And the winner is!!!

Dan Irwin and his son Geoff were the happy winners of the Necky Manitou Kayak and Carlisle paddle that was kindly donated by the boys at BLA (Johnson Outdoors)
They collected their prize in less than perfect conditions today but the weather could not dampen their spirits. I am sad to see the little Necky go but I wish them lots of fun, fitness and fishing in their new Kayak. Congrats Guys! Enjoy :)
Thanks again to all my sponsors and support crew that made the paddle possible you all have made a sick kids life a little easier if only for a little while.
Phil

Why Brook 2 Beaches?

Plenty of people have asked why Brook2Beaches and why Camp Quality?
Some would know that my Nephew, Daniel Neville, lost his battle with cancer last year. Camp Quality was there for my family when they needed them, in the midst of his greatest battle, and I wanted to help ensure they would be there for other families and kids in the Hunter as well.
I would also like to say - Daniel this paddle was for you.
When things got tough and I was slogging it out for hours paddling into strong headwinds, it was the fact that kids like you battle pain each day and have no choice but to keep fighting that inspired me to dig deeper.
You continue to be an inspiration and to challenge me to be less egocentric each day. You were an impact player in life with an insatiable appetite for adventure while possessing a rare concern for others feelings.
I feel privileged to be called your uncle and mate you may be gone but you are not forgotten. We miss you.
Phil

Brook 2 Beaches wrap-up

Well Brook2Beaches is over and life is slowly getting back to normal with having to go to work and everything. That sais it is not too late to donate if you haven't done so but have enjoyed the action/ drama of the event.
The Kayak was drawn, thanks to BLA, and Dan Irwin from Bayswater power station is the lucky winner. I will be delivering the Yak in the next couple of days and Dan will be able to get on the water in a well loved and travelled Necky Manitou. What a great all rounder this Kayak is and tough as nails too. Congratulations Dan! Stay tuned for photo's of Dan receiving the Yak in coming Blogs. Other great Kayaking accessories were also donated by Brett at Lake Macquarie Kayaks and there were many happy winners like Ben Neville shown above with his Kayak Trolley.
As stated the conditions were ordinary but the spirits were high at the finish and I have included some photo's above and the brave supporters that showed up in spite of the conditions on the day.
Phil

Brook to Beaches finishes in style

Sorry about the slow update but Brook 2 Beaches is finished. I finished on schedule on Saturday the 16th of October in weather conditions that pretty much summed up the trip - Challenging!
The night before we probably got an hour sleep with winds gusting to gale force and awnings flapping and my little Jayco groaning and shaking in the high winds. It wasn't a pleasant night and at 4am hadn't got any better.
The forecast was for extreme weather warnings at Newcastle and when I got up and checked the Harbour it was apparent that it was too dangerous for inexperienced paddles. I rang Brett from Lake Macquarie Kayaks and cancelled the scheduled paddle so that people would not be put at risk. Some were disappointed but those that came to the finish line agreed that we had made the right decision! A couple even thanked me for not letting it go ahead!!
Brett is much more experienced than me in these kind of conditions - i like flat water and so does the Necky! He kindly offered to paddle with me and I (and my family) are so grateful! Thanks mate I'm glad I didn't have to hit this one up alone!
The harbour was a mess and I don't know how big it was but it was well outside my comfort zone that is for sure. The Necky did OK in the challenging conditions but it is definitely outside it's design brief! I was taking on a fair bit of water from all sides and struggling to stay in a straight line but i wobbled and struggled my way through the Harbour! Brett in his Ocean Kayak made it look effortless and revelled in the conditions - I want one of those boats - not to mention his talent in a Kayak! He runs coaching so maybe I can get some of that ability later!
Anyway my luck , ability and or divine intervention ran out a couple of meters from the shoreline at Horseshoe Beach when I caught and then fell off a wave coming around the corner to the beach. Brett was a champion and towed me a little and I managed to drag the Yak the last little bit up onto the beach were a devoted group braved the conditions to cheer my cold, wet and tired self! Thank you everyone who braved the elements to see me finish my epic journey. I was well outside my comfort zone at many times during this trip but it has been a trip of a lifetime!
I have no pictures at this point in time but there were plenty of photographers there so bear with me. The Kayak (donated by BLA) and prizes donated by Brett at Lake Macquarie Kayaks were drawn and will be posted / delivered in the coming days.
Brett and I will be organising a new paddle day - were a sheltered spot can be used for families etc. to sample kayaking in the near future so stay tuned. Coming up is the wrap up and photo's of happy recipients.
The Necky has handled everything thrown at it and has impressed with it's versatility. For a 13 Foot small touring Yak it has coped with rapids,skinny water, touring and even very lumpy stuff!

Tomorrows the last day!!

Gday all
Just thought I better put down some legal junk about tomorrow. Sorry it pains me to say it but I have been advised that I should say something along the lines of this for those that are considering paddling with me from Stockton Bridge to Horseshoe Beach.

Warning: Kayaking is a dangerous activity and presents a number of inherit risks. Participation in this event is entirely at your own risk. Neither Phil Curry nor Camp Quality can accept any responsibility for loss, damage, injury or death arising from this paddle. It is the responsibility of the individual to paddle within their ability and not put themselves in harm's way. I have no public liability insurance and none is offered by Camp Quality either.

All legal jargon aside please do not feel obliged to paddle if you feel uncomfortable with the conditions (whatever they may be tomorrow) I will be just as pumped to see people at the beach as I will to have them paddle with me - especially if it isn't good conditions.

