Saturday, December 7, 2013

Paddling around

Some stats from our recent paddling ...

140 kms have been paddled in the last 6 days - that's with 30 kgs of bagged sand as load stashed into the fore compartment, cockpit and aft compartment..

Today Tony and I did a 70 km paddle from Sydney Harbour up to Broken Bay and back.
We were fortunate to have favourable weather and sea conditions - although there was a solid swell running.
We paddled the 70 kms in 9 hrs 27 mins. Average moving speed of 7.5kph. A good result with 30 kgs of sand on board.

In the preceeding weeks, four trips of greater distance than 50km each have been paddled out of Sydney.

And a total of 600kms has been paddled in the last few months. (Thanks to our wives for the multiple leave passes)

It's been satisfying to get these distances completed in varied sea and wind conditions.
Sometimes in grinding headwinds with lots of cliff rebound.
And sometimes with downwind bliss at our backs.

We've hardly taken any photos during this year's paddling.
However here are a few that we took today ...


Luke sailing northwards at dawn in Julian's Impex Force 4. The V-sail is custom made of Mylar with a reefable top section and an increased throat at the sail foot to minimise stalling when burying the foredeck in steep wind waves.


Tony on the way back from Broken Bay. Barrenjoey in the background.


"Only 35 k's to go"