Day 63: the END!!!

Sorry for neglecting my duties and not letting you all know sooner that the Great Murray River Paddle is OVER! The day after the last post, we finished! Day 62 ended at the spot below... as had been the norm in the last few stints, we had trouble finding dry land which was far enough away from a road or house to camp. This spot below has the Murray River on the right, and a flooded field on the left. The remaining strip of land was narrow, but a nice enough spot as it was not easily accessible from the land on the other side of the field. Additionally, we were able to watch swans gliding across the flooded field. 

 On Day 63, we got up early and headed towards Murray Bridge (the bridge below). It was a little anti-climactic to be honest... and a little worrisome as we had no onward plans. But as things turned out, it was easier that might have been expected. After locating a Telstra and recharging the cell phone (and checking email), it turned out that there had already been responses to the ads for the kayaks on GumTree... and we were able to secure a sale that very day!

 After a dinner out in a hotel in town, we headed back to the caravan park to wash the kayaks, but before we were able to finish, the new owners arrived. Below are 3 of the children of the new owners! They arrived by Toyota Landcruisers, strapped on the kayaks and left, leaving us feeling just a little be devoid of purpose. I mean after 2 months of constant paddling, what would there be to do on Day 64?

Now it is almost a week after the last day of paddling.

The day following the sale of the kayaks, we headed by bus to Adelaide (where we stayed 2 full days NOT in a tent!!!!), picked up a rental car and drove two days to Canberra, backtracking through many of the towns we had approached by river over the last couple of months with an overnight in Euston. Bye Bye Blanchetown, Midura, Euston, Robinvale and all the other notable river towns. It was fun, but I am happy to be in Canberra. Can't speak for Dirk, however. You will have to ask him what his new purpose in life will be (as it won't be paddling the Murray). 

Days 61 & 62: Mannum

On day 61, we started early and discovered we had already paddled 40 kms the day before and had only a little ways to go to Mannum. We reached there in the morning, but it being Saturday, we weren't able to get to the lbrary. It is a good thing the local club had a computer with free internet in the bar (where I am now... on day 62).

Mannum is a pleasant town and much bigger than the others we have been passing through with over 2000 inhabitants. Unfortunately no Telstra and no Flight Center, so I have not yet bought my onward tickets or charged the phone. But we did manage to post ads on Gumtree and the Trading Post to sell the kayaks.

In a few minutes, we hope to have lunch and be off to the last town on our paddle. Murray Bridge. Only 38 kms on the river from here, we will have an easy paddle with some tonight and the rest tomorrow morning. I think both of us are getting anxious to finish, but also worried about what we will do after we have no more paddling to do.

More from Murray Bridge tomorrow or the next day.

Day 60: Purnong, Bow Hill & Young Husband

Yep, all the names listed above are those of the towns we visited... likely none of them with a population of above 250. Purnong was said to have a store, but we reached there midmorning and discovered... nothing but a ferry crossing... and a public restroom. We crossed over to use the facilities and chatted with a couple who had actually chosen to camp right there next to the public restroom... not on their way to somewhere, but for the upcoming weekend!
Bow Hill was a little better. Part of the riverfront was flooded, but there was a nice little warf and a shop at the top of a hill... a pretty stone shop where we bought lunch... Pie again for dirk, but a butterfish burger for me... and the man behind the counter kindly filled our water container from his rainwater tank in the back.

 After Bow Hill, we continued on to Young Husband... where it was again getting decidedly cold. (Picture below included in case you don't believe that this really is the name of the town). Young Husband even had a caravan park, but we didn't stop as we wanted top get a little closer to Mannum.

 The bottom picture is a closer one of some of the older chicks of those "belly flopping" birds I suspect to be cormorants.

