Sea Kayaking

The summary about my sea kayaking activities is split into several parts:

Furthermore, you might want to have a look at the equipment carried on my sea kayak trips.

Getting more and more serious

As of mid-2005, I was getting more and more serious with this sport. I stopped recording ordinary trips. This list only shows some of the more advatageous or longer trips.

28. May 2006
Sea Leader assesssment day off Bundeena. Very wet ;-)
21. May 2006
Clontarf to Shelly Beach return. Return leg: Just me and Peter
6 May 2006
Clontarf to Manly Wharf.
11.-13. March 2006
Rock'n'Roll 2006, Port Stephens.
24. Feb - 6 March 2006
Crossing of Bass Strait (348 km) in a Mirage 730. See our Website Epic Sea Kayak Journey for details.
4. February 2006
Coledale to Bonnie Vale in Mirage 730. Just ourselves in a double
28. January 2006
Brooklyn to Clontarf in Mirage 730. Just ourselves in a double
12. February 2006
NSWSKC Race and Picnic Day for Water Aid Australia. See Club Web site for details.
4. December 2005
(CT) Grade 1 introduction and club paddle, Bonnievale, Bundeena. 2IC for Kevin Brennan.
15./16. October 2005
Broughton Island (45 km) in Mirage 730. Overnight trip from/to Jimmys Beach.
28. August 2005
(CT) 5 Islands off Wollongong (20km).
23. July 2005
(CT) Whale watching trip off Bundeena. 2IC for Kevin Brennan.
11.-13. June 2005
(CT) Port Stephens - Fingal Bay, Cabbage Tree Island (40km). 2IC for Kevin Brennan.

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Sea kayak trips in 1st half of 2005

All trips in my Mirage 530 unless otherwise indicated. (CT) indicates an official Club Trip or Club Training.

21./22. May 2005
(CT) Tahlee, Port Stephens. 52 km in two days.
8. May 2005
Night trip from Berowra Waters to Bar Island and return, 17km.
23.-25. April 2005
Jervis Bay week-end, see monthly report April 2005
3.-14. April 2005
Queensland Adventure trip. 250 km — Gold Coast to Moreton Island lighthouse and return in a sea kayak.
11.-14. March 2005
Rock'n'Roll 2005 main organizer. We also got to paddle a bit: from Jimmys Beach around Cabbage Tree Island, and from Jimmys Beach to Finagl Island and return.
6. February 2005
McCarrs Creek (south of Church Point) to Akuna Bay 28km with car shuffle 5km.
5. February 2005
Sea Skills II assessment. Frenchmans Bay to Cronulla Beach and return with an assessment of emergency procedures.
4. February 2005
Evening paddle with David and Kevin from Clontarf: Preparation for the next day: Rolling, towing, rescuing, emergency procedures.
28.-30. January 2005
Port Stephens week-end. Total estimated: 50km. Strong 2-3m southerly swells with 2-3m southerly seas, blocking the entrance to Port Stephens at outgoing tide.
27. January 2005
Night paddle. Clontarf towards Shelly Beach, back into Sydney Harbour, Watsons Bay and return to Clontarf. 18km.
22. January 2005
(CT) Wollongong to Kiama. 18km.
10. January 2005
Night paddle: Clontarf to Balmoral and back to Roseville Bridge and return. 20km. Weather: Lightning, thunderstorm, rain, sunshine, front coming through...everything.

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Sea kayak trips in 2004

All trips in my Mirage 530 unless otherwise indicated. (CT) indicates an official Club Trip or Club Training.

