s and BOB trailers, with the intention of riding in the morning and exploring in the afternoons. We spend 11 days riding the “Walk the Yorke” which has some great scenery and variable trail conditions.

Hope you have time to head over to our CafeVatican site to see lots more photos. This link takes you there.

 

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The “Seal of Approval”

Another 38°C (100° F) day was forecast, just rounding out another week of heat. So what to do today ?. The last week had seen strong, hot winds blowing across the Adelaide Plains but today was different. NO wind or just a gentle breeze perhaps, so it was load up the kayak and hit the water.

And indeed there was NO wind or maybe just a wisp of a breeze, hardly enough to evaporate the sweat from the brow but perfect conditions combined with an extremely low tide to do a little exploring. The sky was overcast, covered with tropical layers swirling from the north. The horizon blended into the sky making an eerie landscape and the cliffs stood dark and quiet.

The water was crystal clear and you could easily pick out the bottom at 6 metres.

Crystal clear water

Crystal clear water

Clear water and steep cliffs

Clear water and steep cliffs

We explored a little along the rugged coastline.

Michael drifting along

Michael drifting along

Shaun exploring a small crevice

Shaun exploring a small crevice

This way is a bit squeezy in a Seaward Passat Double kayak

This entrance is a bit squeezy in a Seaward Passat Double kayak… but we manage

Steve in close inspection

Steve in close inspection

Shauna tries not to scratch the new kayak

Shauna tries not to scratch the new kayak

Whats around the corner ?

Whats around the corner ?

Clear waters

Clear waters

We drifted along a little, with no plans to be anywhere at any particular time.

Just floating

Just floating

The photographer

The photographer

….and we were not the only ones enjoying the day.

New Zealand Fur seals enjoying the calm waters

New Zealand Fur seals enjoying the calm waters

 

We are not alone. Three other kayaks also enjoying the day.

We are not alone. Three other kayaks also enjoying the day.

We got ourselves in a few tight places with the slightest of swells gently moving the kayaks in and out of rock crevices.

Shaun again and the crevices are getting smaller

Shaun again and the crevices are getting smaller

It was a great day on the water.

Calm waters

Calm waters

We just needed one more thing..and there he was ..the kayakers “Seal of Approval”.

The "Seal of Approval"

The “Seal of Approval”

 

Photos by Ian and Shauna

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Kayak drifting by
Shaun                                 Steve                 Michael                     Robyn

jim2kingYogi bearRobyn