Day 59: More Small Towns

On Day 58, we left Blanchetown (as you know) at about 11:00 am and reached the next small town, Swan Hill, in the afternoon. Swan Hill is famous for a hotel on a hill on the cliffs, but it was already getting cool when we reached there and we didn';t have time for much more than a quick drink in the historic hotel bar while we watched renters of Houseboat Unforgettable trying to dock. Their efforts were indeed unforgettable and I thought about yelling out additional instructions (which they would undoubtedly not have appreciated). From the hotel, the ferry was also visable. As mentioned, there are a lot of ferries in South Australia and fewer bridges. Waikerie, Morgan... and later Swan Reach, Walker Flat and Mannum all have ferries (Mannum with two that cross in the center even though the river isn't very wide). And all of these ferries have cables they stick up out of the water quite high, requiring us to wait until the ferry is on the other side before crossing.

On Day 59, we got an early start and reached Nildottie, the next small town, early. As mentioned in our map, it truly did have panoramic views. We bought meat pies in the grocers and ate lunch in the park, admiring the view of the red cliffs in the distance... cliffs we would later paddle past. The cliffs have all sorts of nooks, craneys and alcoves eroded into the softish rock and Dirk kept noting all the cockatoos huddled into the little holes, sometimes two to a tiny one.

After Nildottie, it got even better as we could also take our mid-afternoon break (and an ice cream!) at another table in another small town - Walker Flat. It was like Moorook in that it had a grassy bank by the river and a little store up from that. We camped shortly after that as the days are getting shorter and colder. We (I?) are finding is necessary to build a fire as quickly as possible on camping. We camped opposite a moored houseboat on land that was hard to find a spot flat enough to pitch tents. It was again Freehold property... not sure how it differs from private property, but in any case, it means "Keep Off".  

Days 56, 57 & 58: Blanchetown

 The symbol for Blanchetown is a paddlesteeamer with a pelican over it. As you can see from the pictures above and below, we saw both here. Both photos were taken from inside Lock 1. Picture 1 by me, picture 2 by Dirk.

Below are some campers at the caravan park on the other side of the lock (where we spent the second night). They rented kayaks and were paddling around. Envy... these kayaks wouold be faster and easier to paddle than ours.

Yes, it is true... we have slowed down. The weather is cold, rainy, windy and paddling is hard. But we intend to start up again today. We reached Blanchetown yesterday and had to spend the night (which we did camped in the fenced off area of a houseboat mooring area)... another prohibited spot I suppose. We had to spend the night as we were too late to pass through the lock, Lock 1, after perusing the local sights. The is significant as Lock 1 is the final lock. In addition, we had to share the lock area with two paddlesteamers, the Marion from Mannum and the Oscar from Goolwa, both of which were stationed in Morgan while we were there. But the days of chasing paddlesteamers will soon come to a close... we hope to take only 1 more week to get to the end! Today is day 58 (we took yesterday off) and we will leave Blanchetown in about an hour, but have taken another hour at the internet cafe to search for flights and other such details we will have to work out at the end of the journey.

More to come soon.

Bellyflopping Birds!

 Above, a nest with chicklets of some sort in it: below, an adult. Commorants of some kind? If you know, please inform in a comment.

Over the last week or so, as the afternoons wane, we start paddling closer to the shores and looking for the "belly flopping birds"! It is a most unusual spectacle. As we pass under the trees, birds just hurl themselves most ungraciously into the water, making huge splashes. It looks most uncomfortable. They don't seem to be fishing... If we sit quietly and wait, they poke their heads from the water, look around and go back under. It also doesn't make sense that they are only hiding as why would they draw attention with such loud water entrances?

Then we noted that in every case, there is a nest above with chicks in it. Large white fuzzy chicks. Interesting and quite a spectacle. If you know what birds these are, please let us know. The adults are white and black with long necks... cormorant-like.

Days 54 & 55: Morgan (another small town)

old house in Morgan; below, another historic building

Above, the road overlooking the river. Hotel and antique shop...

