Swell

I sent out the call for starters for the evening paddle this week with the disclaimer "pond like conditions and a 1.5metre Easterly swell."
The wind was a gentle puff from the NE and after several days of zephyrs and calms there was little chance of a downwind blast.
On arriving at Sydney Heads there was no difference between observed and forecast conditions except that the swell was long and fast. As you can see in the photo above, the long wavelength is almost imperceptible in deep water away from the cliffs.
The one important number that the BOM forecast doesn't give you is wave period and these swells were often 10 -12 seconds; not big by SW Tassie standards but when these fat waves collide with the Sydney cliff line head-on then there is potential for a little bit of action.

Neil rounding North Head.

Chris approaching Bluefish Point and the rebound is a little more apparent.


Matt gets a shower.

As we rounded Bluefish point to the North. Matt announced that the "dragon was awake". We couldn't see the "dragon" but it's deep guttural roar and the mist and spray emanating from its den were pretty convincing evidence of a powerful beast in the low overhangs that smother the rising swell as it swings around the point causing these eruptions of spray and chaotic surface conditions.

Matt chasing his Dragon.

Mark enjoying a bit of a bounce.

I think this qualifies as "clapotis" i.e. industrial strength rebound.

It is truly bizarre to feel the force of all the water driving you away from the cliffs but this is what makes this spot relatively safe when the conditions are right. In the photo above Mark and I are pelted hard by the spray.

Above and below you can see Fernando surfing intersecting waves around the point

While the group waited their turn or just enjoyed bouncing around a little further out, there was still enough challenge to prompt a few unexpected rolls and plenty of support strokes and balancing practice.

In less than a nautical mile we arrived back at North Head just in time to witness a classic Sydney autumn sunset and put on our lights in the "pond like conditions"

You are being watched...

The good vibe from last weeks rolling workshop whetted my appetite for personal practice so I put aside some time to test a few excellent tips I gleaned from listening to Mel and Mark.

Although I spend a lot of time on the water I only get time for personal practice if I make the effort and was really enjoying the quiet contemplation when, I suddenly felt very uneasy underwater; like I was being watched.

I practice most of my rolling with my eyes shut so I can concentrate on "feel" and besides, the recent rains have muddied the waters so there isnt much to see.

Then I noticed there were dark clouds obscuring the sandy seabed so I donned my mask and capsized as slowly and quietly as I could......

Thousands of small fishy eyes looked back at me and in the midst of these clouds of little fishes there were pelagics, a penguin and a very large shadowy figure that loomed in and out of view.

I have seen many sharks from my kayak over the years, some of them elusive, some curious and either way, these are usually exhilirating and humbling encounters, but when the water is murky and the baitfish are swarming I would hate to be the victim of mistaken identity and roll up with out a head.

oops

The Images above and below appeared in the latest issue of Ocean Paddler issue 30. These were included in an article on basic sailing safety tips that I wrote for the magazine.

These pictures were taken by Sharon Betteridge and Shaan Gresser respectively and along with an excellent picture of yours truly by Andrew Eddy were included in the final proof without credits. I apologise to all three for this omission and thank them for the way their photographic contributions enhance the article.

For the record; the image above shows Andrew Eddy Sailing through a jumble of very big granite boulders off Cape Melville on Cape York. Below, Matt Bezzina and Mark Schroeder sailing from Broughton Island enroute to Seal Rocks abeam to a brisk southeasterly.

WA Inaugural Sea Kayak Symposium

Above: Approaching Cape Peron.

When Les Allen called me with an invitation to the inaugural Western Australian Sea Kayak Symposium I knew I was committing to more than just a good idea. Les is one of those rare individuals who make things happen rather than waiting for someone else to do it so I wasn’t surprised when the initial discussion was backed up very quickly with venue, times, permits, accommodation and session details. Presenters and Instructors were lined up and registrations started to pour into WA Sea Kayak Symposium Central a.k.a Les and Jo’s place at Rockingham. Between them they tackled the mountain of work that you can only appreciate if you have been involved in organising a kayaking activity of this scale.
Paddlers from as far away as Norway, hundreds of miles north and south and thousands of miles east of Perth converged on the outdoor rec camp along with locals. I don’t think anybody knew exactly what to expect but the adventurous spirit that seems to abound in kayakers was well rewarded with an intricate coastline, impressive wildlife and an excellent self contained venue right on the beach. The open air dining area with uninterrupted coastal views was a natural meeting point and provided a great backdrop to mealtimes and talks.

