Calendar


Trip Diary

08-2012 Peel Island (An Ekka tradition)
08-2012 Moreton Island
07-2012 Rocky Point
06-2012 Blakesleys
06-2012 The Bedroom
05-2012 Breakfast on Karragarra
05-2012 St Helena
05-2012 Perigee Bedroom
02-2012 Queen Mary II
02-2012 Mud Island
11-2011 St Helena
11-2011 Shorncliffe to Redcliffe
10-2011 Weinam Ck to Dunwich
10-2011 Peel Island
10-2011 Breakfast on Karragarra
10-2011 St Helena and Green Island
09-2011 Wivenhoe Dam
08-2011 Fraser Island
08-2011 Canaipa Passage
08-2011 Karragarra
08-2011 Stradbroke Island
07-2011 St Helena
07-2011 So long, and thanks for all the fish.
05-2011 Green Island
05-2011 Wivenhoe Dam
04-2011 Upper Noosa River Weekend
04-2011 Easter at Woodgate
04-2011 Mud Island
04-2011 Karragarra for Breakfast
02-2011 Bongaree
02-2011 St Helena
01-2011 Weinam Ck to Blakesleys
10-2010 Moore to Blackbutt Rail Trail
10-2010 Whitsundays
09-2010 Mud Island
09-2010 Redcliffe
09-2010 Girraween
08-2010 Upper Noosa River
08-2010 Potts Point
08-2010 Peel Island
08-2010 Gateway to City Bike Ride
08-2010 Mud Island
07-2010 Blakesleys Afternoon Paddle
07-2010 Kedron Brook to Scaborough (and return)
04-2010 Colmslie Beach
04-2010 Brighton Park
01-2010 Nundah Creek
01-2010 Blakesleys
01-2010 Upper Noosa River (with a difference)
01-2010 New Year Paddle
12-2009 Potts Point
08-2009 Raby Bay to Peel Island
08-2009 Wynnum Creek to King Island
07-2009 Sandgate to Redcliffe
05-2009 St Helena
04-2009 Wellington Point to Peel
04-2009 Breakfast on Karragarra
03-2009 King Island
03-2009 Mission Point
03-2009 Mud Island
01-2009 Morning Tea at The Pin
01-2009 Circumnavigate Macleay Island
01-2009 New Year Recovery Paddle
12-2008 Caniapa
12-2008 Pine Rivers
11-2008 Coochie Night Paddle
10-2008 Breakfast at Karragarra
10-2008 Girraween
10-2008 Coomera Falls Circuit
09-2008 Hinchinbrook Island
09-2008 Manly Harbour Festival
09-2008 Linville to Blackbutt Rail Trail
08-2008 Weekend at Blakesleys
08-2008 Old Woman Island
08-2008 Circumnavigate Macleay Island
07-2008 Upper Noosa River
07-2008 Weinam Creek to Dunwich
06-2008 Scarborough to Bongaree
06-2008 Wellington Pt to St Helena
06-2008 North Stradbroke Jazz Weekend
05-2008 Point O'Halloran to Blakesleys
04-2008 Upper Noosa River
04-2008 Aquatic Paradise to St Helena Is
04-2008 Eprapah Creek
03-2008 Paradise Point to Moreton Island
03-2008 Wynnum Ck to Tangalooma Point
03-2008 Amity Point weekend
03-2008 Bremer River
03-2008 Brisbane River - Gregors Ck to Barneys Rocks
02-2008 Play Day - Coochie Mudlo
02-2008 World Wetlands Day Paddle
02-2008 Brisbane River night paddle
01-2008 Australia Day Week
01-2008 Blakesleys 3/4 Moon Paddle
01-2008 Shorncliffe to Nudgee
01-2008 Brisbane River - Barneys Rocks to O'Sheas Crossing
12-2007 Raby Bay to One Mile via Blakesleys and Potts Point
12-2007 Diamond Head to Tipplers
12-2007 Wynnum Ck to Green and St Helena Islands
11-2007 Bike Ride Bay Islands
11-2007 Tingalpa Creek
10-2007 Potts Point Night Paddle
10-2007 Return to Gilligans Island
10-2007 Salt Water Creek and Coomera River
09-2007 Elimbah Creek
09-2007 Scarborough to Caboolture River
09-2007 Fraser Island Whale Watching
09-2007 Circumnavigate Russell Island
08-2007 Pine Rivers Night Paddle
08-2007 Linville to Blackbutt Rail Trail
08-2007 Brisbane River City Reach
08-2007 Peel Island
08-2007 Brisbane River
08-2007 Green Island Day Trip
07-2007 Pine Rivers Night Paddle
07-2007 Mooloolah River
07-2007 USS Kitty Hawk in Brisbane River
06-2007 Black Tie on Peel Island
05-2007 Harrys Hut Camping Weekend
04-2007 Theodolite Creek
04-2007 Upper Burrum River
04-2007 Circumnavigate Big Woody
04-2007 Walkers Point to Toogum
03-2007 Boat Passage to Big Sandhills
12-2006 Woodgate to Mon Repos
10-2006 Fraser Island Whale Watching
04-2005 Keppel Islands
12-2004 Fraser Island
10-2004 Munna Point Camping Weekend
10-2004 Mooloolaba to Maroochydore
09-2004 Coochie Mudlo Island
08-2004 Karragarra Island
07-2004 Wellington Point to St Helena Island
06-2004 Noosa River Camping Weekend
05-2004 Brisbane River Night Paddle
04-2004 Budds Beach to Moreton Island
10-2003 Bulwer to Tangalooma
05-2003 Eatonsville to Harwood Island

