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

Karragarra for Breakfast
Date: 03-04-2011
Jeepers, this was not a paddle to pike on - it was a forecast for fun. On arrival at 0700 our concerns about launching from the rocky foreshore were flattened by a lack of promised wind. It was a sparkling morning at Weinam Creek. While a Brahminy kite was the only local ferrying building materials at this time of the day, the tranquillity was ruptured by the huff and puff of dragon boats.

Three kayaks made for the passage at Garden Island. A phone tower on Macleay now happens to line up with the entrance, such courtesy may contribute a touch towards its absolution. The purist paddled, the heathens took a lift from the wind which now was out and about.

As usual a circling bird of prey hovered around the entrance to the passage where mullets plopped in shallow muddy water. We stayed in the shelter of the mangroves where glimpses were suggestive of channel 20m further in - a place to check out on a higher tide. Beautiful butterflies showed casual indifference flitting within feelers of a leafy smash while a sea eagle ignored the bombing raids by of all birds, two gulls.

As the purist waited for the now paddling heathens another kayaker was coming across from Macleay. It was Digby in his Raider. We caught up with Digby's news, including his involvement with Tingira Boat Club in the organisation of the soon to take place around the island race and his return to the earth moving scene.

By now the S/SE had put in a bit of effort in and the channel across to Karragarra was getting lumpy. The paddle's reason for being was supposedly breakfast, but all three had had that hours earlier so it was morning tea. It was also a welcome chance to catch up and collect Werner who had pulled up after camping over at Blakesleys.

Across the channel it looked like a there was a tinny convention taking shelter, but the cast nets suggested prawns. As we headed clockwise around Karragarra the shoal of tinnies moved en masse as if caught in someone else's cast net. Brian took the lead and we faithfully followed into the mangroves nipping the corner off the island as we came out facing Russell. It was only just after AM tea so we passed up on Russell Island. An osprey cruised. Terns plunged. The wind was unpredictable and only the occasional gust gave the hopeful heathen a bow wave and something to grin about.

The white horses in the distance promised more and there certainly was. A steady 15Kn S with an occasional dollop of 20Kn was in play. It was out with the grin, but the pace had to be set by the sail as sailing/surfing would soon have the sole heathen beyond visual or radio reach and in run over range of the oncoming ferries. As it was the sail disappointingly deployed an automated self limiter when the baton popped out to check the view. The conditions were ideal, so much so that a small amount of sailing/surfing was out pacing a yacht. Gave rise to some friendly accusations of the little red sail nicking their wind and it took a brake let them retain their dignity.

The sailing heathen came in way ahead. So much so that the other three did not see the undignified dunking. With one foot grounded, a wave lifted the boat which for the first time unceremoniously plopped the paddler in the drink. The smiling speed boaters were sworn to secrecy, the boat straddled and pumped out from the persistent contributions of incoming waves.

The BOM had it spot on, the wind had some punch and it was here that Werner thought it wise to conclude his paddle. By the time he and Brian came back with Werner's car it was easing. Within half an hour the tranquility had returned, just as forecast. Had to be seen to be believed. It is only fair to grant the eventuality of a forecast some grace, however what we have experienced has matched that predicted on the modelling at http://www.bom.gov.au/marine with an accuracy which is proving to be almost uncanny. They certainly had it spot on today and it was a forecast for fun.
Ah the serenity
Wind, what wind ?
Into the sparkles
Paddling - overated
Passage entrance
Two gulls - no hassles
So much for 20Kn
Here's Digby
Shoal of prawners
Brian in the lead
Giving Russell a miss
Yes those are white horses out there Brian
Speed limiter
Start with three, end with four - an excellent return