Above: Sharon enjoying the views on a short walk from the dining room.

After registrations and a hearty meal we sat down to a presentation by Sandy Robson. Sandy gave us a beautiful and inspiring account of the first leg of her project to retrace the Epic voyage of Oskar Speck. Her quirky humour and insights about the people she met along the way made this a very engaging talk and one not to be missed when she makes a guest appearance at NSWSKC Rock n Roll this year.

Above: Sandy's Presentation .

With a strong wind warning issued for Saturday, Les faced the tough decision of keeping everyone close to shore on the sheltered side of Cape Peron for the day. On the upside this allowed for large groups to share instructors and experience a range of approaches and presentation styles.
After lunch Les jumped into his trusty Greenland T while I offered a commentary about different approaches to rolling. Les showed us some traditional and more contemporary rolls and braces and topped it all with an excellent demonstration of rolling with a “walrus” on the rear deck. I joined in with some forward finishing rolls and braces and a little upside down paddling and then it was time for everyone to grab an instructor or mentor and give it a try.
The test of a good sea kayaking weekend is how tired the group looks after dinner on Saturday night. This isn’t the “sitting in the traffic “or “hard day at the office” kind of tired, this is more the contented tired that comes from salt water, sun and serious fun.
It is also a hard gig to stand in front this sleepy but polite group of paddlers and entertain them with more talk about kayaking. Sharon and I had quick chat and decided that her Cape York talk and My North Reef talk might disappear in a chorus of snores so I put up some short videos of paddling around Sydney and explained the local scene; it kept everyone awake for about an hour. A cuppa and short rundown on the North Reef Expedition for those who wanted some more and we were off the hook.

Above: Part of my Saturday group, including instructors John, Matt and Keely and prolific Sydney paddlers Rae and Neil.

Sunday morning dawned bright and calm so most paddlers opted for organised paddles to the aptly named Seal and or Penguin Islands. Despite the forecast for 3metre swells, there is an extensive offshore reef that parallels the coast and this reduced the ocean swells to playful waves spilling on the near shore rock platforms. The “seals” on Seal Island are actually Western Australian Sea Lions and we were lucky enough to see these massive beasts just hanging around on their private beach.

Above: WA Sea Lions

Playful waves on the rock platforms near Cape Peron.

From an outsiders perspective the weekend was a real success, 75 Paddlers including many from rival WA clubs met on neutral turf to compare notes, discuss skills and find common ground, new networks were formed and plans for future adventures were hatched. Significantly most of the talk over the final lunch was all about arrangements and suggestions for WA Symposium 2013. Based on the success of the 2012 gathering, the future of this event now looks very certain indeed. Congratulations Les and on a personal note a big thanks to Les, Jo and all the local instructors and paddlers who made Sharon and I feel so welcome.

Above: Les Allen, a happy man off for a rolling and skills session. The beach is an easy stroll from his front door.

Rob and Sharon's Southern Summer Adventure

I was delighted when Greg Simson, Commodore of the Tassie Sea Canoe Club, invited me down to spend some time with he and other club members, especially when they suggested early January and I realised that I could take Sharon along and extend our trip to take in some of the sights around Hobart and maybe even sneak a little paddle across the Mercury Passage to share the delights of Maria Island with her.

Commodore Greg shows off the modern Tassie Rig (designed by Tim Parker)

The Tassie Sea Kayak community has a long and distinguished history of paddling some of the most challenging waters in Australia and they have pioneered the use of very big rudders and a number of elegantly simple sails. Many of the members still paddle boats built with the club's "Greenlander" mould. Handcrafted fittings and sails figure heavily in many a paddlers' setup. I am currently researching different sails and was lucky enough to spend some time discussing Tasmanian sail rigs with some of the pioneers and stalwarts including Jenny Scott, Veronica Steane and Mike Emery who have used these rigs to great effect in challenging conditions.

