AndyM - Andy Mitchell

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2006 Trip: Feb 2 => May 10
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Gone yakabout.

Where: Australia

Mode of Transport: Paddling (seakayak) from Sydney, heading north.
Destination: To as far as I get.

If the wind, waves, nasties(sharks, stingers, crocs, etc.), sun, dumb mistakes, boredome, visa expiration date, or some other unforeseen calamity doesn't clobber me, I may just go around.

Postings should start Jan or Feb '06.
Postings will probably be sparse (many paddling days between cities with internet cafes).

I welcome any/all comments, suggestions (regarding this blog - or suggestions about the trip itself - gear, food, location, etc)

History: paddled from Syd to Cape York in '93; paddled from Syd to Mackay in '01. (interpolating from previous 2 trips (Cape York: 2000 miles, Mackay: 1000 miles) would suggest I will quit in Brisbane (500 miles) - we'll see about that.)

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*** for 2009 trip, see: AndyM AUS2009
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Joined on: September 25th 2005
Last Login: January 5th 2009

Blog Entries: 10
Photos: 136

TB Code: [blogger=7210]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by AndyM, order by Date newest first.

By AndyM
May 13th 2006

Cairns -> Seisia (Cape York) [THE END] Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

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I had decided that if I got to Cooktown and it was still raining, I was going to quit there instead of continuing to Cape York. Well, it was raining, so I waited a couple of days and it looked like it was getting better, so I went to the top (it continued to rain, but I'm glad I went anyway). - - - Days 76-82 Cairns Day 83 - Turtle Cove Landed on a nice little beach - that I had to watch for high tide (to make sure it wouldn't 'get' me. There's a resort at the far other [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
April 20th 2006

What else - more rain Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cairns

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Currently sitting in Cairns, waiting for the remnants of Cyclone Monica to go away. Day 73 - Paluma (north of Bluewater beach) about 25 miles north of Townsville. This (and tomorrow) would be my only (relatively) rain free days of this stretch). Lots of mossies on this (reef encrusted, mangrove backed) beach. Day 74 - Forrest Beach Landed on a 'splashy' beach - this is the first beach - inside the reef - that I got broached on in landing. While planning tomorrows paddle inside the passage between Hinchinbrook and the mainland, I got talking to a sailor who advised me [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
April 6th 2006

Cape to Cape - against the wind Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Townsville

Abbot Pt Wharf (background)

Summary: I've been struggling (not that much) against north, north-easterlies as I'm crossing largish bays to Townsville (where are the south-east trade winds that are suppose to blow day and night in this area this time of year?). Day 61 Abbot Point There's a large pier here where they load coal. I don't think one is supposed to land here, but, the place look deserted, and the beach looked good, so I did. When I took off (at 2 in the morning), I did see some activity on the pier. Day 62 Cape Upstart On landing, I met the "mayor" of [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
April 1st 2006

Days 55 - 59 Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Bowen

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Day 55 - Cape Hillsboro Finally got out of Mackay (actually, the long break in a Motel was quite nice - and it allowed some of my 'travel wounds' to heal), the cyclone weather is out of the way. I paddled up to this nice looking beach - that looked as far away from civilization as one can get. What do you know, but a flock of tourists start wondering the beach - just got off a tour bus from Hervey Bay (and, curiously enough, I saw the same bus in Shute Harbor the next day). There is a national park [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
March 24th 2006

Days 31 - 50 Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Mackay

Scarness

Currently, I sitting in Mackay (staying in a cozy motel, licking my wounds), waiting for the (current) cyclone (Wati) to go away. Day 31 - 32 Urangan (weather delay) The 'cold water' cyclone (as opposed to the normal - 'tropical cyclone') has me pinned down in Hervey Bay. (see previous blog update) BTW, as I'm writing this (Day 52), I notice that the wounds that I got on my hands when arriving in Gladstone (I slipped on the 'ramp' on arriving in the heavy rain - hands landed on rocks by the ramp) have just about fully recovered - it takes [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
March 2nd 2006

Rain Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Hervey Bay

it was bumpy out there today

Days 22 - 30 Rain, rain, and more rain. Day 22 - Kingscliffe Intermittent showers had me running between the tent and outside (where I was trying to get gear re-organized). The paddle into Kingscliffe was a bit dicey with a fairly strong south swell breaking over a reef just in front of where I was landing. Day 23 - Jumpinpin bar Fairly long mileage day (42 miles), but I had to get around the 'Gold Coast' in one pass (as well as getting inside the 'Broadwater' and paddling up to the north end of South Stradbroke Island). With the unsettled [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
February 21st 2006

Hanging in there (low mileage days) Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Byron Bay

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Days 11 - 21 Day 11 - Crescent Head Day 12 - Hat Head Day 13 - Scotts Head [sorry for no detail for the previous 3 days - I'm going to have to figure out how to remember interesting items to jot down here. I keep a 'daily log' on a voice recorder - not a notebook] Day 14 - Coffs Harbor I stayed underneath the old pier - the day was rainy and the pier dripped all day, it was a very uncomfortable stay (not to mention the paddle the following day). Day 15-16 Woolgoolga The paddle from Coffs [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
February 10th 2006

Southerlies and NorEasters Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Port Macquarie

Start - Narrabeen Lagoon

Days 1 - 10 I think this is the first entry since leaving Sydney, so I'll catch you up with where I've been. (There don't seem to be as many 'internet cafes' in towns as there used to be, so there may not be as many log entries) My first day out, I paddled down the river from Narrabeen (accompanied by Don Andrews, and sent off by Michael Harris). On entering the ocean, a nor-easter(NEr) was just starting, and it picked up throughout the day - so I quit early - Maitland Bay (I think only about 10 miles or so). [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
January 29th 2006

Ready to go Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Collaroy

Australia Day '06

Day: -1 (Jan. 30, 2006) Location: Narrabeen, NSW In 2 days I'll be pushing off. Today, I just had a paddle - out of Narrabeen Lake into the ocean & up the coast a bit. Hardly any wind, little surf. A lot of the 'luminescense' (sp?) in the water - paddle dipping, bow wake, 'torpeoes' of fish trails when spooked by me. Tomorrow I'll turn in my rental car and do a final packing of gear. Though I've done a 'test' packing of the gear at home (in the US), I haven't actually packed the kayak yet (though it is the [View Full Entry]

By AndyM
January 11th 2006

From the Emerald City to OZ North America » United States » Washington » Seattle

On Saturday, I'll be flying out of Seattle, arriving on Monday in Sydney (long flight + IDL crossing). It's been a busy 2 weeks getting things ready for the trip (stateside), it will be just as - and probably busier - the 2 weeks in Sydney, getting things ready for the trip. On this side (the US), I've assembled most of the gear, some of the food, packed all my stuff to be put in storage (while I'm away) - so, I guess I'm about ready to leave. Things to be done in Syd, include: pick up the kayak (ordered months [View Full Entry]

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