Arrived

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Sitting in a little internet cafe in Woy Woy, NSW (north of Sydney about 30 miles - ATCF, or about an hour and a half as the driver drives - on the side of the street I am not accustomed to)

As the plane lifted away from Jacksonville (FL), (the 1st leg of the flight, headed toward the US west coast), I looked out the window and saw an image quite familiar from a 'google-map' view I had used often over the last several months - Cumberland I. CI makes a good - 'day practice run'. It's about 47 or 48 miles around - which, for me, makes an 11 or 12 hour paddle - perfect to utilize the outgoing and incoming tides. CI is a beautiful island - for the paddler - or visitor, being a national park (or seashore - or whatever they call it), it is not populated, so on the ocean side - you get views of long, open, mostly deserted - except for occasional (wild) horses - beaches. I did this paddle 10 times over the past year - thinking of setting up an FSKA club paddle - the 'Once a Month - Around Cumberland' paddle - any takers?.

Anyway, back to OZ. Not much to relay yet, as I've just arrived.
I pick up the kayak tomorrow (Monday). It has been cleared through customs (through a broker - man, this process was expensive), so it's ready to go.
Hopefully, this will be my last trip to Sydney - as I'd rather keep my driving on the left side of the road to 'driving' my kayak.

I'll be here in Woy Woy until the end of the month - paddling everyday, in and around the area - Brisbane Water, Broken Bay, Pittwater, and some paddles along the coast.

I picked the hotel I am staying in by looking at 'Google Maps'. I have access to the water - after a short 'portage' from my room to the Woy Woy wharf.

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