Breaking light and breaking waves
The Famous Tim Kennings and I pushed off into the darkness, hunting the sunrise over North Head. The morning was proving to be the first really cold one for the season, with a biting 15 knot wind and the water temperature having dropped several degrees over the past week. The wind was supposed to be the same as the 2-3 metre ocean swell, coming from the south east, but despite all predictions, was blowing in from the west. All was adding up to a nervous paddle in the dark riding over big swell whilst being broadsided by big nasty chop.
The Famous Tim Kennings bobbing around in the dark at Middle Head
We pulled in on the safe side of Middle Head to stay out of the swell whilst we waited for the sun, but a fast outgoing tide kept sweeping us alongside the rocky shore and out towards the Heads. Timbo had his helmet firmly in place as he played amongst the rocks in the darkness, whilst I impatiently circled around waiting for the elusive sunrise photo.
Timbo, and things that go "bump" in the night!
The Famous Tim Kennings of course is never completely happy unless doing something crazy near rocks, so it was only fitting that after a decent wave rolled past, a huge trough opened up showing a jagged rock that had been hiding beneath. Too late for Tim unfortunately, who’s kayak slid into the trough and clipped the emerging monster with enough force to give him a bit of a rise, but not enough to do any lasting damage. Naturally, I laughed my head off, as Timbo circled around looking back at his stern like a puppy chasing his tail!
Getting light, but still no sunrise
Meanwhile a front coming up from the south had placed a lovely dark curtain in the way of the sunrise, and begrudgingly I accepted the fact I wouldn’t get a decent shot. So paddling out into the swell, we turned and paddled towards Balmoral, catching slow runs down the faces of the building swell. All up it was a pretty disappointing start to the day, until a chance glance over my shoulder and I could see that although late, the sun was finally about to break through the clouds.
At last! The sun emerges.
With the shot finally done, Timbo and enjoyed the rest of the paddle with a gentle ride up to Bantry Bay followed by a couple of coffees at Sydney Harbour Kayaks. Another lovely start to a Sunday. Cheers – FP.
Paddle done, boats ready to be packed up. Lovely!
Tags: dawn, sunrise, Tim Kennings
Grotto Point Reserve, viewed from Middle Head
Sometimes life’s pressures build up and force us to seek therapy. For some, that might involve relying on a friendly shoulder to cry on. For others, it may be a retail session maxing out the credit cards. For me however, it involves time alone outdoors to clear the mind.
On this particular day I’d taken the kayak out for a solo sunrise mission after a week of incessant work, family and other stresses. Pushing off from The Spit at 5.30am in the darkness, I cruised along the shoreline keeping well clear of fishing boats as I made my way to Grotto Point. The swell coming through the Heads was sitting around the 2 metre mark and pushing up a sensational left-hander that was barely visible in the limited light as I passed the Grotto lighthouse, heading towards Middle Head. Decent-sized fishing cruisers were heading out to sea and the water in the sound was nice and confused as I tried to find a good spot to watch the sunrise.
Early morning light over North Head
Sitting just off to the side of Middle Head I got to watch some good sized waves battering its cliffs, and in the distance I could see the southern cliffs of North Head taking a pounding. The wind was icy but the water balmy, and I relaxed in the messy waves with my Adanac paddle held over the side as an outrigger to keep me stable. As the sun started to rise the colours around me took on pink and orange hues which reflected off the moving water creating rippling firey effects about the kayak. In this mesmerising start to the day, I could feel my mind unwinding and the stresses ebbing away with the tide.
The sky is on fire over North Head
Only the day before of course, these waters were chaotic. The 16 year old Jessica Watson had completed her incredible solo sail around the world by passing through the Heads and onwards to Sydney to meet 50,000 odd fans. But she’d done it surrounded by a flotilla of boats escorting her in, which had churned up the Harbour into a giant washing-machine. But now, there was hardly a boat out here to be worried about and I could just enjoy the moment alone on the water.
Dawn's first rays of sunlight
Finally, after about 45 minutes bobbing around Middle Head, I turned back and paddled off into Middle Harbour. With a clear head and a semblance of peace found, I indulged in a little rock-hopping and a fast cruise up to Sugar Loaf Bay before pulling back into The Spit for a coffee with the team at Sydney Harbour Kayaks.
Sometimes modern life throws you a few curve balls and it’s easy to get beaten down by stresses that pile up on each other. Fortunately the outdoors is a great leveller, putting the world into perspective and reminding you that you’re alive. It may not remove the stresses from your life, but it does let you know that they are just little tiny things in the big wide wonder that is life. Cheers – FP
Tags: dawn, Ella's Pink Lady, grotto point, Jessica Watson, Middle Head, North Head, stress, sunrise
5.45am dawn at Pittwater
There’s something magical about Autumn dawns, and with that in mind I left home at 5am for a paddle on Sydney’s beautiful Pittwater. Arriving before 6am, I was able to watch the changing colours of daybreak glimmering on the waters I was about to paddle.
