Kayak - Penguin Fibreglass Greenlander sea kayak.
In recent months I had been spending a fair bit of time in
kayaks. I had 2 trips to Flinders Island, the Murray Marathon race and a
Bass Strait trip. I had been thinking about a new challenge.
I read about a paddle Laurie Ford had done to Maria Island
recently and a trip around the island in 1 day sounded like a good paddle.
Laurie left from Orford and I measured that distance at a minimum of 71km doing
a lap around Maria Island, starting & finishing at Orford (near the mouth of the
Prosser River).
To get an early start I drove up to Orford the afternoon
before I was going to start so I could get away early the next day. While
I was parked near the Prosser River at Orford Laurie Ford appeared after seeing
a car with a sea kayak. Laurie was building his house just up the road.
I told him my plan and loaded some gear in the kayak. I
was taking dry clothes, camping gear, food and drinks - in case the weather
turned bad & I had to stop.
Rather than sleep in my car next to the river, Laurie offered
me a bed for the night. After a short sleep I was up at 4.30am heading
down to the river & Laurie helped me carry the sea kayak to the water. It
was dark and I ran aground a few times on sandbars leaving the river.
I headed out just after 5am on a compass bearing towards the
northern end of Maria Island in virtually no wind. The sea was a bit lumpy
but ok. The sun started to rise as I approached Cape Boullanger (nth end
of Maria Is.).
It was beautiful as I paddled in close to the cliffs below
Fossil Bay and Bishop & Clerk. I continued along at a steady pace for the
15.5km of sea cliffs and rocky coastline around to Little Raggedy Head - where a
large bay opens up and ended north Maria Island.
From there I headed in a direct line to the next point - out 5km offshore east of the neck, towards Cape Maurouard (named by French explorer Baudin in honour of helmsman of the Géographe in 1802).
I was cruising at 7.5 - 8km/h in the loaded sea kayak - which
was a comfortable cruising pace but I could tell that I had done 40km. I
was just over half way.
I headed back along the sea cliffs of the south end of Maria
Island towards Cape Peron (the southern tip). I had 25km to go and it
there was a light n/e to easterly breeze that was helping a bit.
I kept heading in a direct line which took me between the
shacks at Earlham and Lachlan Island - in Mercury Passage. I cruised past
Spring Beach just after 2pm, feeling a bit weary but focused on getting to the
end.
The sea became calmer as I approached Orford in the fine
weather. I cruised into the river and hit the beach at 2.48pm feeling very
satisfied. It was a struggle to walk after 10 hours sitting in the kayak
but Laurie had strolled back down from his house to welcome me back.
The shortest, straight line distance around the island is
about 71km but my gps measured that I had done 75km - as I had followed the
coastline of the island in some areas - for the spectacular scenery.