Below: leaving Morgan: kangaroos have free reign around flooded houses (some inaccessible by land due to flooding)

Final picture: Dirk proudly flaunting that he can camp wherever he damn well wants to! Note the fashionable "river shirt" ($3 from an Opp Shop)

On Day 55, we arrived in Morgan to a pattering of rain - the first time in ages. Even so, we managed to pass through Lock 2 early in the morning (which was closed incidentally and involved skirting through a construction site and paddling within the area closed off by yellow buoys) AND paddle 44 km!

Morgan, while small, is attractive. It used to be quite important historically as it was the end of the tracks for the rail to the riverland. Hence the cargo would be unloaded from the train and loaded onto paddlesteamers here. Although the day was cold and wet, it was a good day. It ended in the Terminus Hotel with a dinner that was relatively inexpensive and not bad for the price paid.

On Day 55, we took off rather late, dilly dallying (me) in walking around, shoping for a new book (I got one by Robertson Davies) and stopping again for Sunday Roast at the terminus. Mmmm. After that, we continued on the the face of wind in our faces and waves actually pushing us backwards, despite current moving forwards. We didn't manage many kms at all past the flooded "shacks" on the riverbank. (Some of the shacks looked like rather expensive holiday homes). We camped only about 10 km out as both of us were sufferent from freezing hands and feet.

As you can see from the final picture, Dirk has not strayed from his penchant for camping in places which should be off limits. It started ion Yarrawonga and continues. We left the campsite in pristine condition, however, and with a little gift left behind (a durable contraption for making coffee... since all our coffee wasfinished  anyway). In addition, he also has persisted in his search for "short cuts". The short cut he took on Day 55 (only 6 km before Morgan) was designed to cut off a corner. I decided to paddle around and sat after the corner waiting for him as he paddled into pond after pond and had to portage between them.... 3 times! Glad I missed that one out. 

Days 52 & 53: Waikerie

Dirk in front of yellow cliffs: view sideways

 Me in front of yellow cliffs: view sideways

I am afraid I neglected to take any photos of Waikerie, but rest asured, it was also a very nice town. .. and bigger than both Moorok and Kingston on Murray. We followed a number of beautiful yellow cliffs to reach the town and to leave it and have had them all the way to where I am now (Blanchetown).

Being a slightly larger town, we had intended to stay in a caravan park (I really wanted to wash my hair and we both needed a little laundry done). Unfortunately, the park was too far from the river to be of use. Instead I went into a salon and had them waash my hair and we reserved laundry for the next day (we camped across the river not far from the road to the ferry). Something interesting about South Australia is that there are fewere bridges than between New South Wales and Victoria, but are lots of little ferries plying the short distance across the river.

The most notable item of interest for me in these two days is that the morning of Day 53, as Dirk was unpacking his clothes and shaking out his paddling shorts, he shook out a redback spider. Good thing it fell out before he put them on. Crisis averted.  I have now had a close first-hand look at one of Australia's nasties!

Day 51: Mookrok, Kingston on Murray & Lock 3

 Red Algae on the Murray

 River has become less meadander-y and wider!

 Dirk disembarking at Moorook (see general store in background)

greiving kangaroo (Dirk said he saw a dead one nearby): wanted to take this one with me.

On Day 50, we left Loxton (a pleasant enough town where I had a fantastic whole wheat pastie with feta, spinach, ginger and pumpkin - important as meat pies are more de rigeur). Unlike most of the prior 1000+ kms, the road ahead is filled with small towns... and this slows progress a little, but makes it enjoyable as we can look forward to... a diet coke, a beer or an icecream! (all highly nutritious of course). The towns of Day 51 were Moorok and Kingston on Murray, both towns of about 250 people (give or take a few). As you can see from the photo, there is easy access to the waterfront and the general stores are close by. We had lunch at Moorok.

Although both of these towns were extremely small, they would have been important back in the days of the paddle steamers as they were prime stopping points. In addition to the towns, we also saw lots of kangaroos, some wild goats with big horns and passed through Lock 3. As seems to be typical after a lock, there was a lot of flooding and it was hard to find a campsite. In any case, we paddled 42 km and caped at 426 river marker.

