Got up at 6 and got ready to leave when it was light enough to see. Excellent for paddling. No wind and water very still. I wanted to make it past lock 6 and that meant I had to be there before 4:30.
Just after Pollards cutting came across a dead bullock in the mud and another younger one alive or just. Tried to get my phone working to notify the property owner but it was working but not good enough to make a call. I decided to leave and see if I could contact someone further down. Landed and went into a property near the bank and tried to rouse someone, but couldn’t. Left a note in the driveway in the dust.
Over the way was a houseboat with a large group on board. They had also tried to contact someone with equal luck. And had also tried to get it up.
They offered me tea and fresh fruit salad which was fantastic. Great conversation where I learnt more about the river and the politics. The spot was Lindsay Cliffs.
That was about 10:30. From then on I paddled to make the lock by 4:30.
Passed the border between NSW and SA. And not far from the border sign and in the middle of nowhere, miles from anything, in the desert, was a guy jogging in all the appropriate gear. I realised after a few surprised questions from me that he was from a houseboat just down a bit.
Paddled past the customs house shop and houseboats. I worked out at 3 pm that I could get to the lock if I kept above 7k for the hour and a half. So I did and arrived with two minutes to spare. Was not easy.
I told the lock master about the bullock and it’s location and he was going to look up the property owner and give him a call. I imagine for the next few weeks every second person the property owner comes across will tell them they have a bullock stuck in the mud near Pollards cutting.
Went through the lock and slowly paddled to a camp.
Spectacular morning. Still water and no wind. Warmer than previous days. It was about 30k to lock 7.
Got to within a few hundred meters of the lock in about 3.5 hours.
Turned the phone on to call and had one way communication to me and I spent too much time trying to get a position so the reception would work. Limited success.
Got around the lock 7 (it is closed) by myself and the trusty wheels. Had lunch and then paddled as much as the afternoon as I could.
Passed up one camp which was pretty good but decided to go a little further.
Saw on the map “Devils elbow bend”. First thing I saw was a houseboat on the corner. Then this…
So that’s camp 682. A.. mazing.
Got about 110k to Renmark.. This is the toughest section so far.
732 kilometres from the mouth.
Well, here I am, all cosy in my beautiful tent, brought here by my magnificent machine. Warmer tonight which I am pleased about.
Very interesting day. Two locks 9 & 8 in the one day. Paddled away from camp around a couple of corners and the lock master for 9 was waiting for me with the chamber open. So paddled in and was through it in less than 10 minutes. His colleague from 10 had rung and told him I was on my way. In this part of the river with no mobile reception I was unable to book ahead.
Light wind early which was lucky as the section of river was facing West where the wind was coming from. As the river turned the wind picked up in the afternoon and I got some rest down a couple or reaches.
Noticed on the map a creek that looked like a shortcut. Went up it for a bit but it looked too woody so turned back to the river.
Stopped for lunch on this large bend and walked up on the bank. Very dry salt bush country. Looked like Aboriginal middens in the first layer of soil of the bank.
At lock 8 (just made it by 15 minutes from closing time) got some instructions for lock 7 which is closed so I have to wheel around it. Also was given advise on this campsite. Which is pretty good.
Left early and videoed the entry to the caravan park. Exit the Murray across the Darling to the caravan park.
Got to the lock on time and I notice that this lock master had a remote control.
Light south westerly early on but later it got up to 15k to 20 at times. Did the 3 hour session and got out. Was very cold with the wind and air temperature. The water was a lot warmer. The magnificent machine was heavy today. More food and water. About 15k more as it will be at least 3 nights before Renmark.
Took the Walpole Island canoe trail which was more out of the wind and more interesting than the wind blasted Murray. The creek bank was full of dead timber and some recent like a storm had been through. The landscape is dry with low scrub. A few kangaroos but no other animals. The entrance off the Murray was full of snags but negotiable. I thought for a while that I might make the next lock but ran out of time. So I’m camped about 5 to 6 k from lock 9.
By the time I get to the lock the 50k will translate to 61k because of the creek and the canoe trail.
Was a bit rushed getting to the lock at 9. Left the duck family. Mum dad and eight babies.
A houseboat was leaving the lock as I was arriving so it all worked out well.
The morning was perfectly calm, a little cool, and I was able to get a good rhythm and focus going. I stopped every hour and then after 3 hours for lunch. After my call home at lunch a speedboat went past and I head someone call out that they knew me. It was Aaron who I left at Echuca. He was having a break of 6 days while his travelling partner was away at a wedding. They were just a day behind me at Robinvale.
