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

Point O'Halloran to Blakesleys
Date: 03-05-2008
Launch: 12:00 Point O'Halloran
Distance: 11km paddle - 8km walk
Conditions: Wind 15kn Southeast
This weekend's paddle was a bit like playing touch tag. We started out with five, changed players and eventually returned with three late on Monday. The kick off was a delayed by slackers who tried unsuccessfully to absolve their tardiness with a rapid pack on the muddy sand of Point O'Halloran. Leaving around midday it was over to Coochie for some lunch before angling towards the intended destination of Caniapa. By now a firm 10Kn SE was hanging around promising a slow trudge. Sailing to Peel with the following sea looked like fun waiting to happen, but Blakesleys prevailed. Turned out to be a great choice.

Tom shadowed Carol with her sail while we headed in a northern direction to get some advantage off the wind. This eventually took me north of the Pelican Banks and for my effort I was the only one who did not get my feet wet. Given the wind we opted for the sheltered northern end of Blakesleys, another fortuitous choice given the sheer numbers of people we later discovered camping on the southern side.

Mark's casual comment 'whose boat is that heading off ?' had me charging off down the beach but the squishy mud and murky waters had me think twice about swimming for it, instead commandeering a boat. By now everyone had arrived and the distance to the campsite made wheels look a sensible proposition. Before long the tents were up and the firewood collected. The evening was mild, fire suitably hot and SE ensured that the smoke went out to sea. There were no sandflies or mossies of consequence. I think you could say that we were the noisy northern yob element that evening before turning in around 9:30.

The following morning was a walk up the back of Blakesleys to find the lakes. The track was well defined and looked like it had little traffic. Dropping down over the back of a dune through some scrub we came across a bitumen road which ran along one side of the first of the three lakes. There was no water to be seen as the entire lake had been taken up by tall reeds. The ground was moist in places but certainly no swimming to be had. It was the same for the other two lakes.

The walk was interesting with the sandy track taking us past some revegetation that had been in place from as early as 1979. Can't say what had been planted looked too successful with many trees fallen over and no secondary growth of any substance. Along the way a chain of prickly grubs making their way in tactile single file crossed the track. There were a couple of mischevious suggestions such as make the front one find the rear one, remove one from the middle, but in the end they were left to their own devices. A large stock pile of black sand didn't look like it had been accessed for some time.

On the return walk fibrous cement nesting boxes were either in trees or waiting to be put up. Wooden boxes painted a pale green appeared to have fallen out of trees which wasn't surprising as some of the methods used to secure the boxes looked like they would either ring bark the tree or have little hope of hanging in there. A white 4WD drove past, pulled over and a person put on a hard hat and came over. Turned out she was a research student assessing the revegetation. The nesting boxes were for sugar gliders and we were not supposed to be here as it was a part of Consolidated Rulite Ltd (as was Blakesleys). At no stage was there any signage to indicate this nor that it was a restricted area. Like to see the response they would get if they tried telling that to the people settled in at Blakelsleys.

By the time we arrived back in camp with firewood in tow we found many more launches and yachts out front. Scarla, Cathy, Mike, Dean and Chris had rocked up bringing the numbers up to 10. Lunch was had under the tarp. Carol produced a fabulous banana cake with smooth cream cheese icing. Lunch was concluded with segments of a sweet Murray which Carol insisted on adding flavour too by rolling in the sand. As the tide receeded owners of a cruiser found out where not to park. Watching their vain attempts to push the craft into deeper water had Dean stride off to give a hand. The rest of us continued to watch and waved when Dean beckoned for back up. Even with back up this girl was stuck fast so the fat lab had a great day of it waddling around the beach unlike the soldier crabs who were in mortal danger.

After a 17C swim amongst the cruisers it was time to send off Tom, Mark, Dean and Chris. At the farewell a laundry bucket next to the stuck cruiser was filled to the brim with soldier crabs clambouring for their freedom. Scarla promptly negotiated their release with a bored three year old who was a keen prison warden. After gathering some more firewood it was into a hammock or a good book. Mark made friends with our neighbours who were sorting out a previously felled tree. He triumphantly returned with a couple of heavyweight logs for the fire which was a beauty. Too bad about forgetting the marshmallows.

That night was still, clear and cooler than the previous. As the tide came in the cruiser finally made off into a setting sun to the cheers, whistles and applause from all ashore and on boats - don't think they will make that mistake again in a hurry. Scarla took sympathy on a teacher on a Duke of Edinburgh trip and helped him lug his kayak ashore and then invited him around for the evening. While there were promises of a sax serenade this was overwhelmed by 1980's music blaring off one of the many boats offshore. The southern yobs won the noise stakes but I think our fire would have been hard to surpass.

Next Page
Lorikeet at Coochie
Leaving Coochie
Passing Points Point
Mark arriving at Blakesleys
Happy campers
Pink skies over Macleay Island
Fireside sunset
Morning serenity
The sealed road
Lake of reeds
Native shrub - who knows what ?
Mineral sands stockpile
Paw and bird prints
Down to the next 'lake'
No comment
Some other native bush in flower
Prickly train
Sugar glider nesting box awaiting placement
Scribbly gum
Back down to Blakesleys
Slinking away to rousing applause
Toasted campers
Now that's a fire for embers
 
Point O'Halloran to Blakesleys Map

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