Day 5, Yarrawonga – Cobram, 16 October

Hanging by a thread!

Had a lay in today, slept all the way up to 6:30 (!) because an hour later, we welcome Tracey Alexander from WIN TV to shoot a report on us. We feel like movie stars doing takes and walking back so that she can capture the follow-on shot, boy did she work us hard! It was a cool start to the day but the sun was out and it was a good morning to get out there. My shoulders feel great and I happily set off at 8am for a 65km day of paddling.

I pass a Redgum, seemingly hanging by a thread - god knows how that thing is still standing upright! The river is full of them on the edge of the banks.

 

 

Sasha, a lady paddling the full length of the Murray at her leisure without any support, is kayaking a section then getting a bus back to her car, driving back to her kayak, then paddling off again. What a way to do it – she must have some patience, but maybe she does some sightseeing as well, which I don’t have any time to do. It makes me think I should maybe feed Pan more than just peanuts! Ha, only joking, but I’m glad I’ve got his support so that I don’t have to do it Sasha’s way. She had so much stuff in her kayak, I don’t know how that thing stays afloat!

It was funny to turn a corner and see Claude & Tricks on their kayak, they’re moving along, camping on the river – now that’s a man’s best friend! Also passed Ivanhoe Girls Senior College who are floating down the river for a few days, doing about 15km a day, in improvised rafts.

 

 

 

 

Pan and I didn’t manage to meet in the afternoon, good job I packed some lunch! Some access roads to the river were closed due to local flooding and we had trouble with reception and my GPS locator. So we finally met at Cobram, but I had a real hard slog today, especially in the afternoon, often battling against a strong headwind which also gave me some waves to contend with as the air fought against the current. I was exhausted by the time I got out on Thompson’s Beach and got stuck into a much-needed beer – never tasted sweeter!

On the riverside, Pan had met Robert, former secretary of Cobram Barooga Canoe Club, who imparted some wisdom on the area and the obstacles in the forthcoming section of the river. The river here is currently (no pun intended!) at 3.3m. In 1993, the river flooded up to 8.2m, just short of the highest flood to 8.5m in 1975. There are two road bridges going over to Barooga in NSW just before our camp spot, one newer, and the older bridge is now used for functions and weddings – what a funky location! Robert tells us some good spots further downstream and gives us a river map, thanks for your help and advice, mate!

Days 2 - 4, Albury – Yarrawonga, 13 - 15 Oct

Day 2, Albury – Howlong, Sunday 13 October

Got off to a good start again this morning, it was brilliant to have Pru and her colleague from Mitta Mitta Canoe Club join me at the start, if only I was in a K2 kayak with another person like them so I could cut through the water faster! Had lunch at designated spot and it’s been a beautiful day, no sign of the storms mentioned on the news last night! I felt a lot of wind might be slowing me down but paddled harder and didn’t lose any ground, there were a lot of snags that slowed my progress through a narrow section though.

Afternoon turned cold and wet, with lots of wind making it difficult to paddle, I wish I hadn’t mentioned the weather forecast to Pan at lunctime! Was glad to arrive at the end point in Memorial Park. We had dinner at Howlong Lions Club, loved the sweet potato salad – thanks Sheila!

In 1946, Peter Welsh, now 94, paddled the Murray River with his friend and dog, hunting fish and rabbits along the way, mostly living off the land, camping out at night. He came to see us at the Lions club and what an inspiration he is, full of great stories, I'd love to sit and chat to him about what the river and surrounding landscape was like back then, what they saw and how living along the Murray went -  hopefully I’ll get the chance to do so on my way back home after this marathon!

Day 3, Howlong – Corowa, Monday 14 October

Our friends last night at Howlong Lions said that there’d frost in the morning, uncharacteristically late in the year, and they weren’t wrong - very cold this morning and I really had to work to get the circulation pumping and the kayak moving! My shoulders are still just a little stiff, but no dramas. Started paddling at 7am, it was 6°C and stayed cold all morning. Another platypus jumped up right in front of me – scared me witless, it was so quick and out of the blue! Arrived at Corowa at 1:30, the top temperature today being 13°C. Had a great dinner at Corowa Lions club, a good turnout, sold plenty of raffle tickets and had a good time with the Lions form Corowa and other clubs nearby – thanks so much for your support!

Day 4, Corowa – Yarrawonga, Tuesday 15 October

We walked the kayak down to the river where we were staying in Ball Park Caravan Park and it was covered in an atmospheric mist, which remained for a couple of hours as I was paddling. The river was still flowing beautifully - a good day to paddle! But then, later, a black snake crossed my path and I stopped and got my camera out. Those things don’t hang about and by the time I framed the shot it was 20 feet away and climbing the bank.

After I passed an island after Bundalong, I was in dead water and fighting a headwind. It was difficult finding routes through, lots of snags and trees rising out of the river or fallen and blocking the route. I had to take a shortcut at one point to miss a large meander as it had been a really tiring leg and the stream got narrower and narrower. I was ducking under trees, pulling myself around them and at the end there was another fallen tree completely blocking the route but thankfully someone had already been through with a chainsaw and reopened the path. What a relief, I was through, thanks to the lumberjack! When we arrived at the caravan park, a local reporter came to cover our story for the local newspaper.

