Hail hell

by Tess Dodd_Adveturetess

 I am almost halfway across, enjoying leaving the demands of a busy morning further behind me with every paddle stroke. My thoughts are filled with plans to paddle in Alaska.

Reading Audrey Sutherland’s books (87 days solo kayaking in Alaska, swimming and kayaking remote sections of the Hawaii coast); I recognized her spirit and felt inspired by her adventures. I spend many hours vicariously sharing her inflatable canoe. A deep rumble draws my attention to my right. I was no longer sharing Audrey’s inflatable canoe in Alaska, but alone in my Nordkapp in Moreton Bay.
Looking south, I can see darkness on the horizon. It’s distant and appears to be moving across the lower bay, out to sea, away from me. I can see the strip of white sand where my friends are camped. I know it’s not far for me to paddle now. I stop day dreaming and increase my cadence, keen to reach the beach before any rain falls. I don't fancy setting up my tent in the rain.

 Loud rumble. The storm is moving closer to me but still appears to be tracking out to sea. I stop paddling to hydrate and consider my options: I am closer to my destination than any other land.
If the storm moves towards me and not out to sea, no matter which direction I take now, I am going to get wet. I decide to continue my original course.
Before I move on, a sea turtles large head breaks the surface nearby, taking a huge gasp of air before sinking below. I notice a large shadow to the right, too big for a turtle, maybe a dugong? The shadow moves closer, rising from below to bump my boat, moving it with its body. Far out, a shark! It brushes my kayak as it moves away; I drop my drink hose, pick up my paddle and get moving.


Storm approaching, viewed from Blakelseys Landing _photo Gill Booysen

 I can see 2 motor launches near the island heading for anchor. Other watercraft have disappeared. At least I won’t have to worry about being hit by a boat out here.
BOOM… a BIG thunder clap. Louder. Closer.
The cell is moving as fast as my heart is beating – fast! I know I will soon be engulfed by this heaving beast. OK Tessie, don’t panic. Relax, think clearly, and make a plan. Stow the sail securely on deck. Point the kayak into it. Prepare to brace. (Larry Gray ‘storm brace’ technique – it works).

I glance behind me and see sunshine and blue sky. Bizarre. Ahead, I see people moving about on the beach, the storm cell has not quite reached them. I think about my friends and wonder if they can see me out here, knowing they can’t. I don’t want them to be worried about me. I wish I was with them right now. Looking into a sky that is now a deeper green than the water, I realize it’s going to hail.

I think of Australian Ironman Grant Kenny who was out training on his ski when a sudden hailstorm hit. The hail stones cut his head open. He flipped his ski over and used it for protection until the storm passed.
After the earlier shark bump, I was really hoping I would NOT end up in the water today, but knew I may not have a choice. I also hoped for small hail stones and a fast storm. The transforming beast of green and black was almost upon me. I could feel my body trembling, adrenaline I guess.

BOOM. …BOOM…crackle…The vibrations travel through me. I can no longer see the beach. The wind increases slightly as large drops of rain begin hitting the water around the kayak. It is a strangely beautiful moment. A bird sitting in the water just ahead dives below and does not reappear. Darkness wraps around me. Shit! A wave of anxiety washes through me. My senses tingle as I wait. Suddenly, a raspy sound becomes an almighty roar, heralding it’s arrival. I try to point the bow into it, bracing. The ferocious blast is more than I have ever experienced in the kayak before, EVER.


meanwhile on shore...
I struggle to stay upright, my ears fill with the roar of the wind, waves wash over my deck, my body is physically forced backwards over the deck. I bend forward trying to lessen the effects of the wind on my body. The drops of rain become bigger and the waves smaller. My saturated hat brim is down around my face. I can’t see or hear over the roar and have no idea what’s coming next. I focus on staying upright. A new sound joins the melee. Crack. Crack. Crack. Then, I feel it. HAIL! Hailstones begin hitting my head, my arms, my hands. Hail ricochets off the kayak painfully hitting my face and teeth! The hailstones increase in size. Taking one hand off the paddle, I cover the top of my head until my fingers hurt from the stinging ice. There is no relief. The noise is deafening. The hailstones bruise and sting where they hit my body. If this continues, I will have to get in the water for shelter. I don’t know how long the storm lasts, but neither of my hopes comes true. The hailstones are large and the storm is not over quickly. I endure an icy beating from Mother Nature until the storm cell eventually moves over me, the hail and wind easing to leave only gentle rain hitting my bruised face and body.


