Noosa, Canoeing through the Everglades

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4.2.2012 Gagaju canoe trip

We had our briefing at 8 O'clock, got our paddles, life jackets, canoes and we were off. No guide with us, just a group of 16 people left to navigate up the river by ourselves, bearing in mind some people had never even been in a canoe! He gave us crap directions as where to go which we managed to follow. We stopped for lunch on some random beach then were off back down the river, visiting a creek on the way, which was beautiful - the water gave off a mirror reflection and was so peaceful. There were three of us in the canoe, me, mike and some girl called Dee from Holland, who was probably the most annoying person we have met the whole time travelling! She was 18 and trying to impress some Sweedish boys all the time, so was standing up, threatening to jump in, rocking the canoe, I had my camera on me and wasn't prepared to watch us capsize, to say the least we wern't too impressed. We made our way back to the campsite, arms and shoulders aching! Had a shower then prepared ourselves to get eaten alive by mozzies!

5.2.2012

Aching this morning from the canoeing, and it didnt help that we slept on hard ground with no pillow in the tents. Same again today - canoeing. We had no briefing this time, just direction of when to go. We were canoeing the other way down the river this time but with two less people (the french girls left early morning as I guess they could not hack it). We were off in our canoes, again with the annoying Holland girl, and paddles weighing a tonne. We eventually made it to where we were supposed to be going by chance, no-one had any idea what we were looking for! Once docked on the grass clearing, we were told to make our way to the beach (30 minute walk), however on the way me and Michael and a couple of others saw a holiday park, we spotted a swimming pool and headed staright for it. We sneaked in along with the families. It was lovely, relaxing in the pool for a good few hours before the long slog back. It took us ages to canoe back up the river, everyone was shattered and the sun was so hot, but we made it before dark. After a shower with the biggest spider I have ever seen (Huntsman - literally the size of Michael's hand) I didn't realise it was in there until I had shampooed my hair, by then it was too late to get out, I just had to deal with it, by never taking my eyes off it and getting Michael to stand in the girls toilets outside the shower cubicle, we went to find Skippy. We didn't have to go far, and we saw three Kangaroo's, they stopped to look as us whilst having a scratch.

6.2.2012

After a battle to get on the first shuttle bus out of Gagaju campsite we left to go back to Noosa. There was 14 people trying to get on a 11 seater bus. Everyone had had enough of the bush and mosquitoes by then. We then got to our next hostel, Dolphins, where we were staying for three nights. It is a bit out of the way, but nice enough. We got a bus down to the main beach where me and Michael decided to have an afternoon surf lesson. I don't know what possesed us to do so as we had just had a solid two days of canoeing and our arms were killing us. We had a two hour surf lesson, six of us in our group. We learnt the basics and were taken pretty much straigh away into the sea. We were standing up in no time (with a little help from the instructor holding the back of the board for us). I actually stood up all the way back to shore a few times, even earning a thumbs up from the instructor, Michael wsn't too far behind either. It was a bit more difficult when we had to do it ourselves, and by that time I was exhausted, I was being battered by the waves and found it impossible to to actually get out into the sea! I would take one step forward then a wave would push me back three meters, it was a struggle and I could hardly breath so I had a bit of a teary moment and Michael had to come and help me out with my board.

We later met up with Mr Gary Little once again with his friend Emmy, they came up from Brisbane for a couple of nights - staying at Dolphins too. With Gaz up, it was sure to be a messy night, and it was. We played a few drinking games, polished off a bottle of Captain Morgans, along with beers and cider and we went out into Noosa, no idea where we ended up, but it was a good night from what I can remember. Oh and Gaz "buried the lizard" as he would say. S x

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