Please also consider if it is raining that rain jackets can be a drowning hazard if you do fall in the drink! I have a Cag that is waterproof and I can swim in if required. Please please do not put yourself at risk! It is not worth risking someone being harmed or worse drowned. I know that my wife will not be paddling if conditions are iffy/ wet. I will not be offended if others do the same!
That said hopefully the weather will be fine and I am worried about nothing
Phil

Day 11 Raymond Terrace to Stockton Bridge

Gday all
today's original schedule was to get to Hexham but since it's only about 13Km from the terrace I decided that I could do a little better and paddled the extra 13 or so km to get through to Stockton Bridge. Yeh! This actually means that I can have a sleep in and even a day off paddling to spend with the family and mooch around till Saturday when we finish Brook to Beaches completely.
To start with I turned and took a photo of Sue and Tim who waive me off each day (and pick me up as well) and usally take photo's of me. I could not have done this trip without your support and I know it has been as big a mission with our energetic little man for you as it has been for me Sue!
The day started well with pretty good conditions early on combined with a run out tide from the Terrace.
This was lovely as it took a long time to settle into a reasonable stroke and I felt like the paddle weighed an absolute tonne and that I was dragging it through concrete. Not sure what the problem was, as the pain usually comes and goes, but I hurt badly for the fist 6-7 Km until I finally settled into a rhythm and the muscle soreness subsided (or i managed to ignore it - not sure which)
Then all of a sudden I found myself coming up to Hexham and the wind started to pick up but for once it was a tailwind - Yah!! That was a new experience.
Pumped that I had wind and tide going with me I had no hesitation in pushing on to Stockton Bridge which is about another 13Km along the river.
I had meant to check google earth again as I had originally planned to follow the road through Hexham but changed this once the last day paddle start point was decided to be at Stockton Bridge. The river breaks up into all sorts of arms and heads around some islands etc. so it can be a little confusing. That said I decided to stick with the large body of water that was heading towards the ocean (tide was still running out) so figured how lost could I get!!
The only problem with sticking to the main body of water was that the wind had picked up to a howling tailwind which was whipping up large rolling swell (maybe a meter at a guess - felt big to me!). It was nice not to paddle hard but interesting to surf and sail my way to the bridge. I have found in this exercise that the necky is pretty good in a trailing sea and that the large keel works well to keep the boat pointed straight when the wind and waves are trying to push you sideways! Not bad for a 13 foot boat without a rudder! The little touring yak has definitely proved herself to be a competent all rounder on this trip that is for sure! Rapids, touring on flat and in the lumpy stuff and she is tough as nails. Good on ya Necky. I'd own one - if I was allowed to buy a raffle ticket!(lol)
I am excited about getting a day off and hope to get Sue's Hobie out for small/ gentle paddle and a little soft plastics fishing for some flathead along the edges of the harbour tomorrow or generally just spending some time with family. I better give the Yak a wash too - she's a bit grotty!
I hope to see some people on Saturday and most of all finish this epic (for me at least) journey and see the poor banged up boat find a new home! She has some battle scars but is still going strong and tracking straight. It is a testament to how tough poly yaks are these days that is for sure!
thanks for your continued support and encouragement
Phil

Day 10 Belmore Bridge to Raymond Terrace

Another early start this morning starting on the water at 7:00. I decided that this was the best approach with the tides and the weather as it has been lately and was lucky to get the best day of the trip so far! Absolutely magic conditions for paddling. It always astonishes me how awesome it is to paddle early in the morning - as small amount of fog rising from the surface of the river and water that is like glass - best conditions of the trip by far!!!
The other reason for the early start was to finish early which would mean plenty of time to take the Jayco to Stockton - ready for the final day so this meant I was paddling to a schedule a little bit.
Well as I said it was absolutely magic this morning and you could not ask for better conditions to paddle -better late than never (lol)
And to top it off when I got to Morpeth (approx 10 km in) I came across some rowers from the Endeavour Rowing Club What a lovely bunch of guys and girls. They had a quad, tandem and a couple of single skulls (is that the right terminology guys ? Sorry I am a rowing illiterate!) on the river and they were poetry in motion. It was an absolute pleasure to paddle along and watch these guys (even if it was from a distance at times) do their thing for the couple of Km's back to their boat shed! They invited me in and I told them about Brook2Beaches so hopefully they are logging in and checking my progress! They even invited me to stay for Brekky - how hospitable is that!
I pushed on and managed to get to Raymond Terrace, so I am still 10 to 13Km ahead of schedule, with plenty of time to have Macca's with Tim and Sue for lunch. Tim has discovered that Wherever the "chippie logo" is there is also a playground so he was especially happy that Dad was finished early!
We called in to Jayco Newcastle, one of our major sponsors, on the way past and met Damien who turned out to be just as good in the flesh as he sounds on the phone. He kitted us out with some Jayco Hats and gear and even gave Tim a Jayco showbag!! Tim has refused to take off the hat till bedtime and particularly enjoyed the Chuppa Chup. Thanks Damien. I have included the photo! Priceless
This afternoon Tim got to play on the beach and generally enjoyed having Dad around a bit. I think I will go for a reasonably early start again , probably 7:30 at the Terrace, so i can push on if the weather allows and be part of the camping at the beach part as well. It looks like it might even be a possibility of finishing tomorrow if all goes to plan as it is only about 32Km from the terrace to Newcastle so that would be cool. I'd just have to go back to paddle the last 5km on Saturday but would get my day off to get in a bit of fishing while on the coast!! Whoohoo.
Will wait and see what the weather dishes up before I get too excited though
Phil