Day 50... is today!

Hooray! I have finally caught up so that I am actually posting about the day that it is today! I have nothing to say at the moment except tha I am in Loxton. There is little to say about the town, as I have been only to the bakery and the library (where I am now), but will fill in more from the nex town... possibly Kingston on Murray.

Day 49: Berri

With only about an hours paddle to Berri, we set off at about 9:00am. Berri is a small town famous for producing cordial and juice... but I saw no evidence of this on arrival... I was also lead to think it was bigger than it was as the pharmacist in Renmark had told me that the doctors that service Renmark are located in Berri... as is Renmark's radio station, 5RM (see former post "Houseboat Hopping").
I guess this stop was typical of many to be made in the near future... to a bakery for coffee and a snack, to the library for internet and then off to the grocers to get supplies for the next few days... and finally, fill up the water bottles at a tap somewhere.
As we arrived early, we were able to leave by 1:00pm and crossed through Lock 4 shortly after. I enjoyed this lock although I am sure it was less exciting for Dirk than the one the day before. The weir was still in, so we had to actually go through the lock like the very first one we encountered on this trip.
Dirk's Note: Dirk wanted me to mention his heroic actions. I asked which actions, and he told me of how he valiently fought off a pack of enraged kagaroos. I missed this incident or I surely would have already made note of it... but I suppose dealing with the same person day after day (that being me), is a kind of minor feat of heroism....

Day 48: Daylight Savings

As usual when at a caravan park, I got up at 7:30 to go for a run before packing and getting back on the river... It was freezing and I developed a headache from an ear problem I had been suffering for the last couple of days (felt like when you land in an airplane and there is a pressure problem... but only in one ear). When I got back, I went to the front desk to find out what to do, but even though I had been gone an hour and the reception opens at 8:30... nobody was there. It turned out that the clocks were all turned back an hour that night. Hmmm....
Anyway, instead of leaving at 10:00 as is our usual from a town, we waited until 11:00 so I could visit a pharmacy and get a little help. Although the pharmacy counter at Priceline was closed, the pharmacist drove in from Paringa (neighboring town) and was able to fix me up with a solution (which now, 3 days later, seems to be working).
Shortly after setting off, we passed though another lock (Lock 6 or 7?). Dirk rather enjoyed this one as there was a kind of drop, like paddling down a hill and then the waters were churning like mini-rapids. Fun... but wet.
We camped at about 6:00, our regular time, but because of the daylight savings, it got dark quickly... so it was already pitch black by the time we were ready for dinner and we had to cook by a combination of campfire light and flashlight.

Day 47: Happy 100 Year Anniversary to the PS Industry

I am not entirely certain, but I think P.S. stands for Paddle Steamer. In any case, the PS Industry was moored right in front of the riverfront bordering the main stretch of Renmark. We made our way into to town for our 10:00 booking for free internet at the Renmark library... As you can tell, I wasn't able to catch up on blog postings.
At about 11:00, we wandered back to where the PS Industry was moored to look around the exhibitions, tour the Industry, and enjoy the general hubbub surrounding the festivities.

In the afternoon, I shopped a bit more in Target (the horror... it is now the only place I shop in besides Grocery stores and Priceline Pharmacy) while Dirk read his paper in the coffee shop. Then  we bought groceries to get to the next town (only a short paddle away to Berri) and returned to the caravan park where we cooked dinner in the camp kitchen next to a large group celebrating a birthday.

Note: As we go along the river, Dirk has been tearing pages out of the map book and using them to light fires... it also marks our passage as he burns (of course) only those pages of river map which we have already covered. Today was significant as he discarded the last page in the book. Guess we need a new book now to get us through the final stretch: Renmark to Goolwa.

Day 46: Renmark

 Above is the "Settler" from the Remnark Club. Below, Dirk checking out the engine of the Settler.

 Below is me with Robyn, the lady who (along with her husband) owns the boat.

