Kayaks

After years of thinking about it, we have decided to join the worldwide community of paddlers. This is not something kinky, but a fine way to enjoy the outdoors, explore little known parts of the local geography, spend time together, get great exercise, live longer, and just enjoy life.

So, for Christmas this year, we decided to forego the normal presents and buy each other a kayak. For safety, for the local conditions we will be using them for, and for the cost, we have chosen to get sit-on-top kayaks. They are very stable, easy to paddle, lightweight, and affordable. We shopped around and found a local company that designs and makes them right here on the Sunshine Coast (www.vikingkayak.com.au), with a very friendly and helpful staff. We bought our kayaks three days ago, and yesterday, after weeks of rain, had a perfect day to try them out.

The State Government recently completed a 'canoe trail' on a river nearby, so we went to the pontoon/wharf they just opened and put our kayaks in the murky brown water. Lake Dunethin, really not a lake at all, but a small cove off the side of the Maroochy River was where we tried them out.

Here is the setting, taken from atop Mt Ninderry. The Maroochy River flows from the right down to the Pacific Ocean, on the upper left. Just above the centre of the screen you can make out Lake Dunethin.

You can see the Pontoon/Wharf in the lake, centre. Also, note the line of trees on the right sided of the image, heading off the side. We explored this small creek...

Amanda, new Paddler. You will have to ask her why she decided to wear her life jacket under her top.

 The three hours we spent in the sun, on the water, relaxing and getting exercise, exploring and being together was so much fun. And no, there are no Crocodiles in our local waters. At least that is what we have been told...

Here I am, up a creek...this time with a paddle!

Look forward to many more posts about our new adventures on the water. The Solstice was a great day for us, Down Under.

A Recent Visitor

Cleo loves to hunt. Mostly leaves and flowers, but this time she came home with something a bit bigger. 
Believe it or not, this is a small version of a Water Dragon, a local lizard that can be 30 inches long, tail included. We even sat in an outdoor restaurant one time and watched the resident Water Dragons climb up trees, out onto overhanging branches, and leap off into the water.

This one was about 18 inches long, including that long skinny tail. We let it go, quite unharmed.