Last day paddle 16th of October

I keep forgetting to remind people that you are all welcome to come and be a part of the final leg (5km) paddle from
Stockton Bridge Boat ramp - on the coal loader side - arrive at 9:30
Remember Ring Brett at Lake Macquarie Kayaks on 0437772939 (or follow the link) if you want to hire a Kayak on the day.
Please prebook to make Brett's life easier and be there for 9:30 for pre paddle safety briefing (yes we need to do one) and departure at 10:00
Hope to see you there
Phil

Day 9 Luskintyre to Belmore Bridge Maitland

Well I have been hoping for a small break in the weather and today I got a small break. It is amazing what a bit of a rest can do for the sore muscles and the spirits - not to mention a bit of reasonable weather!
Today I got to the water at about 8:00 and was away about 8:30 I think at Luskintyre. This meant that I got some km's under my belt early and was feeling like i was making some progress. The water was deep enough to paddle and generally all was well with the world. I still hurt obviously but all was well.
I managed to get to Melville ford at Aberglasslyn at about 11:30 and my parents and Tim came to meet me for a picnic lunch which was lovely. It was nice to have someone to share lunch with - so much nicer than just talking to myself and I actually savoured it for about 45min. The longest lunch so far.
Phil Milling also happened by so it was good to catch up with him also for a chat.
After lunch I still felt pretty good and the conditions were still much better than they have been so I decided to push on and get another 10km under my belt which means that I am ahead of schedule now. Woohoo!
Looking at the weather and tides it's looking like an early start in the morning. If the weather is kind then I will try to get to Raymond Terrace which is another 30km again tomorrow

Day 8 Elderslie to Luskintyre

Today I had hoped to get an early start and maybe knock over the two short 20km legs in one go. We had stayed at home last night since we are getting pretty close to Maitland now. This had the added benefit of a bath to soak my weary bones/ muscles in and also to give the parents a bit of a rest from babysitting duties!
While I am on the topic thanks Mum and Dad for coming along with us on the early part of the trip of The trip. Your help with Tim and loading the Yak at the end of each long day has been much appreciated by myself, Sue and Tim.
We were running late from the get go this morning (maybe home has too many comforts for this trip!) and when we got there I had managed to leave most of my water bottles and my hat back at home! Bugger - not a good start. The chaos continued and an early start turned into a little earlier than usual start. Oh well!
I probably got an hour in before the wind picked up so it was worth the effort for that alone. The easterlies are still hammering me and anytime I stopped to take a drink I was being blown back upstream again! I have found that the only thing harder than paddling against strong wind is trying to do this in ankle deep water and at times the only way to go forward efficiently was to walk today!Days of paddling into a headwind like this messes with your head I reckon and I wasn't in a great place mentally after the slow start and the continued wind. My Body was definitely showing the strain today
I decided at Luskintyre that I had had enough for one day and that I would try again tomorrow for an early start once again. I remind myself that I am still on schedule and that it was only my desire to squeeze in a fish somewhere along the line that has me pushing to finish early. Training for and completing this paddle has consumed all my time for the last 12months it seems and the rods and reels need some serious attention i reckon. I have seen lots of fish. A Catfish at least a metre long in the upper reaches, a multitude of carp, the occasional Bass and now the mullet are starting to get active.
Never mind I might still get a fish in once the water gets deeper and I can justify the extra weight of a flickstick and some plastics.
Might have to put a rod holder on the Necky so I can do some trolling too!
It's nice to dream but in the meantime I need to cover Km's so back to the task at hand!
Tomorrow Luskintyre to Melville ford (Aberglasslyn) but I will play it by ear if the weather is good I might get a couple more km's in :)
Phil

Day 7 Singleton to Elderslie

Well I can't believe this is the seventh day of my little paddle - or even that I am basically 2/3rd of the way to Newcastle now! Mind Numbing!
I keep saying that was a tough day and you probably want to hear something else - Believe my I would like to be saying it but what a tough one today was. The wind was diabolical, blowing hard into my face and basically whipping up waves in the hunter river. At one stage it was blowing so hard that when I stopped to have a drink I was being blown back up the river.
There was a nasty storm front rolling in also from the side so I decided to only stop for 10mins the whole leg to try to stay in front of the thunderstorm that I thought would make life unbearable. Whether this was a good tactic or not I do not know but I didn't get rained on! I did hurt like I have never hurt before with 5 hours basically non stop paddling plus I have hard the worst cast of indegestion that I think I have ever had too! Not surprising as I only stopped long enough to scoff it down and then got back into it - the GPS said 8 mins all day stopped time.
On the upside I was home early enough to catch the last 20 laps of Bathurst so the pain was defintely worth it. Go Lowndesy!!! Go Holden 1,2,3 Baby!! Eat that Oval fans!! Ha Ha
Sorry momentary Yobbo moment (LOL)

Day 4 Denman to Jerrys Plains

The case of the missing day! Well we have been having a few technical difficulties and it seems that Day 4 has gone walkabout.
Day 4 was a big one the first of the over 30km days. I thought it was 31 but it turned out to be actually 36km. I did the same thing in training and thought that I had adjusted the itinerary but apparently not so i got a little more paddling for my money on this day. It was a long day with lots of river obstructions and rapids to keep me on my toes and in and out of the Kayak. On a positive note I managed to avoid the places that caught me off guard and eject me from the kayak in the training run so that is good.
A special thanks should go to the two gentlemen that snatched my bogged 4wd that my wife was driving out of the soft sand below Jerrys Plains Bridge before I got there. You are champions and I wouldn't have been too keen to dig out and push a bogged 4wd after a 36km paddle! You are legends and I definitely owe you a brown cordial or two.