Guy's sail uses a flexible mast and single line control

To use a Sundin style sports analogy the Tassie club punches well above its weight with around 170 members and a vibrant calendar of activities. With a burgeoning membership the club is looking to the future with an eye to maintaining club standards and promoting the philosophy of safe and self sufficient adventure on the cool and restless seas that surround them. As the club grows numerically I hope they can preserve the sense of a real sea going community that has been the backbone of their club for decades.

I was there to give an outsiders perspective on Sea Kayak Leadership; as well as a low key presentation on paddling around Sydney, leading groups on the NSW coast and an overview of the recent North Reef Expedition.

After this session I witnessed just how fast the weather can turn nasty even on the Derwent and in the aftermath how useful power can be to a seakayaker when Peter Kelly successfully towed a supported paddler with a swamped cockpit into a 40-45knot headwind!


I also spent a very rewarding day with Peter and a group of his mates who have embraced the challenge of skeg boat paddling. With the notable exception of local Brit boat enthusiast, Geoff Murray, rudderless paddling is still considered a fringe activity in Tassie.

The coldest day was reserved for private coaching with Hobart paddlers. I spent about 6 hours standing in the Derwent delivering rolling tuition which really wasn't so bad: at about 17degrees the river water was about double the air temperature!


After a walk into the magnificent old growth forests with Peter as our guide we headed north to Orford to head out to Maria Island. Despite a strong wind warning we made the crossing and setup camp. From this point the photos speak for themselves.

“It’s just over there."

Painted Cliffs

Darlington Sunset

View on the walk to Bishop and Clerk

Leaving Darlington with a full kayak

Fishing boats sheltered under the Fossil Cliffs.

Sharon paddling along the Fossil Cliffs

Sea Cave in glassy conditions

View of Schouten Island from Maria Island Sea Cave

Perfect Caving Conditions

Dwarfed by Stack

Friendly Darlington Local

Single Shot

Andrew Eddy took this one while I was busy snapping away a few weeks ago and he thought it might go well with the blog on photos. Thanks Andrew.

Moving Targets

Oscar's comment on my last blog prompted me to write this as I have been asked this question about hand held and fixed cameras many times before. First let me confess to knowing very little about the technical craft of photography and relying heavily on the ingenious technologies built into modern waterproof compacts, especially image stabilisation and auto focus.
All my still shots from the kayak are taken using a handlheld compact camera. When you see a camera mounted on the foredeck in some shots it is there to capture video for the EK website or Mark's Vimeo channel, fixed cameras work pretty well for video.

By using a handheld camera I can quickly change my point of veiw and shoot from as high as my outstretched arm will reach all the way down to just off the surface of the water. I try to avoid too many bow shots except when I think it will create a sense of proximity to the subject or add interest in some way.

I have tried using continuos shooting modes with fixed cameras but have discovered that the boat moves far more than my head or my hand producing mostly blurred and poorly framed images. The exception being self portrait type shots that work with a fixed setup where the boat and I are moving at the same rate.

My motivation is always to try for images that convey something of how it really looked from the seat of my kayak on the day so I can share some of the beauty and drama that I encounter at sea.

In my efforts to capture shots that depict sea kayakers in action I have found the following to be helpful:

• Try to watch the action (waves, wildlife, light shifts ) as they approach the subject and synchronise the shot based on what is coming into the frame rather than what has just happened.



• Steady yourself in steep conditions by relaxing and letting your hips ride the bumps.



• Use a one handed low brace to deal with breaking waves.



• Occasionally I have to do a "camera roll" which always seems to get a laugh from my buddies and I think the fact that I am unconcerned about the potential for capsize means that it doesnt happen as often as it should and I can focus on taking the shot.
  


• Experiment with lanyards that allow plenty of reach and then use a quick release just in case of entanglement.



• Choose a camera that has a quick setup time and minimum shutter lag. (The Canon Powershot D10 and the new Nikon AW100 seem to be the best I have used in wet and wild conditions.

Finally remember that when you are taking photographs you are often breaking a golden rule by turning your back to the sea so keep a lookout and be alert for warnings from paddlers looking over your shoulder towards the incoming waves.