19. December 2004
Night paddle: Clontarf out between the Heads and return. 15km.
4./5. December 2004
Paddle Polaris 2004 at the Myall Lakes.
28. November 2004
Breakfast on Shark Island: Leave home in Birchgrove early on a Sunday morning for brekky on Shark Island, and return. 18km. Very hot day.
21. November 2004
(CT) Five Islands Trip off Wollongong from W'gong Harbour. 20 km. I sat in the Mirage 730 and didn't paddle much but rather was being paddled around :)
31. October 2004
Palm Beach to Umina Beach. Shoulder Dislocation - return trip in car :(
30. October 2004
Birchgrove - Davidson Park at Roseville Bridge, Middle Harbour - Birchgrove. Solo trip. 45 km.
23. October 2004
Beecroft Peninsula circumnavigation. 35 km. Wind 10 knots S/E.
16./17. October 2004
Saturday: Shelly Beach to Palm Beach to Lobster Beach to Maitland Bay - camping (40 km). Wind 5-10 knots easterly. Sunday Maitland Bay to Palm Beach (13 km), towing another paddler in places. Wind 10 knots nord-easterly. Lots of Blue Bottles all over the place.
9. October 2004
Roseville Bridge to Balmoral and return. 18 km. Sunny and calm.
4. October 2004
Gunnamatta Bay to Wattamola and return. 25 km. Wind 15 knots easterly. Seas still very agitated from high winds during the last days. Sunny.
2. October 2004
Gunnamatta Bay to the headlands of Port Hacking and return. Surfing in breaking seas in Bundeena. Winds 20 knots south-westerly. Rainy and miseralble, clearing in the afternoon.
26. September 2004
(CT) Collaroy to Manly Cove. 20 km. Wind 5-10 knots easterly.
6.-15. September 2004
Hervey Bay and Fraser Island. 155 km.
29. August 2004
(CT) Bonnie Vale to South West Arm and return. 15 km. Wind: 5 knots NW. What a nice and relaxing day after the battle the day before.
28. August 2004
Birchgrove to Bonnie Vale. 46 km. Wind: 10-15 knots SE. We had 11 calm km in the harbour with some tail winds, followed by 35 km of headwinds on the ocean!
22. August 2004
Bondi Beach to Clontarf. 12 km. Wind: 15 knots NW.
20. August 2004
Night Paddle!! From Balmoral out between the Sydney heads, down to the wave rider buoy off Bondi, back to the coast and return. 20km. Wind: 10 knots NW.
13. August 2004
Night Paddle!! From Balmoral out between the Sydney heads, half way up to Shelly Beach and return. Wind: 15-20 knots.
31. July/1. August 2004
Port Stephens. Saturday: Jimmys Beach, out between the headlands, around Cabbage Tree Island and return. 15 km. Sunday: Jimmys Beach, out between the headlands, through the surf across the open Fingal Spit, around Fingal Island and return. 25 km. Total distance: 40 km.
3. July 2004
(CT) Port Hacking. Official Whale watching tour. From Bonnie Vale straight out to sea until we spot a whale, then follow to whatever direction it takes us – in this case to Cape Solander. Total distance: 20 km. Total number of whales: 16 :-)
29.April - 1. May 2004
Broken Bay with dad. From Apple Tree Bay to The Basin. Around Pittwater. From The Basin around Lion Island into Patonga Creek and back to Palm Beach. Total distance: 75 km.
26./27. April 2004
Port Stephens. Touring the closed waters of Port Stephens from and to Shoal Bay. Circumnavigation of Fingal Island. Total distance: 22 km.
17./18. April 2004
Trying a Spec surf ski in Port Hacking. Many rides on waves; but no great distance covered :-)
10.-12. April 2004
Easter long week-end in Murramurra National Park. Start at Berowra Waters along Berowra Creek into Murramurra Creek and all the way up to the camp ground at the far end. Return with a detour to Barr Island. Total distance: 42 km.
20./21. March 2004
First time back on the water. Camping and Paddling week-end at Bonnie Vale in Royal National Park. Total distance: 5 km.
January-April 2004
Break due to shoulder surgery.
9.-11. January 2004
Broughton Islands. Start in Fingal Bay. Friday: strong northerly headwinds, no headway after 2 hours, return into Port Stephens and camp on Jimmy's Beach. Saturday: Jimmy's Beach to Broughton Islands into a 5-10 knots northerly headwind. Trip around the islands group in a 15-20 knots northerly. Sunday: Broughton Island back to Fingal Bay into a very calm southerly (0-5 knots). Total distance: 55 km.
1.-4. January 2004
New Years Paddle in Broken Bay. Day 1: Start from Bobbin Head, exploring Cowan Creek, camping in Jerusalem Bay. Day 2: Out to Maitland Bay. Day 3: Back to Patonga and camping at Flint & Steel. Day 4: Paddle all the way to Berowra Waters. Weather: sunny all the time. Wind varying from 5 knots over 15 knots headwind to 20 knots tailwind. Total distance approx. 85 km.