Day 6 Arriving at Rose Point Park Singleton

Gday
Happy to announce that we are back on track for Brook2Beaches! The Necky is paddling straight and true and even though I was a little more sore today than previously we were back in the saddle and covering some Km's today again. It was another tough day with plenty of sore muscles/bits combined with a headwind the whole way.
That said I passed the halfway mark to Newcastle today which was a real highlight for me!
You can really start to see the river changing over these 169 km were it was all rocks and overgrown the river is more sandy and even has some width and water about it now (most of the time). The paddle today consisted of long open stretches of water with a howling headwind joined by tight water with lots of obstructions and small rapids. Only small ones that posed little danger- which was nice after yesterdays effort.
We move the van again tomorrow so it will be another full on morning!
On the money side we have now cracked the $5000 - I know it only says $600 on the camp quality site but that is only the tally of donations made in that way so thanks to all who have donated and dug deep. If you wish to donate there is still plenty of time and you can be assured that all the money goes to kids and families dealing with cancer in the Hunter Valley. If you have been thinking of donating but haven't yet let me encourage you to do so - It would be great to make it $10,000 to help bring some cheer to sick kids that is for sure!!
We have sorted our Internet problems so we should be blogging every night from now on if all goes well. Gotta get some sleep another 33Km to do tomorrow
Phil

Day 5 Jerrys to Maison Dieu

Heartbreak Hotel
What a tough day today turned out to be. We had to pack up the camper so Sue could move it to Singleton before I could paddle so I felt like I had done a day’s work before I started. I was making reasonable Headway, although paddling into a strong headwind till I got to the Power Station.
It was here that things took a turn for the worse. As I headed in I had intended to get out and carry the Yak down over the wall that has been constructed to provide a head for the river pumps but as I approached it looked pretty straight forward. Sure the water was flowing strongly and it was deep but it looked like it was a clear path around the wall. What I couldn’t see was just around a turn was some large boulders directly in the path of any kayaker silly enough to be still be there! I knew I was in serious trouble and jumped out but the water was too deep and flowing too hard to make any real difference to the inevitable. The yak hit broadside on a large rock in the middle of the river, closely followed by me. The Yak filled with water quickly and began folding around the rock. I had my own problems with a wedged ankle in the rocks but at least I had my head above water. After some scary moments I managed to get my ankle free and tried to budge the Yak. I managed to lift (not sure how – probably adrenalin) and once started the water started assisting in the lift of the nose of the Yak. I was devastated that it appeared that I had destroyed the Yak only a third of the way into my paddle but I persisted to free the Yak (after an hour of grunting groaning and being tossed down the rapids a few times.
The paddle (the leash broke the bungy straps it was attached to), my lunch and my drinks were gone but I managed to get the yak free.
Eventually I decided I would push on and walk (dragging the now empty yak) to the next causeway which I thought was about another 6-7 Km – I had some new cuts, bruises and had managed to twist an knee but I was still in one piece. While dragging the yak I found my lunch, 1 small water bottle and eventually the paddle also.
The Yak has sustained a couple of creases on its side but to the necky’s credit she has proved herself to be tough and is still tracking true. I am so sorry to those that expected a nice newish Kayak. I am not sure whether people want raffle ticket money back but in the Yaks defence I went on to paddle another 30Km today in her and she never missed a beat. Please let me know what you think as I really wanted to hand this thing over in pristine condition.
Anyway the next 30 km continued to test my mental and physical abilities as I paddled into a relentless headwind to reach my destination at Maison Dieu (just shy of Singleton). When I arrived at my pick up point, which was a challenge in itself, I was stoked to find that the Milling family had come to help me disembark and load the yak onto the roof. You guys are absolute legends I don’t think I could have loaded it without you and Dad today. P.S. The hot chocky was an absolute godsend too! I have now managed about 140Km and will be past half way by tomorrow afternoon.
Bruised and dented the Yak and myself will push on towards the sea.

Bengalla Bridge to Denman

Today started out cool and overcast so I thought it prudent to put my cag (wet weather paddling jacket) on straight away. I only got a few spots and then the sun came out which was pretty exciting – so exciting that I took a photo of the blue skies!
Yet again I forgot to turn the GPS on straight away so I was guessing a little as to how far I had travelled but it was a rough enough estimate to gauge how I was going. I was happy to settle into some paddling early with a mixture of rapids and tree obstructions. It never ceases to amaze me that a river can gain speed over rapids and then make a 90 degree turn but this was to be the order of the day. I was pumped at one point with my progress and confidence in the rapids so much so that I was singing the “Fully Loaded “ advertisement to myself when all at once I rounded a bend and saw that a new set of rapids head off in another direction straight for an undercut bank! I remember capsizing at this point in training once before and promptly ejected myself from the kayak in time to avert imminent crashing sounds!! From fully loaded to fully ejected in about half a verse – never mind no good busting myself or the new Yak and I am sure that whoever wins the kayak expects it to be in one piece not in two like the ad!
That said I managed a nice steady 6km/h average that allowed me to enjoy the journey while still making progress. I keep reminding myself to do this as I probably will not get the chance to paddle the river in its entirety again in my lifetime.
The leg turned more difficult as time went on with rapid after rapid and fallen tree after fallen tree for the last 5km or so meaning that I was constantly in and out of the Yak to drag it around/ over obstacles.
Mental note – It’s not just about the destination but the journey too
Looking forward to some more challenges with over 30Km to cover to get to Jerry’s Plains tomorrow afternoon. From memory more rapids (some biggins too) and even some wire ropes to avoid so should be fun
Phil