Yarrawonga Lions welcomed us to their ‘Woolshed’ clubhouse for a BBQ. They recently had a show in town and local farmers entered the annual wool coat competition, after which the Lions club raises money for charity by selling the coats. The guys there showed us a length of wool, called a staple - and explained how the fineness of the strands is important in the judging. Thanks for the lesson, the food and your donations, ladies & gents!

Final preparations & Day 1

After my drive along the Murray river from West to East, meeting Lions Clubs along the way to help organise events, it was a relief to hand over the car keys on Thursday to Pan, a pommy I met up in Darwin who’s my ‘Support Executive’ (well, I have to make him feel important!), who’ll be towing my caravan along the route so I can get a hard-earned sleep after a days paddling.

Yesterday, we checked out our start point (Hume Weir, Wadonga) and end point (Noreuil Park, Albury) for the first leg, due to set off at 9:30 and arrive at Mitta Mitta Canoe Club around midday – can’t wait to do that first stretch and meet some other paddlers at the club. Hopefully I won’t get caught up in any undergrowth along the way and the only snags will be the ones on the barbecue that the local Lions are putting on for us!

We were wrapped when a WIN TV cameraman came to shoot some footage down by the paddling club! I’m so macho, I pretended to ‘accidentally’ flip over and fall in while turning in the current, which is new to me as I always paddle in lakes up in NT - all calm waters. I cut my legs doing my action-man escape from the overturned kayak in shallow water – well, you gotta make it look dangerous and impress the TV audience, don’t ya?! WIN gave us a nice spot on the evening news – thanks, guys!

Woke early this morning, just so eager to get out on the water! We got down to Hume Weir and set up, ready to launch. My escort today is Sasho, a Bulgarian ex-pat member of Mitta Mitta Canoe Club. Just before we get going, he’s on the phone to his daughter who’s due to give birth today, and I’m glad to hear it’s not his first grandchild that he might miss the birth of for the Paddle 4 Life cause! I’m really grateful he’s taken the time out to help me navigate and give me some company on this first section. The starting point is in front of the dam that separates the wide Mitta Junction area of the river from a narrower section and it has an impressive cannon of water gushing out, more powerful than yesterday, so thanks to mother nature and the engineers for giving us a boost! Along with a bright, fresh morning, it’s the perfect day to start my adventure! Before I set off, I meet who else but Steve & Gail Murray (!) from Mildura and their friends from Yarawonga, who are going out in Steve’s hand-built Australian Big Ash canoe today on their own trip – it’s a beautiful canoe and it’s in perfect condition as it’s only been used a few times before. I wish them luck on their journey and hope I can meet them again along the route to Wellington.

Paddling Points –
The river was flowing well and we were paddling at 11km/h, according to my friend’s GPS locator. Every now and then, a whirlpool would open up in the water to either side or right in front of us - a few were up to 10m wide, the first of which gave me quite a fright as I’ve never encountered anything like them before. They pushed us out to the banks and pulled us towards the centre of the river. Sasho’s advice was: “when we hit one, paddle twice as hard!” – very technical!.

Another thing that was great to see was two platypuses, the first time I’ve seen them in the wild! One was playing in the water about 20m away, then a while later another one popped up right next to me just a metre away. We sized each other up, it seemed as amused to see me as I was, it seemed to nod its head in acknowledgement (I think it must have seen me on TV last night), then he ducked back under and he was gone. Sasho said they’re a good omen, so I hope my luck will continue!

We were flying by nicely and a few times I looked down and there was only half a metre of water beneath us, I thought it would be deeper and up by the weir it looked like the river was up about a metre higher than usual. Also saw a river marker sign with a figure over 2,000 written on it – maybe the distance to the end in miles?!

It was also energising to get good luck wishes and waves from campers along the way. As we approached Noreuil Park, some people waved us in from a bridge and then joined us outside the Mitta Mitta Canoe Club to join us for the barbecue put on by Albury Lions Club. All in all, a nice, relaxing paddle with some unexpected obstacles and sights along the way!

We’d like to say a special thank you to Albury and Thurgoona Lions clubs and the Mitta Mitta Canoe Club for their support, help and donations. It was a great first day and we’re ready and raring for more with the help of our friends along the way. 

Hi all,

Well I thought its about time for an update.

I left Darwin on the 1st of Oct as planned
I have had a great run so far and everything has been going fine with only a few minor problems.
I thought I would post some photo,s for those who want to reminisce and also for those who have not been up through the centre yet

SALT LAKE SOUTH AUSTRALIA

DESERT IN BLOOM

HOTEL IN COOPER PEDY

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DEVILS MARBLES

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ALICE AND PORT AUGUSTA

SLAT LAKE (THEY ARE HUGH)

MY FIRST VIEW OF THE MURRAY

 

SUNSET

 

SUNRISE

Well its been great catching up with you all.
As I move towards the start point it sounds like I am going to be going to quite a few dinners and Bar -B - Ques when I come back  and it is great that almost all of lions clubs have something planned.
I am in Swan Hill at present and I will be moving on towards Albury in the morning.
Well keep up the good work and I will try to hold up my end.

Cheers for now

Tony