Went through a fairly short and safe cutting which saved 10 k. After lunch the wind blew up and it was a slog except for the last reach where I got some behind me.
The entrance to the caravan park here is pretty special.
You come off the Murray under a little bridge and across the Darling to the park.
I should have a flag just like Sturt (and Rob)
Booked lock 10 for 8am. So early start, it’s a long way to Renmark which is the next major town. Lots of locks to coordinate on the way.
Bought some more supplies for what I think will be 4 or 5 nights in the wilderness.
886 kilometres to the mouth
Made it to Mildura. I think it was the enticement of a days rest that did it.
Some of the reaches were 8k and that takes an hour to paddle up them. Luckily though the wind was blowing down a few to make it easier.
Woke up to this.
And I don’t know if you can see a line of pelicans in the picture below. The white dots.
All night the fish were thrashing and jumping and the pelicans had lined themselves up to heard all the fish into the corner. Me camping there foiled their plan.
Just down the river from my camp was a couple who have been living of a houseboat for 18 years. Lovely couple. I was asked how long I was taking and it’s about average. Most kayaks take about a month from Albury to their houseboat. They love the life. They have a camp set up on the bank for their family at Easter. I was given a bag of fruit, which I haven’t had for a while and was great.
The closer I got to Mildura the more houseboats started appearing. They are getting bigger.
Before Mildura is Gol Gol. They have a stunning public space between the river and the houses. Beautiful lawns and trees. No fences. Worth a look if you get a chance.
Very windy tonight. Quite cosy in my tent.
I will be in Mildura for a couple of days.
Left as early as possible. I think it was about 7:30.
No wind early and then later was northerly. Nearly all the reaches were northerly pointing. So it was an all paddling day.
Passed up some ripper camp sites to get as far as I could. And here it is camp 940.
Don’t let that sandy bank fool you. I was only thinking this morning that maybe mud would be more tolerable than sand in everything. Now I have both.
Oh and… . See that thing in the bottom left that looks like a chair. It’s now some sort of shelf. It failed the 100 kilogram test. Well it’s probably less that that by now. I notice that the foot pegs are getting further away. I think that’s because my rear end is getting smaller and I’m moving further back in the seat.
Boiled some water in case I run out tomorrow. I saw someone on a houseboat filling their kettle with river water today so that’s good enough for me but what’s that foam on the top.
Mildura is about 50 away. Will have to see how I feel tomorrow. I’m due for a days rest and was hoping it would be Mildura. My medical advisers are telling me to slow down. Certainly felt like I should today.
Left about 8:30 and headed for a stop at the Wemen shop which was about an hour away. Left the magnificent machine next to a very high bank and scrambled up to the shop. Got some bread and that was it. Should have enough of everything. The only thing in doubt is drinking water. Will fill my daily supply up tonight and boil some river water if I need to.
Passed a group of school children from Frankston in Canadian canoes and later saw someone setting up their kitchen on a sand bar.
It was a good day for sailing. I paddled all the way but the wind gave me some extra speed. Almost in every reach. They nearly all point North.
Two cuttings today, “retail” and “taupalin” each took out 8 k. They both were well established and not a problem.
Tonight, as most nights, I’m camped on the Victorian side and I can hear goats on the NSW side. All through the day they were on the NSW side. The last time on the Victorian side was ages back.
You might be able to see them.
It’s 111 to Mildura from here so hopefully one big day and one small one. Just have to see how it pans out.
No phone reception so this won’t be uploaded for a couple of days.
Passed through the Euston lock at 10 without much trouble except that the exit was pretty turbulent just outside the gate.
Seemed a lot of water coming over the weir and I could see it in the current. Reaches continuing to get bigger.
Less snags but rock shelves and sand bars. Some of the rock shelves would be dangerous to larger boats and houseboats.
Drifted past a family of kangaroos. They were about five meters away. They were doing the “if we keep really still he won’t see us” thing. And the big one had the look on its face to match.
The wind was south easterly and strong at times. I started to try tacking with the sail and it worked but I’m not sure how efficient it is compared to just paddling up the reach. Certainly more fun. I can get it up to about 30 to 40 degrees off the wind.
Camp for tonight. Just short of Wemen. No the camera isn’t on an angle. I’ll have to haul myself up the bank during the night.
A little over 9 and a half hours on the water.
Phone is working here but is marginal and chewing up battery.
pdhansenhansen 