Day 2 Dartbrook to Bengalla

It is amazing what 20 odd k's can make to a river. Today's leg was from Dartbook to Bengalla which is about 21Km. Although we haven't travelled that far from the mouth of the Hunter it was enough to spend more time in the kayak and less time walking. It was nice to spend more time paddling and getting to know the new Yak. There were still plenty of rapids and trees but there was also enough water to generally stay in the Yak.
Without the need to get in and out as much meant that I could get the average speed up a little more so today's paddle only took about 3 hours which was more like it!
The next couple of days will ramp up a bit with lots of rapids and bigger km stretches (over 30Km each day now for a while)
looking forward to getting some more K's under my belt and watching the river change. Thanks for the comments and support
Phil

Day1 - Nice day for a walk

Well today was the day that all the planning and training came together. I laid awake most of the night listening to the rain on the campers roof and thought this is gonna be nice.
It all started with a quick shower to feel human but soon went pear shaped when I dropped my glasses while undressing. Those that know me will know that I never do anything without my glasses and this is for good reason. I am as blind as a bat. Well the tiles on the floor were brown with dark brown grout so I had no chance of seeing my glasses. Here I am stark naked on my hands and knees feeling around for my specs but do you think I could find them!! Nope – so still naked I check the other two stalls – lucky there was no one else up and using the showers!!! Imagine what they would have thought of a scrawny little nude bloke on hands and knees in the bottom of a shower cubicle!! Eventually I found them hard up against the wall in my cubicle. This was not a good start I am thinking – Lucky I don’t believe in omens otherwise I would have just gone back to bed and pretended that it was only the third of October.
Anyway despite my novel approach to the start of the day the sun actually peeked out from behind the clouds over Glenbawn for the start of Brook to Beaches. Ya!! To my surprise There were a group of family and close friends who turned up (even in ordinary weather) to cheer me off and show their support. Thank you so much to Team Nev, The Bidstrup's and the Boardman’s. You will never know how much it meant to me to see a group of people turn out for the start of my big adventure.
The river was pretty much what I expected for the upper reaches – I did allot of walking and carrying (probably more than paddling for the first 1 or 2 hours ) and there were lots of fences (4 electric and 2 barbed wire) ,fallen trees and general obstructions in those first couple of hours!
The shiny new yak has a couple of new battle scars (sorry to whoever wins it but I will try not to scratch it too much) but I made it to Dartbrook in about 5 Hours so all is well and I am primed for another big day to get through to Bengalla Mine tomorrow afternoon.
Talk tomorrow
Phil

Wish me luck!

Well after 12 months of planning it is finally time to start Brook 2 Beaches. I head off tomorrow morning at 9:00.
Not sure of the forecast for the weather but it has rained here for a couple of days and looks pretty set in.
Check in tomorrow night
Phil

It's Here

It is definitely all happening at this end in the final preparation for the paddle. I picked up the Kayak the other day from Raymond Terrace Boating and what a thing of beauty it is! Thank you BLA the Necky is all I hoped for; sleek, smooth, and what an awesome seat. The Manitou is absolutely gorgeous!
I haven’t had allot of time to give the glamour boat much of a shakedown paddle yet. Just photo shooting for local newspapers etc but it is evident quickly that the Necky is going to be awesome at covering ground in the deeper water. She slices through the water cleanly and tracks nice and straight. We paddled around in circles in a couple of different spots and it has impressed so far that is for sure.
At Newcastle there was a strong run out tide and howling winds in the Harbour yesterday afternoon and she was moving almost effortlessly against both. Not sure how fast I was going as I didn’t have the GPS and as I said they are only first impressions of the boat but I am definitely impressed so far. Sure the Primary stability is not as good as the old Dagger but it is narrower and it shouldn’t take long for me to get used to that – I felt pretty much at home very quickly and I will trade that in a heartbeat for those longer stretches.
The Carlisle paddle is a beautiful thing too – I like the adjustable length and offset , which with time I am sure to get just right. At the moment I have just set the angle and length to what I am used to but I am sure with a little tweaking I will find a new perfect combination.
I feel very spoilt to have such a nice Kayak and paddle to do the trip with and it will be a sad day to hand it over to somebody at the end of the 16th. That said tickets are still for sale make sure to get some. $2 each or 3 for $5 what a bargain – you could buy a whole book if you like and it would still be an absolute bargain (ha ha!!!)
Thanks also to all my sponsors, Jayco Newcastle, BLA, Newcastle Manufactured Homes, Macquarie Generation, Lake Macquarie kayaks, Marine Matters and Ethos Health. We have raised about $4300 so far which wouldn’t have got to sick kids and families otherwise.
Please follow my progress as I paddle down the river – if you see me say G’day and please dig deep and donate for a great cause
Phil

Organised Chaos

Gday all
it has been absolute chaos over the last couple of weeks. It seems that there isn't enough time in the day at the moment to train, be with the little man and get all the paperwork done for Brook to Beaches.
I guess any big event has a time were the intensity just amps up to a very hectic pace but never mind.
I have been trying to get organised with an aquatic licence lately (apart from other stuff) which has been kind of trying. To be fair the people at maritime NSW have been very patient and could not do enough in helping me to meet the requirements to host an aquatic event. It's just that I was a little ignorant to the paperwork required and the time frame necessary to get this done. On that note please let me know if you intend to paddle on the last day as I need to have rough numbers ASAP for the aquatic licence. Brett (at Lake Macquarie Kayaks) also needs to know if you intend on hiring a kayak.
Now for the legal blurb - do not forget that paddling is a dangerous sport and if you paddle you do so at your own risk. Camp Quality and myself take no responsibility for your safety - although obviously all care will be taken.
On a more exciting note I have a photo shoot for the papers in the next week and there is even talk about Fitzy getting me onto a radio show for some exposure as well! Cool
Talk soon - wont be long now to start day!