Dawn becomes firey as the sun starts to shine through the clouds
I was being joined by Timbo for this paddle, with him arriving a few minutes after I did. Forunately I’d left early because I’d gotten lost finding this magnificent little put in spot (big wraps for Google Maps on the iPhone with built in GPS for getting me there in the end!!). After a quick chat and set-up, and me falling out of my kayak as I was getting in and ending up sitting in knee-high water (DOH!). We finally pushed out into the still waters by McCarrs Creek heading off into Pittwater.
Falling in on kayak entry, I turned and noticed an amused ray watching me!
It really is an amazing feeling paddling so early in the morning. Dark shadows stretch across the water in the early-morning light, especially as we weaved our way amongst the moored yachts and motor-cruisers in the inlet. The amber sky lightens and you get to enjoy the water with barely another soul out there. Absolutely magic.
The magic of early morning light
The western shore of Pittwater is part of the Kuringai National Park and is stunning wilderness (if you can call it wilderness, with houses dotted across the cliffy landscape!). With sandstone cliffs wrapped in the green shroud of the rain forrest, the shore is simply mesmerising as you paddle past.
Beautiful rolling forrest and sandstone structures
As usual Tim and I chatted and giggled as we paddled along. The conversation bounced between gossip on other paddlers, to comparisons of different kayaks, to funny stories of our most embarrassing paddling moments. There’s no doubt paddling on your own is fun, but paddling with a mate is far better. As we gas-bagged on, the kilometres slipped behind us as we cruised up the western shore.
Paddle between the rocks - fun in a plastic kayak!
In my plastic boat it’s quite fun for me to rock-garden in my travels, something Timbo is a bit more nervous about in his composite boat. So I ducked in along the shore, dodging between semi-submerged rocks as well as occassionally beaching myself and laughing as I seal-slide off submerged rock areas. Admittedly it puts a bit a few little scratches in the bottom of my boat, but then like me, I reckon a few scars just add a bit of character!
Big rocks ahead!
Yeehaw! Coming through!
Timbo watching my rock-gardening from afar, with a fair dose of jealousy!
Eventually the sneaky coffee I’d had in the car had woken up my kidneys and was starting to create a fair feeling of discomfort, so we looked for a quiet beach to land on for a pit-stop. We found a suitable sandy beach and pulled in for a convenience stop (not an easy thing when you have a PFD over a skirt over a wetsuit). There we had a break, ate a few muesli bars and watched tiny crabs scuttling about the beach.
The pit-stop.... terrible view, eh??
A curious local scuttling across the beach
Like all great things however the paddle had to come to an end, so it was time to turn around and paddle the 8km return trip back to the put in area. Timbo and I set off ready for a stiff paddle against the tide, but instead found the northerly winds helping to push us along the surface, and instead of a slow slog back, we felt like we’d barely paddled.
Pittwater - a magnificent place to paddle
Paddles like today are so good for cleansing the soul after a stressful week at work. The beautiful waterways, the sounds of nature and fresh salty air all work together to remove your stresses and bring a smile to your face. No wonder so many of us paddlers are addicted to it! Cheers – FP
Dawn through the Heads, looking out to sea
It was a simple plan. Get up at 5am, head to the Spit, get the kayak out on the water whilst still dark, paddle to the Heads, and watch the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean.
It started well. I managed to get out of the house by 5.10am and had a quick drive to the Spit. With the kayak on the water, a small dome light clipped to my PFD, I pushed into the murky darkness before 6am and paddled off towards the entrance to Sydney Harbour.
To say paddling in the dark is surreal is an understatement. Distant boat light reflections give the harbour a magical twinkling look. City reflections show off the best of the Sydney skyline. And of course unseen splashes in the nearby waters raise the heart rate to panic levels!
Then of course there is the discovery as the sky lightens that the sea is not going to play ball. Thick high swell pushes into the harbour from the sea, with large breakers crashing on the middle harbour headlands. And of course in the twilight I’ve barely noticed how much water is pouring over the sides of my kayak from the massive swell, but can now see clearly that I am sitting in a bath.
It is at this point that I develop that “sinking” feeling. And I mean literally, because as my boat fills with water I start to imagine that the swell may indeed send the boat to Davy’s Jones Locker! This sit-on-top just isnt designed for ocean swell stability, no matter how hard I try.
So, turning around I ride the swell back into the safety of Middle Harbour, pull up on a nearby beach and empty the kayak. Then as I continue up through Middle Harbour the sun finally rises from below the horizon.
Sunrise over Sydney Harbour - not quite the Pacific Ocean!
Not quite as planned, but still pretty magical.
Tags: dawn, pacific ocean, sunrise, sydney harbour