After storm selfie
 Once again able to see, I look towards the island. It is further away but, in front of me is the bizarre sight of half the beach covered in grey sky, half blue sky with a rainbow…half storm, half rainbow! I self-assess. My kayak is still upright. I am beaten up but OK. I am close to tears, instead of crying, I begin laughing. Strange, stress relief laughter. I feel spent, alone and ready to resign the ‘Adventure’ from AdventureTess.



But, I am in the middle of the bay and need to get moving again. The storm is north of me now, cutting a swathe over the water and Dunwich on the west coast of the island. I have a clear view of blue sky either side of this intense black and green field of energy. Eager to see my friends, I pick up my paddle and begin the work to reach them. I have been blown away from the island, so have additional distance to make up. While paddling, I reflect on the experience and my choices that day. I believe I made good choices and would have felt some comfort with company, but would company have created an additional concern? Using the last of my energy, I reach the beach. People are moving about, fixing campsites, and checking boats. I see my friends and call out. Relief floods through me as they make their way to the water’s edge to meet me.



Note: I launched just after lunch to paddle 10km to meet my friends, who were waiting at camp. Conditions were mild. The water was bumpy with a 10 to 15kn headwind. A possible late thunderstorm was forecast. It was early and there were no signs of a storm when I launched. I often paddle alone and am familiar with this stretch of water. I have been asked about the wisdom and safety of my paddling alone. Even for these short distances in familiar water. I enjoy social paddling with a few close friends but feel confident in my skills and decision making ability to kayak alone.


great campsite story...                                                                                                                                       photo: Gill Booysen

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Photo: beach army

Emerging from their hiding places below the surface they invaded the beach.
As the sea retreated at low tide they came in swarms and like a massive stampede they roamed the exposed sand.



I could hear the noise they make when their tiny claws; hundreds of them collectively sounded like a swarm of locust.
I lowered myself to a foot above ground and a magical world appeared in front of me.


army of soldier crabs

But as soon as I creep a few feet closer they start to move hastily away from me.
I chase them, I want to observe them close-up.
They can not outrun me but they can hide again, quickly burring themselves into the sand with a funny circular digging motion.



I must have looked like a child running after the micro monsters, camera in hand, hovered a foot above ground. I would get close enough but by the time I would compose my image and focus the lens they would be gone below the surface.
Pesky little soldier crabs: so captivating yet so elusive.

I was camped at my favorite little island in Moreton Bay; in front of me the somehow less attractive stretch of beach to the power boats as they can't access it for being too shallow.
I calmly waited for the evening to come and replace that harsh midday tropical light; ideal time to capture photographs.
Some call it happy hour, I call it golden hour, for different reasons.


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Photo: walking on the beach

A walk on the beach helps me to focus on what matters in life.
Even more rewarding if remote and later in the day.



Barefoot, at water's edge, the sun close to the horizon.

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Video: Best Moments of 2014 in Moreton Bay

Once a year a new video is edited focusing specifically on local paddling's best moments.
This one was shot over 2014 in Moreton Bay alone.



Of course, only a very small portion of "the fun stuff" is recorded despite spending most weekends on the water.
I compiled mostly "orphan" clips that were not previously included in a other videos; the shots are short and highlight the best moments of a day's outing.

In order of appearance: Gnarlydog, Vanilla and Petra.

PS: work has already commenced on the 2015 edition...

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Photo: sail-surfing the New Year

Conditions were just right: a running out tide met by an opposing 15 knots of wind created waves steep enough to be caught by a small sail.



Petra sail-surfing with Northern Light paddle and SeaDog sail.

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Video: Vandreaming

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Vanilla heard it clearly: it was the sound of his hull scraping on rock.
Now that his new kayak was finally baptized extreme care would no longer be necessary.
The lure of the gentle swell over the rocks was too great and, as if hearing a mermaid's song, we were drawn to it.
There was absolutely no need to paddle so close to those oyster and barnacle encrusted shores but the thrill of feeling the slowly pulsating water push our kayaks up to then suddenly drop away exposing the rock below, was measurable.