The night of Day 46, we camped on the river where it met with a largish creek. Easrly in the morning, Dirk set off in an empty kayak (we hadn't packed up) to explore a possible shortcut to Renmark. Unfortunately, it ended in a large pond and it was too difficult to know which way to go to meet the river again. However, on his way, a large red kangaroo jumped into the creek in front of him, got a little flustered, but made it's way to the other side. (I missed this as I was still slowly waking up by finishing off "The Lost Dog"- book my Australian author?).

Although we had only about 14 km to go to Renmark, we took a short mid-way where we encountered another kangaroo... slightly bedraggled looking, but with no fear of humans. It allowed me to walk right up as it went on eating from a bush.

We arrived in Renmark at about 11 and stopped on the grassy river bank to rest and look around. Shortly after, the paddlesteamers we have been trailing all week arrived as well. We then paddled on to Big4 caravan park.It was the most expensive camp we stayed at, but was really very nice. Later that day, when wandering around town, I ran into the ladies from the PaddleSteamer "Settler" in Target. They invited us for a drink on their boat later in the evening. We went after dinner in the Renmark Club (the boat was mored only steps away). It was lovely... The couple that owned the boat had built it mostly from scratch. They were travelling with 2 other couples and while we were there, people from other boats and the neighborhood dropped in.  It was a late night seeing as we are usually in the tents before 10:00pm. I like Renmark.

Houseboat Hopping (or "Oh, Ye Mighty Yabbie")

At the start of Day 45, we set out just after the Emu and the Shiralee (paddlesteamers) passed and before the other 3. Dirk was careful not to take any nasty shortcuts for at least the first part of the day. Later, we passed some creeks joining the river and saw those two steamers again. No sign of the others. The progress throughout the day was good... until the mid-afternoon.

It was mid-afternoon when we encountered the Brown family on their rented houseboat. Mr. Brown called to us to come over for a beer. We paddled up and enjoyed meeting him and his grandsons. It seems 3 generations of Browns were there enjoying a little fishing. One of his grandsons, a 16 year old, was particularly happy as he had just purchased his very own tinny with savings he had from his part-time job as a supermarket cashier. The family was from Adelaide, where the grandkids were undoubtedly missing school!

After pushing off, we saw another Houseboat named "Scoundel". Jokingly I told Dirk we should stop there for round two... but in fact it happened that they did also call us over. This group invited us onboard where we met the entire staff of a lighting corporation which were on the river for "training". I believe this if the training means in catching yabbies, drinking and speeding around in tinnies.

In any case, these guys were really hospitable and not only provided us with spiked lemonade, but also threw a couple of handfuls of yabbies into our bucket for us to take away for our tea (dinner).

We camped a little late that night, but enjoyed yabbies and garlic in olive oil pasta for dinner, while listening to Renmark's radio station - 5RM. Every 10 minutes or so, there is the anouncement for the "Mighty Yabbie Competition" where people can take the yabbies they catch in to an official measuring depot and be considered for a prize... one for the biggest yabbie of each week... and one for the largest overall. Somehow, seeing as we are fishing for yabbies with a largish shrimp net, I doubt we will catch any truly big ones.

Day 44: South Australia

Well, if you were wondering, the paddle steamers DID pass us again. In the morning around 9 as we were breaking camp, we heard the rythmic thud thud thud of the paddlewheels turning.
After setting out, we paddled hard, as it was neccessary to travel the 44 km to Old Customs House before it closed. We did about 22 km by 11:30a,/ At about 3:00pm, we left New South Wales on our right... and slightly after, Victoria on our left, leaving us completely in South Australia! Mission Complete... almost. Now we have the new goal of Goolwa at the mouth of the river (or somewhere thereabouts).
A few kms later, we reached Old Customs House which used to be used... yes, seriously for customs between the Australian states. We met up with the paddlesteamers again here as they decided to dock for the night here. We only stopped for bread, water and... grogg (oh, and two eggs). We camped at about 6km after the shop. On this day, we ended up covering about 50 kms!

