Whilst not the longest crossing, the last day across Banks Strait was one of the most technically difficult. The current can travel faster than you can paddle if you pick the wrong time to cross. Our estimated time for crossing on the day was on the ebb tide at around 1430. It was a 3-4hr paddle so we aimed to leave Clarke Island at 1230-1300. But we also had 20km from Thunder Bay before we got to Clarke Island.
Spikes Cove
Again we set off at 0800. We cut through several rocky points to maintain a better angle for sailing and made good progress to Clarke Island. The kayaks enable us to access areas a boat could not go due to shallows and no picture or video could do the scenery justice. With one spare hour before our planned crossing we coasted around Spikes Cove - unbelievable, pristine little bays and beaches with granite outcrops that we vowed tocome back too
Keen to go we left the Cove at 1245. The wind was at about our nine o'clock as we rounded the point and felt the current for the first time. Holy smoke, we immediately had to turn nearly 45' to the left to maintain our heading. After 30 min with our heart rates climbing into the 130 zone we knew this was going to be a tough afternoon.
We struggled with less than 5km/h for 30min before deciding on a different course (ferry gliding) and anticipating the tidal stream reversing at about 1500hr and taking us the other way to the finish. We struggled mentally with the feeling we were going nowhere for hours. The angles of vision to various waypoints didn't change and we kept each other amused with our own strange sense of humor to help pass the time, frustration and pain go quicker. It was a tough few hours, but in hindsight we felt it was a 'just' way to finish our trip. An easy finish would not have been appropriate given the anxiety we had felt at the beginning
With 2km to go, according to our magic watches, we thought we saw flags on the coast line. Then we saw them move! A few minutes later we realised the girls had been signaling us and waving us in towards the cars and parking area.
We had done it!
We knew we would make it through some how, and after the first days ordeal it was hard to imagine it getting any worse. To progress through ordeals with a trusted friend makes it so much easier. Bass Strait solo is another level and we have a new respect for those who have completed such a feat. We were looked after more than once by fate, we had to dig deep several times, but it was so worth while and we learnt so much along the way.
Our respective partners were worried the whole time and we did not wish them for such concern, but they were so supportive - thanks Marianne and Judy, it was tough for you both but you were behind us the whole way in mind and spirit and we love you both so much
| Bass Strait Log | ||||||||
| Date | Dist paddled | Dist trekked | Av Speed km/h | KCal Paddled | KCal Trekked | Time Paddling | Time Trekking | Est Recovery |
| 3rd | 83.28 | 7.4 | 7763 | 11.3 | 120 | |||
| 4th | 2.23 | 265 | 2.17 | |||||
| 5th | 41.24 | 6.5 | 3358 | 6.3 | 93 | |||
| 6th | 7 | 880 | 2.5 | |||||
| 7th | 67.28 | 6.5 | 4875 | 10.4 | 96 | |||
| 8th | ||||||||
| 9th | 33.16 | 7 | 2087 | 4.8 | 24 | |||
| 10th | 14.91 | 6.1 | 5 | 1200 | 616 | 3 | 1.3 | 11 |
| 11th | 26.6 | 15.28 | 7 | 1598 | 2122 | 3.7 | 4.45 | 19 |
| 12th | 46.44 | 6.1 | 3245 | 7.5 | 45 | |||
| 312.91 | 30.61 | 6.7 | 24126 | 3883 | 47 | 10.42 | 408 |
A post from Tassie? .... I was expecting a post from Greymouth NZ after the wind blew you two across the ditch!!
ReplyDeleteWell done guys! Epic!