Not Long now!

Less than a month till Brook to Beaches and I am both excited and a little stressed about getting everything done for the paddle.
Wednesday I thought I would take my Dad and Nephew (Benny) out in the Canoe for some training that got them out of the house and on the river. Aberglasslyn to Belmore Bridge was chosen as the trip - 13 Km looked like a good solid paddle in the canoe particularly with an extra body on board. When we got to the river it was evident that it was still flowing pretty hard but I thought that would be good assistance with the trip. Well about 10 minutes in I came around a bend and realised that we were in trouble - it was a tight bend and the water was running hard towards the bend and there was an overhanging tree to top it off. I lent on the oar hard to bring the Canoe around just as Dad and Benny panicked and lent hard away for bank (fair enough with the tree branch I guess!) well in an instant we were all in the drink, which is all good fun except that Dad isn't supposed to get water in his ears after lots of problems and surgery over the years. Luckily everyone had on their PFD's (except the bloke insisting that everyone have one on that is - oops) and we drifted the upturned canoe to shallower water to tip out the water. Needless to say we arrived 2 hours later wet and cold but all OK. Dad still hasn't refused to paddle with me and Benny reckons "it was the most fun he has had in a long time - except for Poppy Gettin Water in his ears of course"
Thursday I hit the water again - this time alone with the YAK - and did Aberglasslyn to Morpeth which is 26 km. It was a nice paddle although it was drizzling/ raining most of the way. It was good to stretch myself a bit more and I must start paddling each day that I am off (as well as cardio at home on work days) I reckon to be fully prepared.
I am finding the cardio during work days hard as I now have an hour each way to travel to work and it is knocking me about more than I expected at the moment. I am sure I will get used to it though in time.
Anyway only one more day of work to hit up before I can get on the water again. See you soon
Phil

Start of Spring Yeh!

Gday all. It was a magic day hear in Maitland so I took a couple of hours out from unpacking boxes to get into the YAK this morning. It has definitely been too long and I was already stiff and sore from playing removalist over the last couple of days.
I didn't have allot of time and there was plenty of flow in the river so I thought I would paddle upstream for 5Km and then paddle back. It is nice to have the river so close and it took longer to load the YAK than to drive to the launch site.
Overall I paddled the 10 Km and will probably paddle from here to Morpeth on the next run off which is a bit over 20 Km if it all pans out.
On the Climb 4 Kids front Pete and Ruth have had to come down from Killi after reaching 4500m as Pete is so sick with altitude sickness. Poor Pete has been crook for a couple of days so he has put in a huge effort. They must be shattered but we are all so proud of them and the whole team. I still have one sister on the mountain (not to mention the rest of the team) so keep it up Jude / guys we are cheering for you!
Phil

We have moved

You might have thought things have been a little quiet on the Blogging front. Well this is because this last week we have moved. We are now in Maitland and what a mission it has been! I cannot believe the amount of gear that we have accumulated in the last 9-10 years. It is truly insane!
Thanks to friends and family that pitched in we managed to get all our gear down over four hectic days. My dad and Father in law worked like absolute Trojans and Phil(yes I have a mate called Phil) showed his genius yet again at packing infinitesimal amounts into a small truck - the man must play a mean game of Tetris!!
On the Killi for Kids front (see the link attached) the gang (including team Nev and Jude) are at 3000 meter mark on their climb to raise money for CQ! Go guys! I am so proud of my sisters (and Brother in law) as this is way outside of their comfort zones.
The chaos is far from subsiding here but I can get a car into one of the garages now which was inconceivable yesterday.
All I have to do now is get back into the yak and hit the river for some training as October is not far away at all. Moving was the last hurdle before Brook to Beaches (apart from raising some more money that is) so back to it in Ernest!
My epirb that was kindly donated by Marine Matters arrived the other day also which is very exciting. It is definitely a nice piece of gear. That reminds me I must register the details for that.
Gotta go, hope you are all well
Phil

Bank Details for Raffle Tickets / donations

Gday all
Hope you are all well I have finally added the bank details for those that would like to purchase raffle tickets online.
Remember that up for grabs is the great Necky Kayak, with Carlisle Paddle that BLA have donated for the trip. With other prizes including a kayak trolley, 2 paddles, and 3 sets of Booties from Lake Macquarie Kayaks. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5 - which is an absolute bargain for over $1700 replacement value for first prize alone
The bank details are Philip G Curry BSB 062581 Account No: 10204969

If you are going to do it this way make sure to send me a text on my mobile 0422543219 with your name and address and make sure to put your name on the transaction so there is no confusion to who has paid. Alternatively make comment on this blog that you want the tickets and your details and we can go from there. Once funds have gone into account and details are received I will mail the tickets to you for your records.

With donations I encourage you to follow the link to CQ but you can now make a donation to this account as well if you prefer as it will go to the same place - just a little more paperwork for me if you want receipts etc.

