While ensconsed at the caravan park in Echuca (which incidentally involved a portage), Dirk madea new friend - Tom! TOm was truly an interesting guy. Like us, he decided to make his way along the Murray utilising his own muscle to get him to the end... He ad sourced an old tinny fitted out with oarlocks and was planning to rown it all the way. TO this tinny, he had added a kind of canvas roof, shelves (one to function as a bed) and mosquito netting all created with watever materials he could find in Albury (?I think that is where he started).
On the 15th day of the Murray River Paddle, we were about 10km out of Echuca when we came across Tom and his tinny. He was relaxing in his tinny reading a magazine named "Slow" - fitting reading material for his approach to the Murray. He would wake up early... paddle about 10 km, then spend the hot afternoon tied to the riverbank reading, playing sudoku, napping and drinking tea.... after this, he would paddle 10-15 more kms before docking for a good night's sleep under the mozzie net.
Meeting Tom was kind of a highlight as we meet few people as we travel along the river... and also, having now travelled from Albury and living on the riverbanks, I realize that we have truly become River Rats and gained some of what Dirk calls "River Cred".
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