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Sea kayak trips July - December 2003

All trips in my Mirage 530 unless otherwise indicated. (CT) indicates an official Club Trip or Club Training.

28. December 2003
Broken Bay: Palm Beach to Brisbane Waters and return - with sail. 25 km. Weather: 10-15 knots, sunny.
25./26. December 2003
Port Jackson Christmas Paddle. Start in Birchgrove, meeting at Clontarf, from there to Middle Harbour and North Harbour. Illegal Camping on the Beach. Watch the Sydney/Hobart Start from the water - if you ever wanted to know what a washing machine is... 35 km. Weather: 10-15 knots, sunny.
21. December 2003
Berowra Creek and Galston Gorge. Coffee Cruise. 20 km. Weather: calm and sunny.
13./14. December 2003
Jervis Bay. Coffee Cruise and Surprise Birthday Party. 30 km. Weather: calm and sunny.
6./7. December 2003
Paddle Polaris on the Tuross Lakes. 80 km in a Mirage 730 with Kevin: A two-day competition with kayak-based rogaining. We had a time limit of 7 hours on Saturday and 6 hours on Sunday; The goal was to get to various check points and to collect points. Weather: calm and sunny.
18.-20. November 2003
The Great Trip South. Gunnamatta Bay (i.e., Cronulla) to Currarong (i.e., Jervis Bay). 130 km in a Mirage 730 with Kevin. Weather: first day southerly headwind 15-20 knots. Second and third days: northerly tailwinds 10-20 knots. Sunny, 20 degrees C.
15. November 2003
Gunnamatta Bay (i.e., Cronulla) to Big Marly Beach and return (20 km). Weather: initially 5-10, later 15 knots, sunny, 25 degrees C.
30. October 2003
Fingal Bay to Boat Harbour and return (20 km). Weather: 10-15 knots, sunny, 20 degrees C.
25. October 2003
Broken Bay. Palm Beach to Lobster Beach and return (15 km). Weather: 15-25 knots, overcast, 15 degrees C. Thunderstorm and hailstorm when we had just about finished.
18.-19. October 2003
(CT) Tahlee to Limeburners Creek and return to Tahlee (25 km). Tahlee to Snapper Island, Soldiers Point, Fame Cove, Tahlee (21 km). To be fair: my wrist was injured, and I was mostly paddled around by Adrian C. in his Mirage 730 :-). Weather: 5-10 knots, sunny, 20 degrees C.
12. October 2003
Bay to Bondi 2003. Changed course due to rough conditions: Rose Bay, Clark Island, Rose Bay, South Head, Rose Bay, Clark Island, Rose Bay (20 km). Mirage 730 with Kevin. Time: 2:14:6 h. Average speed: 8.95 km/h. Weather: 25 knots, partly overcast, 20 degrees C.
4.-7. October 2003
Long week-end at the Myall Lakes: Bombah Point - Broadwater; Port Stephens; Bombah Point Tikerit - Bombah Point; Broadwater (70 km). Weather: 5-20 knots, partly overcast, 15-20 degrees C.
2. October 2003
Clontarf to Shelly Beach and return (15 km). Weather: 5 knots, sunny, 15 degrees C.
27./28. September 2003
Overnight trip in Broken Bay: Akuna Bay - The Basin - Akuna Bay (44 km). Weather: Sat 25-35 knots, Sun 10-15 knots, sunny, 10-20 degrees C.
12./13. September 2003
Berowra Creek overnight camping (38 km). Weather: 0-10 knots, partly overcast, 15 degrees C.
5.-7. September 2003
Jervis Bay long week-end. Friday: Honeymoon Bay, Longnose Point, Point Perpendicular, Crocodile Head and return (20 km). (CT) Saturday: Green Patch, Murrays Beach, Bowen Island, Point Perpendicular, Boat Harbour and return (20 km). Sunday: Plantation Point, Callala Beach, Callala Point, Callala Bay and return (15 km). Weather: Fri 25-30 knots, Sat 10-15 knots, Sun 5 knots, overcast, 15 degrees C.
31. August 2003
(CT) Port Hacking, Royal National Park: Starting from Bonnie Vale, exploration of the south-west arm (15 km). Weather: 5-15 knots, sunny, 15 degrees C.
16./17. August 2003
(CT) Overnight trip in Pittwater: Palm Beach, Barrenjoey, Lion Island, Broken Head, Putty Beach, Lobster Beach, The Basin, Palm Beach ocean side, Palm Beach Pittwater side (20 km + 15 km). Weather: 0-5 knots, sunny, 20 degrees C.
9. August 2003
(CT) Training day at Bonnie Vale, Royal National Park
19./20. July 2003
(CT) Training week-end at Bonnie Vale, Royal National Park

