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Published: March 20th 2009
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Hervey Bay birds (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 had diminished to a tropical depression (in Hervey Bay area), being late - I got all my gear ready for leaving early the next morning.
Leaving Gladstone, I played 'tag' with a freighter being escorted into the harbor. I was heading toward the 'Narrows' - with the tide (about 6MPH) - could not turn back, the freighter turned around to berth right where I was, I made a quick 'ferry' across the channel - keeping an eye on him getting closer and closer to me (actually - I had 'plenty' of room).
Day 40: LONG (70
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Elliot Heads mile) paddle to Freshwater Bay. Overnight while staying on Curtis I. - Sea Hill Pt., a southerly came up. I knew it was fairly strong, but figured a paddle across to Yepoon wouldn't be too bad (only about 20 miles). The paddle went well - bumpy waves, the rain started about halfway across.
Once in Yepoon I looked for a nice place to pull out. Nothing looked too appealing so I went on. The weather started getting interesting (strong southerlies, fairly hefty swells, occasionally breaking).
Anyway, I paddle another 50 miles to the only 'safe' landing I knew of - in Freshwater Bay.
At this point I was pretty tired (this is an excuse for the poor judgement I made), I searched the beach for the high tide line - figured I couldn't find it because all was washed out by the heavy rain. I'd been to this beach 3 times before (plenty of times for a thorough knowledge of how the tides are here - sure), and I figured if I went to the head of the beach - I would be well above high tide (noting the edge of the beach and woods - a ledge that the
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Elliot Heads Accomodation cyclone had left - this should have been - what they call 'a clue').
Anyway, set up the tent, and made a 'mental note' to wake up just before high (around 9pm) to check conditions - Note: this 'mental alarm' usually alway works for me - maybe except under conditions when I'm thoroughly exhausted.
At about 9PM, I feel the 'wash' of waves coming up and sloshing under the tent. Uh Oh. I woke up quickly, gathered the 3 (remaining) stakes that had washed out, and threw everything up into the mossie infested woods. I think I was lucky to only have lost the one tent stake in the ordeal, though a branch did reach out to poke me in the head during my scramble. (10 or so was high tide, the moon was near full, and I suspect there was still a little 'extra' water from Hamish to make the tide so high)
Spent the next day resting and waiting out the 'storm'.
I missed the following weather report while in Gladstone that said that the cyclone had turned around and was headed back north. Funny - it took the cyclone about 4 or 5 days to head south
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(S. of) Baffle Creek (and we had hardly any effects in Gladstone), but when it headed north, it only took a day or 2.
Day 43: A 'shortish' day (19 miles). I needed to use the Flood (current) to do the paddle to Stanage Bay - but did not have enough left to get me around the penisula and Long I., so I stopped there with plans to get around, then cross Broad Sound overnight.
Day 44: Night paddle to Carmila - somewhat uneventful - but I didn't get enough 'day sleep' - so a couple of times I got very tired, and, at the end of the paddle (I finished at low tide) I was both physically and 'sleepy' tired - so I layed back in the kayak and let the tide carry me in for about 2 hours.
Day 45: Fairly uneventful day - saw my first sea snake today.
Day 46: Easy 22 miles into Mackay - as I was getting closer - the SEerlies started building. For the current few days there is a strong wind warning out for the area (good time to be 'marooned').
Mackay is a 'food resupply' point for me. (my
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(S. of) Baffle Creek - ledge, just above tide line 1st after Sydney). I carry about a months worth of food - but have also been 'living off the land' - which means eating town food quite a bit.
Mackay is about 1/2 way on my trip to Cape York (roughly 1000 miles Syd->Mack; 1000 Mack->CpYork). I've left the big waves to the south, and am heading into an area with the 'nasties'. Don't camp where there are croc tracks or river mouths, when in water - scout surrounding area with paddle - to avoid stepping on sting rays, don't get bitten by encephalitis carrying mossies, etc.
OK then, I'm not a writer, so my hands are getting tired, till next time.
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