Allow yourself to view it on a large screen and headphones: enable HD for a better experience

This time the gentle wind and the calm ocean swell allowed us to explore a few tight spots that we missed on previous visits to these shores.
Food and water for a week and no scheduled itinerary is how we like to kayak. The mileage is irrelevant when there is so much to explore at close quarters in these tropical waters.
I was back in my old "big girl", a kayak that these days I only use for longer trips; when I thought I should spend more time with her. While maybe not as hard tracking and fast as some of my other kayaks, it was a refreshing feeling to be able to maneuver more nimbly around the rocks. A wider beam allows me to edge and release bow and stern for easier turning: I was able to avoid a few rocks...
We were too early in the season to encounter whales but saw a few large tunas leap out of the water.
Vanilla optimistically brought a hand line for fishing, with little success, given that he only tried once.
A realist, I carried dehydrated home-made meals that made fine dinners: just add water (and a bit of heat).
Being a team of just two allowed us much more flexible planning (read: none) and the days' destinations were simply shaped by the direction of the wind: if possible, we chose downwind.
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Video: Sailing with Vixen

Of the kayaks in my shed Vixen is the most demanding.
I have kayaks that are high volume and are great on extended trips although I find them a bit dull for sheltered waters paddling.  I have low volume kayaks that are oh so easy to roll and a bit tricky to handle in rough waters, I also have a kayak that despite having a tendency to lee cock a bit it is very easy to live with when I do hand's free photography on the water.
And then there is Vixen: a Point65North XP designed by Johan Wirsen.
I need to pay attention when I paddle that kayak; she won't let me be sloppy or careless.
I find her a demanding in short wind waves; because of her longer waterline she tend to bury bow and stern (video here).
With her deep V shaped keel she wants to sit on one side when stationary and novices find it disconcerting.
Vixen however is great for sailing: the deeper keel prevents some of the lateral drift in a beam wind and I can maintain a straighter course over waves.
The longer keel line in the stern resists broaching and I have to use less correctional strokes compared to my other fish-form British kayak.


If you aren't viewing this on a mobile device, go big and watch it in full HD glory
Over the week end the Westerly wind really picked up an despite the shorter fetch over the waters of Moreton Bay I had times when the wind was up to 30 knots.
It was then where I no longer could sail as the bow was getting pushed downwind; maybe a smaller sail could have been still manageable for the beam wind?
Even with the sail stowed on deck I had to take care of occasional lee cocking when the bow will crest a wave and then be blown downwind.
Myself and AdvetureTess had the bay to ourselves with only the occasional yacht enjoying the strong wind.

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Photo: Sail-surfing at sunset

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I chase in my mind those idyllic scenarios where things feel just right.
And then sometimes those moments really occur.



Riding a wave while sailing into the sunset.


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Photo: rolling on Australia Day

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Downunder we are celebrating Australia Day.
From barbecues in the park to a party at the backyard pool, in the cities and at the beach it is Australia's big day and a long week-end to boot .
My favourite way to celebrate and cool off on this January day is to be on the water, sometimes in in.



The wind kept most of the motorized watercrafts away from my favourite paddling spot.
The light clouds were a welcome screen for the harsh sun.
Life is good in Queensland.

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VIDEO: Never Ending Fun in Moreton Bay

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Once a year I edit a video of my best footage of sea kayaking in Moreton Bay, Queensland. No surfing ocean swell, no remote granite islands, no seal colonies and no dry suits here. The paddling fun is not far away and, even if I don’t live close enough to the bay for a quick morning paddle, most weekends are spend paddling and sea kayak sailing in the warm waters of my local pond.



I love a windy day where I can challenge myself on a few small waves sprinting to catch a short ride, sometimes aided by a sail.
I find calm waters more challenging than textured ones and paddling on a mirror-surface sea is not my thing. When tidal flow opposes the wind conditions mimic a small tidal race: I can paddle in one direction and surf while making very little ground. The waves don’t usually spill although they don’t last like in a real tidal race. Of course all the rough stuff is in name of training for real challenging conditions that I might find myself in when on an extended trip.
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Photo: Sea of jelly fish

An evening paddle as the sun was setting, my paddle bumping the jelly fish, sea turtles' favorite food.




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Off my arse, into the sticks

Cooler weather is back in South East Queensland and that prompted me to get off my (kayaking) arse and head for the hills.

Summer just doesn’t cut it for donning a pack and walk in the heat; I don’t do well schlepping a load on my back when the heat and humidity is high and that’s why years ago I started sea kayaking anyway.