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Sea kayak trips June 2002 - June 2003

All trips in my Mirage 530 unless otherwise indicated. (CT) indicates an official Club Trip or Club Training.

Lane Cove in Sydney Harbour
This is my usual training ground which I do once or twice a month since July 2002. Starting from home, it takes me about 2 hours to paddle right to the end of the Lane Cove where I have a coffee and burger at a kiosk before heading (i.e., paddling) home again.
Main Harbour and out between the Heads
Sometimes, I join the weekly training paddles of the NSW Sea Kayak Club. We then put our boats into the water in either Rose Bay or Camp Cove and paddle out between the heads. In February 2003, I had the new experience to get badly seasick in a kayak...
Myall Lakes National Park
This is a paddler's paradise. In January 2003, I set up a base camp at Bombah Point and did day trips. In March 2003, I have done my first overnight trip from Tea Gardens to Buladelah.
Berowra Creek
Berowra Creek offers a combination of the best: Quite near to Sydney, you can paddle in deserted waterways and camp on lonely beaches with a direct view upon the sandstone cliffs with their tall eucalypt forests. There are even some Aboriginal rock engravings right on the edge of the water.

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"Official" Kayak Races

Date Distance
Boat		 Event Location Time Speed
25.9.2004 23 km
Mirage 530		 NSW Winter Marathon Series - 8th Race Roseville 2:53:18 min 7.96 km/h
18.9.2004 24 km
Mirage 530		 Myall Classic 2004 Hawks Nest 3:04:00 min 7.83 km/h
7.8.2004 23 km
Mirage 730		 NSW Winter Marathon Series - 6th Race Sutherland 2:13:04 min 10.37 km/h
11.7.2004 20 km
Mirage 730		 NSW Winter Marathon Series - 5th Race Forster 1:53:00 min 10.62 km/h
12.10.2003 20 km
Mirage 730		 Bay to Bondi 2003 Sydney Harbour 2:14:06 min 8.95 km/h

All races in the Mirage 730 were with Kevin as paddling partner.

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Lane Cove River Time Trials

Date Distance Tide Boat Time Speed
20.10.2004 12 km low Mirage 530 83' 00" 8.67 km/h
11.08.2004 12 km high Mirage 530 83' 24" 8.63 km/h
14.07.2004 12 km high Mirage 730 69' 04" 10.43 km/h
05.05.2004 12 km medium-high Mirage 730 68' 44" 10.48 km/h
21.04.2004 12 km medium Mirage 530 81' 07" 8.88 km/h
14.04.2004 12 km medium Mirage 530 83' 30" 8.67 km/h
07.04.2004 12 km high Mirage 530 101' 43" 7.07 km/h
Jan-Apr 2004 Break due to shoulder surgery
14.01.2004 12 km low Mirage 730 67' 11" 10.72 km/h
07.01.2004 12 km medium Mirage 730 68' 15" 10.55 km/h
15.10.2003 10 km low Mirage 730 57' 14" 10.48 km/h
01.10.2003 12 km low Mirage 730 68' 49" 10.46 km/h
24.09.2003 12 km high Mirage 730 71' 27" 10.08 km/h

All time trials in the Mirage 730 were with Kevin as paddling partner. All non-standard races are in grey font.

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