On another note you may be interested in following my two sisters, Brother in law (Team Nev and Jude Brown)and all the other climbers who are Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Kids. They have set up a Blog also so I will add a link. Go guys - stuff of legends!!!
Until I get organised here is were it can be found
http://climb4kidskilimanjaro.blogspot.com
Keep well
Phil

More Dam Training

Gday All
With the rivers up (with grazing and pump warnings on the Hunter river) I decided it was best to head out on the dam again for a paddle. This time I decided I would have a crack at paddling to the end of the Dam. I took the Hobie Adventure again as weather conditions have been pretty changeable on the Dam of late and I know the old girl is pretty much up for anything as far as lumpy stuff is concerned.
It was a pretty interesting paddle with a Bass fishing competition being held at Glenbawn this weekend. So there was the occasional fish to be watched being landed as well as some very flash boats whizzing by to look at as well!! Good times. I got to within in sight of the end of the Dam and the weather started to take a pretty nasty turn so I decided I best head for home (I was already 10Km from the ramp) so I turned and paddle for the boat ramp. Well the wind picked up and it was a pretty hard 10Km back to the ramp but I am excited that I have done a 20Km paddle on the dam (averaging about 7.5km/h) which is always a harder slog than the river I reckon.
On the raffle front Brett from Lake Macquarie Kayaks has generously added some extra prizes including a Kayak Trolley, paddles and booties to be drawn on the same day as the Kayak that BLA have donated. So make sure you get your raffle tickets. This will be much easier for you Internet types when I get the account set up as you will be able to send me a message / comment and then purchase using netbank!! Sorry I will get onto it.
Also don't forget we are meeting at 9:00 @ Stockton Bridge boat ramp (ie on the coal loader side of the river) to paddle to Horseshoe Bridge on the last day (16th of October)were all this will be drawn (assuming I can get the permits ha ha!) If you don't have a Yak follow the link to Lake Macquarie Kayaks and Brett will look after you!!! Please put this date in your diary as it would be awesome to raise some awareness for kids with cancer - with a bunch of Kayakers making their presence felt
Phil

Giving the big girl a run

Hi All
Work and packing has been pretty chaotic added with the fact that Sue and Tim have been crook and it has been a struggle to get out on the YAK. I was hoping for another river run (particularly as the river has been up) but with Sue crook it was a case of needing to be independent. The Dam it is!
The last couple of Dam paddles has been pretty ordinary of late and it was after lunch before I could escape so I dragged out Sue's Hobie adventure for today's run. She is not the fastest boat about but she is very stable when the conditions turn nasty - plus it has a rudder to keep the nose pointed in the right direction which has been a challenge of late in the dagger!
I didn't manage to get onto the Dam till about 2:00 and the wind generally picks up during the afternoon so I was expecting pretty ordinary conditions. That said it was pretty good considering the paddles of late. Yeh there was a strong breeze but it was reasonably smooth really. At one stage it was even still but this was mostly as I loaded the YAK onto the car :)
Anyway I managed 7Km/h average over 14Km in the big boat so I am reasonably happy with that. I also talked to the shop owner at the Dam and she was happy to put up some promotional posters etc. which is also good exposure - all good. Also I have managed to get a few good people on board @ work to sell raffle tickets / collect donations in different workshops so that is great as well. I now have the problem that I have run out of ticket books - what a great problem - hopefully they sell lots of them!!!
Take care all - thanks for all those comments - don't be afraid to add suggestions/ comments as I love reading them
Phil

New YAK for the paddle

Hi All
The fantastic Guys at BLA have come good with a New Kayak and paddle to complete the Brook to Beaches! What champions!!
The Kayak is a very sexy (I know kind of weird to get so excited about a YAK) Necky Manitou 13 and Carlisle Paddle. She is an absolute beauty and I can't wait to have a paddle - but all in good time.
The most exciting thing is that BLA are happy for me to raffle off the Kayak on the last day. How good is that! The replacement value is over $1700 if my maths is right so be sure to get a ticket!!
Tickets will be on sale shortly (once I have set up a bank account for the money to go into) and will be $2 each or 3 for $5 - What a bargain!!!
Thanks again to BLA for their generosity - truly legendary stuff Fitzy!
Keep your eyes peeled as I will set up a link for ticket buying / direct contact when I get it all sorted
Phil

Elerslie paddling

Today I got up with the intention of paddling from Elderslie to Luskintyre which is approx 20km according to my calculations.
Well I awoke at about 3am to hear that it was absolutely pouring!! Later at 7am when I crawled out of bed it was still raining solidly! Great this will be fun. Anyway as time went on (and as I procrastinated) the sun came out and the rain cleared. Woohoo!
When I arrived at Elderslie the sky was clear but it was blowing hard! Oh well I'm here now I think so hit the water. Luckily the weather was kind and I didn't get the wind straight into my face till the last 1.5Km which was nice.
Overall I managed approx 8km/h average over the length of the paddle which I am happy with. I even managed a max speed of 13Km/h at one point but I suspect that this was with a large tailwind through rapids (not much chance of me propelling the little dagger that quick on my own I am afraid!)
On the sponsorship front a big thanks to Marine Matters in QLD that have kindly donated an epirb to ensure that if things go bad then help will be at hand. Thanks Russo and Maureen - I am sure Sue will sleep much better each night knowing that I will return at the end of each day.