4 days away from salt water (and fibreglass) is what I really wanted.

I have my favourite destination in the bush (what my American cousins call “Outback”): it's a place where granite boulders litter the landscape.

 

 

Nothing feels more like home to me in nature than granite.

When I lived in the USA my favourite trips have been to the East side of the Sierra Nevada, above tree line. Here in Australia tree line is a long way away from where I now live and the closest feeling I can get to feeling on top of the world is spending a few nights on the open granite slabs.

Temperatures at night hovered just above freezing and the feeling of being cold is something I wait for all summer long.

I love sea kayaking but every so often I seek a reality check where all my gear for a few days has to be minimal and crammed into a small backpack.

There is something about travelling light and finding my way off track through the granite boulders and thick vegetation.

And then, at sunset, be somewhere high and just take it all in waiting for the sky to change to red, purple and then starry black. 

 

a view money can't buy
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Photo: Landing before the storm

I am planning a trip to shores where the sun never sets.
Team members from 3 different countries will join me on a 3 week paddle in a place where granite meets the sea.


Photo: Tess Dodd/Adventuretess_used with permission
In the meantime I am honing my skills in my local pond (Moreton Bay) and enjoy the less crowded beaches that the colder weather brings.
I have been gathering information on the weather and coastal conditions and some locals may join me for part of my journey.
It is truly inspirational how these small boats can bring the spirit of adventure alive and create a sense of belonging to a community that goes beyond the "virtual friendship".

PS Thank you to my readers concerned about my lack of writing lately: all is good, I just have been busy :-)
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VIDEO: R&R short movie winner

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The short film entries to the Rock&Roll competition were of a high standard.

The New South Wales Club hosts a yearly sea kayak symposium that attracts paddling talents from around Australia and invites international guests to run clinics.

This year a large number of the short movies presented were focused on high skills (and thrills) of paddling dynamic waters, often in big seas meeting cliffy shoreline.

I enjoyed the bravado captured on camera displayed by the local talent: the videos were highly entertaining and inspiring.

And then there were Vincent's entries.

He presented two movies that immediately transported me to his unique world of paddling. There was a magic feeling when I watched his skilfully edited footage; something about the soft evening light combined with soothing music.


select HD if you have fast Internet connection and allow the movie to load before viewing

I love the understatement that the music brings to his high action scenes; it is an approach to movie making out of the ordinary. The surfing action excites me while the music wants to calm me; it stirs conflicting emotions in me that at the end, at the closing scene, leave with a smile wanting to paddle those waves.

I asked Vincent what does kayaking mean to him:

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It feels wonderful out on the water in a sea kayak, especially in the low light of early morning or late evening.

I usually don’t travel too far to paddle, and am lucky enough to live 12 minutes drive, from my nearest surf beach or lakes in a relatively undeveloped National Park.

I love the durability of my plastic sea kayak because it magically gets attracted to rocks and sand banks.

After snapping a couple of other paddles, I’m now really happy with the strength of my one piece carbon Greenland paddle.

For me, finding out ‘what rings your bells’ as a paddler is part of the pleasure of kayaking.

The most important thing is that you are out on the water, having fun.

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"Dedicated to the independent paddlers that think outside the box willing to try new things and embrace diversity; to the kayakers that like to dance to the tune of their own music."

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VIDEO: Bumping around in waves

I found myself getting tossed around more than usual in those short dumpy waves.
It has been a while since I paddled Green-Piece, the quirky little lime green Currituck from Impex.
Yes, it felt little compared to my other kayaks and with my hefty weight it does not suit me as multi-day tripping boat (I think I am at the load capacity limit). I find that boat quite nimble and I seem to be able to turn it faster than other hard tracking kayaks.
I wanted to take it surfing and find out what it can do for me.


select HD for a superior viewing experience

I noticed the bow getting pushed under the surface faster than my other larger kayaks and occasionally it would pitch and broach; I think a lighter person will find it more forgiving.
Reverse surfing made me spin quicker than in my Zegul and I had find again the balance point before it would tip over.
It was refreshing to be paddling a kayak that I have neglected for a while thinking that it just was not suited for me.
It gets to show what a difference a few years make and with new skills what fun I can have in a kayak that I find boring otherwise when flat water paddling.
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PHOTO: End of Year paddle

As the blazing sun heats up the day I seek the only shade available.



Paddling amongst the mangroves.
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