TravelBlog » AndyM AUS2009

AndyM AUS2009 - Andy Mitchell

Sea Kayak coast of Australia - 2009

In February of '09, will start paddling up coast of Australia from Sydney.
(for previous trip, see: AndyM )

Equipment will be using:
kayak: NDK Explorer (same type as used on previous 2 trips)
Werner (Cyprus) paddle (& spare)
sprayskirt: Wildwasser Solstice, (spare: Reed (Aquatherm))
Black Diamond (HiLight) tent
SeaSpecs prescription sunglasses
clothing: Coolibar, Ex Officio, SunPrecautions, FiveTen(Nemo's - NLA), Mion
Katadydn (PUR-06) desalinator
GPS: Garmin gpsmap 76csx (& spare)
camera: Ricoh G600
other:
olive cleats (amazing items - known of in Aus & UK, US has no clue what they are)
flashlight(s): Fenix, Novatac
Food containers, water bottles: Nalgene
voice recorder: Olympus WS-331M
boye knives
gear bags: Banshee Outfitters Duffel (NLA)

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Joined on: October 16th 2008
Last Login: June 8th 2009

Blog Entries: 16
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by AndyM AUS2009, order by Date newest first.

By AndyM AUS2009
May 2nd 2009

The beautiful Cape York Peninsula Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cairns » Cairns City

910

NOTE: I'm currently in Cairns as I'm writing this - there was no internet access in Seisia. (it is now a couple of days after finishing the trip) Days 76=>87: Cape Flattery (41 miles), Murdoch Pt (38), Cape Melville (44), Combe Pt. (20), Claremont Pt. (40), Cape Sidmouth (41), Cape Direction (42), Fair Cape (38), Cape Grenville (32), Captain Billy Landing (35), Ussher Pt (36), Seisia (56) 22 Liters of water was ample (2 left over), and I had NO rain until the last day when the skies let loose with everything they had. I have 'notes' for each day on [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
April 16th 2009

22 liters enough? Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cooktown

673

Days 71=>73: (s of) Yule Pt. (20 miles), Weary Bay (50 miles), Cooktown (36 miles) The upcoming stretch - Cape York, there won't be much opportunity to top off the water bottle. I'm figuring it's about a 2 week paddle (last time I think it took me 11 or 12 days - but that's because I wanted to get out of the rain, and my last 'day' (24 hours) was typically a 3 day paddle (90 miles) ). So, if I use 1.5 liters a day (I think I've been averaging just a little over that), I should make it (if [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
April 10th 2009

The 'Hinchinbrook Push' tired me out Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cairns

626

- - - Days 61=>68 (NW of) Saltwater Creek (29 miles), Zoe Bay (Hinchinbrook I) (52 miles), Cape Richards (Hinch. I.) (19 miles), Mission Beach (24 miles), Bramston Beach (days 65,66) (41 miles), Turtle Bay (34 miles) Yorkeys Knob (days 68-70) (16 miles) Day 61, the first day out of Townsville was a pleasant paddle, though the SErlies had ceased - replaced with afternoon norhterlies, I made pretty good mileage. Planning the following days paddle that evening in the tent - I got in my mind to push on to Hinchinbrook - favorable winds or not (note: with SEerlies - [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
March 30th 2009

The Capes (and 'bowled over' at the Green) Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Townsville

531

Days 55=>58 Cape Upstart (45 miles), Cape Bowling Green (35 miles), Cape Cleveland (31 miles), Townsville (15 miles) Day 55 Due to an 'ugly' landing spot in Bowen - I wanted to, and did leave on a high tide - at 10:30PM. Hmm, I wonder why I get tired on paddles starting around this time. 'Andy' - the 'mayor' of Cape Upstart see last trip) wasn't there, but there were a few other local blokes about. Day 56 Nice ride across the big bay to Cape Bowling Green with the SEerlies pushing me along, though, like the albatross - I 'flew' [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
March 25th 2009

Ah, the southeasterlies Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Bowen

423

Days 52=>54: Shute Harbor (no travel), Bowen (46 miles) Started very early (1am) to take advantage ofthe last couple of hours of the north going ebb current (strong in this area). Aided by moderate SEerlies, I decided to go all the way into Bowen. Think I'll take another day off and wonder about town. (BTW, I did get my package in Shute Harbor (Airlie Beach). Once I'm off from here, I'll be in the 'wild' for several days. No TOWNS until, you guessed it TOWNSville. [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
March 23rd 2009

The Whitsundays Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Airlie Beach

Just a quick one here - I'm in Airlie Beach (landed in Shute Harbor) to pick up some gear I ordered - that was supposed to be shipped to Mackay, but they sent it to Gladstone instead - so I had to have it forwarded it on to here (hopefully it will be here, and not in Timbuktu or wherever). Days 50, 51: Cape Hillsborough (20 miles), Shute Harbor (49 miles) Day 50 - Just before leaving Mackay on Sunday afternoon, the volunteer rescue folk wanted to know if I was 'missing'. Hay Point was putting out a 'securite' for a [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
March 20th 2009

Hamish Returns - Chased into the depths of Mordor Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Mackay

372

(sorry, don't really mean to compare the Shoalwater Bay area to Mordor (LOTR), but, if you saw it and experienced it in the weather I was in, well...) Days 39=>46 (47 - > now, in Mackay, will probably leave on Monday - day 51) Sea Hill Pt (34 miles), Freshwater Bay (70 miles, + 1 rest/weather day), Mumford I. (50 miles), Stanage Bay (19 miles), Carmila Beach (45 miles), Sarina Beach (44 miles), Mackay (22 miles) Day 39 - After following all of the 'updates' for Cyclone Hamish, the final one said there would be no further updates because the cyclone [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
March 6th 2009

another 'vacation', this time in Gladstone Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Gladstone

Days 31=>34 (+ probably a few weather days) Elliot Heads (35 miles), South of Baffle Creek (39 miles), Agnes Water (n of) (31 miles), Gladstone (50 miles) Cyclone ' Hamish ' is closing on land south of Cairns. Though I'm well south (in Gladstone), I think I'll wait out the winds and rain from it (rather strong), will probably be here a few days - as the weather isn't supposed to get here until tomorrow (and I don't want to be paddling in the Shoalwater Bay area when it does get here. On my last trip (in '06), Cyclone 'Larry' ('Hamish' [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
March 1st 2009

But the GPS says there was a road there. Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Hervey Bay

258

Days 26=>30: Noosa (26 miles), Inskip Pt. - beginning of Great Sandy Straight (48 miles), Hervey Bay - Scarness (52 miles) (3 days) In my foggy mind this morning, I can't remember the paddle into Noosa, but my notes tell me that I started at 1am and was there by 8am. I do remember arriving, because I wanted to note the depth of the water in the river mouth I was entering (I stayed at a caravan park inside the river about a mile or so). The 2nd year I stayed there also - and on departing at my normal time [View Full Entry]

By AndyM AUS2009
February 25th 2009

A long mile day, Thieves in the night, Queensland Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Mooloolah

Days 13 => 25: Woolgoolga (17miles to; days 13-17, weather), Evans Head (74 miles), Balina (21 miles), Byron Bay (21 miles), Kingscliff (28 miles), Jumpinpin (41 miles), Moreton Island (32 miles), Woorim (25 miles), Mooloolaba (31 miles) The above stops covers a lot of different territory, I'll try to summarize. As mentioned in the last post, I was weather delayed in Woolgoolga a total of 5 days. A strong low was centered off Coffs Harbor (17 miles south). As soon as it finally moved on, there was another low, much weaker moving in. I decided to go - when opportunity knocks [View Full Entry]

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