Links

SEQSK Discussion Group
SEQSK Newsletters
Adventurer Anthony Malloch

New Year Recovery Paddle
Date: 01-01-2009
Launch: 09:30 Boat Passage
Distance: 18km
Conditions: Wind15kn Northeast
The New Year's recovery paddle had little to do with alcohol detox. Furthermore anywhere on the Bay would have been a welcome reprieve from a so called 'cocktail party' held on the 12th floor at Ridges Hotel. The invitation sounded great - positively convivial. With live entertainment, unlimited drinks, finger food and prime views of the fireworks at South Bank from the top floor of the hotel this was a night to remember. The reality was a crowded room with no chairs, a DJ thumping out 'doof doof' and conversational yelling matches. We escaped the noise onto a balcony reserved for smokers to find out that this hot outdoor area was a dry zone. The only way to escape the heat and noise was via the elevator and out the door at the cost of $180 for a glass of so called champagne.

With a forecast for an increasing NE four kayaks left the boat passage and headed direct for the Mangrove Channel. The rising tide took us past the sad spectre of a loggerhead trapped in a crab pot. Once out of the passage the freshening NE made the hazy smudge of Mud Island look like hard yakka and the alternative of AM tea on St Helena met no resistance.

Again it was a warm day and after landing in the lee of a rocky promontory on the SW corner it was straight into the drink. White horses trampled thoughts of circumnavigating the island. Instead we sailed and paddled towards, then amongst the mangroves on the SE corner of the island. The 2.3m high tide created a tranquil oasis amongst the tortuous trunks. Once we ran out of water the fun began in earnest.

By now the NE now had a regular swell coming in and it was a direct line for Green with a tail wind. Sorry guys, this invitation was too good to miss. With a radio request to keep an eye on the red sail we were gone. Gone sailing, surfing and squawking. That puny insignificant excuse of a skeg stuck to the bum of my boat has made the world of difference. Skipping from swell to swell or cutting across the face, there were times when I wondered what my options were about to become. In the end we arrived sunny side up sporting a big fat grin. Everyone else took a while longer and saw a lot more wild life including shovel nosed rays, reef sharks, live turtles, sea eagles and mullet.

Green Island now has chairs and tables, although possibly for a limited time as planks had been ripped off for fires. The wind remained steady as we enjoyed lunch in the shade sitting at a table with a breeze way. The return was a beam sea to the boat passage. After yesterday I was happy for the sail to do the work and took the easy way out. By the time we had the boats on the car the wind was thumping in and it looked like storm clouds were building.

After the fracas at Ridges Hotel maybe the fireworks are best viewed at a cocktail party with drinks served from Level 2 of the Big Sandhills...
Tranquil reprieve
Heading into the Mangrove Channel
To come across a sad find
Into the mangroves of St Helena
And out of them,
Or, swimming in them
In the lee of St Helena
From Green to the Boat Passage
 
New Year Recovery  Paddle Map
GPS Trackfile (OziExplorer .plt)