In a couple of weeks time I will start paddling my Kayak down the Murray River.  The first night will be at a camp-site just west of Albury.  It’s over 2000 kilometers from the mouth of the Murray.  If it’s  two months it will be between 30 and 40 kilometers a day.   I have visualized the end,  as much as possible,  standing  out of my Kayak,  with my paddles in the air,  thinking about it all and that it is done and the people that have got me there. I have also thought through as many things as possible that could go wrong.  Many I have practiced,  but there will be unknowns that I will have to work through. After all many have done this before.

I read once from an aboriginal spiritualist that you really must see the sunrise and sunset every day.  I am looking forward to that.  I am also looking forward to all the other natural life on the river.  The ducks,  the birds,  the fish, the lizards and the snakes.

I spent last Tuesday at Lake Nagambie practicing rolling and packing the Kayak.  At about 3/4 of the weight it felt excellent paddling.  Better that empty, with a earlier secondary buoyancy take up.  My rolling skill level is not 100%. I nail about 3 out of 5. So need more practice.  It rolled no problem loaded.  If in the time left I can get in upside down and roll back up would be great for getting knocked completely over by a speedboat.

I have put, perhaps too much,  thought into food.  Because I am a vegetarian it is a little simpler.  Eggs or oats for breakfast and rice with lentils or pasta or cos cous for dinner.  During the day, nuts and dates and bread with peanut paste.  No lunch.  I have some egg white powder for protein and will get some soy milk powder.  Also looking for a good edible weed book. From my packing practice I found that I can carry 22 liters of water.

There is a leak in the back hatch. It’s coming from the rudder pivot and probably the result of my bad treatment.  Next Tuesday I’m off to the plastic welder to get it fixed.