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

St Helena
Date: 04-05-2009
Launch: 09:30 Boat Passage
Distance: 26km
Conditions: Wind Southeast 20-25Kn
The forecast saw the group split into a northern and southern pod with the five paddlers in northern pod taking the furnace run. The 20Kn SE turned it into a blast which worked well with a falling tide due to bottom out around midday. Having taken the last two car parks at the boat passage, Brian and Sal were relegated to park outside. At least five unrecognised cars sported kayak racks. A ute had a particularly elegant custom rack capable of holding up to three kayaks with two paddles in between.

Tom clearly needs a break from work as he took the front hatch cover off. While he used to put 9 litres up the front improve his Raider's manners, he has been a Mirage paddler for sometime now and the only reason to take the front hatch cover off is to go on an expedition. We made a leisurely start as Sal had already had an early AM rendezvous with the RACQ. Leaving the passage on a falling tide the five kayaks kept to the channel heading into an oncoming breeze. Watching four kayaks or skis being carried or lugged across the mud flats kept us there before finally turning to port and making a beeline for Green. Here we came across three more kayakers in timber plywood craft, two of which were Chesapeake 17s. Green's rock strewn mudflat was growing by the minute and looking pretty uninviting so it was up with the sails and straight onto St Helena.

It was an easy sail to the sandy point under the jetty but the swell was not quite big enough to get a grip. The Cat-O-Nine Tails had lumbered passed carrying Squid and his family for a civil day out while ferals took their pew on the sand in the relative shelter of the wall. Soaking up the warmth we enjoyed Sal's fresh homemade strawberry kisses. Strawberry because there was no raspberry jam in the pantry. Consensus was that some raspberry kisses would have to turn up on another paddle for the authentic taste test. Around the same time the southern pod lunged into Carol's chocolate cake.

As there were no further stopping places morning tea morphed into lunch while the tide turned and the SE wound itself up as predicted. The strengthening wind change only became apparent once out of the shelter of the wall. The casuarinas were singing and the chop more crested. Time to make a move. Even though we were in the lee of the island those with sails zinged along the inside of the sheltering yachts to the final channel marker where it was time to turn to port and head for the end of the rock wall at the port.

The wind was a steady 18 - 22Kn and straight from behind. While it was tempting to leave the sail up, anyone without one would have no hope of keeping up and it seemed likely that it would get quite lumpy out of the lee of the island. So it was a radio call to downsail, group up and turn left. True to form the Raider showed no manners and was more likely to become a rider of the surf (and other boats) so we kept our distance. Once you were on a wave it was easy to scoot across to the next and within five pick ups you would be 300m ahead of the pack. Whacko this was fun. Even without a sail Mark clocked 17kph surfing the chop. Sailing would have been possible although you would have to be careful about what you caught and everyone would have to have a sail to keep pace.

We were not the only ones coming into port with a container ship being piloted into berth with crane number 10. A small boat came up the river with intent slowed down and essentially told us to **** off. Nicely handled, but a wasted trip as we were already well clear of the end of the wharf. Tom put out a radio call regarding the wash of the outgoing China Shipping monster. I looked to the bow and then the stern, yeah, so what, not much going on at either end. I heard it before I saw it. Sal's tsunami. A metre high perfect rolling wave coming down the river. An oncoming surf launch I hadn't seen it for the sail. Time to drop my pants and head straight for deep water, Brian on the other hand was too close to the bank and copped a surf launch breaking through like a true wave warrior. After avoiding the wave Sal was heading out for the middle of the channel and not coming back. Brian and I went out to call her back, but there was no point calling her, she couldn't turn. The SE ripping over the wall had a hold of her and was keeping her out. We went out and shepherded the boat around and into the wind. Time to think about carrying some form of towing gear as a quick hitch would have been a lot more efficient compared with poking the bow with a paddle.

Staying close to the shelter of the wall was a wise move as there was a lot of chunky river traffic about including MiCat, Tangalooma Flier and another whale watching boat. At one stage it was fun and games trying to figure out what the MiCat was up too. It looked like he was going to pass on the portside. Had our tight little pod zig zagging like a school of stalked fish.

The wharves have both been renovated and extended considerably. The container ships were simply enormous. By the time we reached the sandy beach on Fisherman's Island it was time to go in for a leg stretch. The two pilot boats who had nudged the container ship into the berth passed by and put up a great wash to ride in on. Brian was ahead and looked like he was going to nose straight into the beach. This wash was asking for ride so we took it. Problem was that Brian had been on the back of the wave and not gone all the way in. We (on the face of it) flew by at mach one and raided his landing possie finishing up the way an Artic Raider does - slewed sideways. By now Brian had his deck off and had not realised that the bump in the water had around six more friends with his open cockpit in their sights. Slight technical hitch as he now had nowhere to go except into a 5.4m grinning obstruction. Oops sorry Brian - but it was a great ride in.

Rounding the end of Fisherman's Island it was face into the SE and the run in tide. The banks were lined with people fishing while a solitary dolphin hassled people in knee deep water at the boat ramp. The dolphin was not leaving in a hurry and seemed like it was trying to cadge a feed.

The trip was a blast and a brilliant way to make the most of a day with a midday low and a fresh SE blow. Highly recommended for those with sails. Limited room for chicken feathers.
Time for a holiday
Setting out
Where not to end up
Heading for Green Island
Give this one a miss
Heading for shelter
Everything is on a giant scale
Noisy chick flanked by parents
 
St Helena Map
GPS Trackfile (OziExplorer .plt)