Day 43: "Short Cuts"

Above is a postcard I stole from the internet of a place along the Murray called Devil's Elbow. Unfortunately, I was too frustrated when we passed this beautiful spot (the highlight of the day) to take a photo...

The day started out well enough. In the morning, we paddled to Lock 7, where we med the lockmaster Sid, a gentle-mannered aboriginal man with a deeply lined face and quiet demeaner. He was accompanied by Maggie, a 13-year old black and white chihuahua blend who was certainly happy to see us (as was Sid). Likely leading a lonely life as Lockmaster for Lock 7, he invited us for tea and a bikkie (spelling?).

We took our first "short cut" of the day after leaving Sid. Instead of continuing over the weir (which was out) and past the lock, Dirk decided it would be good to follow a channel of water streaming behind the lockmaster's dwelling. It was probably well intentioned as I am a little scared of going over the weirs... but it was a challenging paddled. On the way down the stream, the water was gushing over logs which we had to negotiate over and into a large swamp-like area. This area was filled with dead bushes one had to paddle around and was dotted with areas so shallow the kayak would get stuck and require pushing off with a paddle or actually getting out and moving the kayak over it.  I was starting to get frustrated as I could see no way out... and no gong back. Finally, Dirk found what he thought might be a way, tied my kayak to his and drug them both thtough a thicket while I trudged behind grumbling. We got through! Hooray... but it was the last of such "short cuts" for the day. Sigh.
By the time we had got through the last of them, I was frsutrated and started paddling hard... bypassing a NICE short cut which Dirk was able to take, l;eaving him waiting for me on the other side. It was after this that we passed devil's Elbow and the paddle steamers from the day ebfore who had decided to camp there for the night. I wonder how many more times we will see them as we are heading to the same goal... Renmark by April 1.

Day 42: Happy Camper

 If you lock closely at the fuzzy picture above, you should see the shadow of an emu!

 Above is Darb enjoying a tinny on his tinny. Note Dirk's stylish "river shirt" - a $3 special from Salvos.

ABove photo, is us, stick in an agricultural canal - NOT a shortcut!

At the time of writing notes for this post, we had travelled 108 kms since Wentworth, with onlyy 80 to go to Old Custom's House, after which we would truly be in South Australia! (When we first started the journey, whenever anyone asked us where we were heading, Dirk would simply answer South Australia. At the time, in our tiny plastic kayaks, the mouth of the river seemed an almost unbelievable goal).

On this day, I am not sure why,. but I was truly happy. Paddling - the same thing we had been doing every day for the past 41 days... past the same scenery (gum trees, meandering river), I had a rare sense of contentment. Everything was all right with the world. Not worried about the fact that I have no job lined up for afterwards. Not sure if I would get into grad school. No thoughts about papers to mark or anything that needed doing. Ordinarily, I would ahve to attend a grueling Bikram yoga session to actually be able to clear my head of anxieties like this. But this was like Bikram... without the heat or pain.

Anyway, as a day, it was pleasant. Dirk spotted an emu (my first), wild pigs, kangaroos... and we met again with "Darb" (Steve Darby - Lockmaster) on his tinny. As I was paddling, a tinny came right at me full speed. Seems he recognized us from the day before when crossing the lock and came to let us know of the status of the locks to follow. In addition, he also offered us a refreshment. We pulled up to his tinny, cracked a few tinnues and chatted as we all floated down river together. Nice way to spend a while. He also advised us of a few short cuts. Unfortunately, we took a wrong turn on the first one and ended up in a agricultural canal of some sort. Trying to get out, I slipped on a rock and fell on my butt in the river. Swimming mid-day is beginning to become a habit for me.
Later, we ran in to 3 paddlesteamers on their way to Renmark (like us!). They stopped before the lock and invited us to stop with them, but we continued on, passed the lock by about 8 - 10 kms and camped. We swam in the river that evening... ON PURPOSE!