Itinerary

Gday all
This week I have fiddled a bit with the Blog and added the proposed Itinerary for the paddle showing were I hope to be each day as a minimum. You will probably have to scroll right down to the bottom to see it! This breakdown had more to do with were I can get out of the river easily, at roughly equalish intervals,more than anything else but I reckon if I keep up the training I should be able to do it a couple of days quicker. You can be assured that I will keep you posted each night on the days paddle and were I got to each night.
I didn't get out for a paddle on Friday as I managed to get a touch of food poisoning and couldn't stomach the paddle but I attended the regional apprentice of the year awards on Friday night and was lucky enough to take out the Hunter Region electrical division so that was nice. Congrats also to Jayco Newcastle who's apprentice won in the caravan cabinetry (i think that was the category) award.

Fine weather at last

Finally I got some reasonable paddling weather on the Dam the other weekend. It was still cold with a reasonable breeze but at least it was less lumpy than it has been over the last couple of outings.
I managed to increase speed a little to hold 7Km/h for the 10Km paddle so that was OK. That said I think the little dagger might need a clean up on the bottom of the hull as she seems to be developing a bit more drag over time (and punishment)
I was excited to receive donations from Macquarie Generation, Jayco Newcastle and Hunter Valley Homes this last week. Thanks Guys, Legendary Stuff!! Rest assured that each dollar helps the Kids (and their families) and will make a difference.
On the paddling front I plan to put in a 20Km river paddle to add a couple more scars to the old dagger and stretch the shoulders a bit this weekend. This type of training is great real world stuff with the added bonus that I get to see likely conditions for the big trip in October.
lastly thanks to all the comments and ever growing followers to the site, you are a great source of encouragement me as I continue to train for the event
Phil

New Promo poster

He Guys and Girls
Check out my new Promo Poster. The only problem at the moment is it is coming up at the bottom of the Blog so you have to scroll all the way to the Bottom to see it! I'm sure I will manage to put it somewhere where it can be seen easier.
If you would like a copy to put up at your workplace or local noticeboard please send me a message and I will email (or snail mail) you a copy.
I will continue to add in new sponsors as they come on board so keep an eye out for civic minded companies.
Phil

Groundhog Day

I went back to Glenbawn for another training paddle yesterday and it started much the same as last time. A strong breeze and a little on the choppy side. It looked like there was a storm building but I thought what the hell - be a man what could go wrong?
Anyway I headed out from the boat ramp without a soul on the Dam and thought maybe this isn't such a great idea but I definitely need the paddle time.
This time I headed into the waves which meant paddling across to the other side, with the added bonus that I might get some lee from the wind over there. From there I headed to boat harbour did a lap and then headed for home when I could see another storm front building from the north as well.
Overall I paddled 10Km and averaged about 7 km/h which I didn't think was too bad in the conditions.
On the sponsorship side I have had a couple of sources of encouragement over the week with Macquarie Generation confirming they definitely want to be involved as well as receiving a call from Damien @ Jayco Newcastle who also wanted to make a contribution. Good stuff mate - you are a legend!!
Also make sure to keep the 16th of October free as all those that are able to will depart Stockton Bridge to paddle into the harbour where raffles prizes will be drawn. Try to be there - I will post times etc. as time goes on but remember Lake Macquarie Kayaks is able to hire you a Yak if you need one and a percentage of the proceeds go to Camp Quality so make sure to get amongst it!

Glenbawn Training Paddle

Gday Guys
Firstly welcome to all my new followers it is very encouraging to see more people following my progress as I prepare for the big paddle.
It has been good to have no big distractions from training this week with the house finished (and sold for that matter), it is back to training in Ernest. I have been reacquainting myself with the treadmill and got out for a training paddle today.
Even though the work around the house has been quiet physical I am amazed at how quickly I have lost fitness and how much work I will need to do to be paddle ready for October.
Today I got to the dam around 9:00 (Gentleman's hours) for a paddle and was greeted with strong bitterly cold winds and a nice rolling swell that was probably about half a metre - Nice!! Not perturbed I saw the opportunity to really push myself and harden up and thought that as long as conditions didn't deteriorate too much things shouldn't get too bad. So in full bib and brace wetsuit and PFD I unloaded the YAK and set off.
I rounded the first couple of bends to be greeted by a greater blast of wind and waves and a mad fisherman yelling that I was Crazy - big call from a bloke that had obviously camped all night to catch fish out of season I thought! so I pressed on.
A couple of K's paddling hard into the wind I remembered that in my haste to get warm I had forgotten to stretch and that it would be a good option for me now! Only problem was that I was in danger of getting rolled out of the YAK or driven into a dead tree if I wasn't making forward motion. Just have to paddle through it!
By 5Km out I decided I had had enough so I turned only for the wind to pick up bringing the rain with it. The swell was now getting closer to the metre mark and I discovered that a following sea is not the best environment for the little dagger which is designed for rivers and estuaries (ie flat water).
A couple of Bends from home I see my mad fishing mate who is waiving wildly seemingly impressed that I have not drowned!
Right about now I would have given anything for a couple of extra metres of Kayak or even just a rudder but I eventually made it back to a bay just short of the car were I decided that discretion is the better part of valour. I would continue my exercise by walking the last couple of hundred metres to the car. This was really decided for me when I was faced with metre breaking waves heading into the above mentioned cove and not enough steam left in the shoulders to fight it.
Overall I am sore but didn't get submerged and it is good to be back on track. These days while taxing are great preparation, which is what I have to remind myself of as I shiver and shake loading the YAK back onto the car.
Phil

No more excuses back in the YAK

Yippee The house is finished!! No more excuses it is time to get back in the Kayak and get some more training K's done. I am really looking forward to it.
On another positive note I have been having some positive talks with a Kayak Importer which I am very excited about. Details are to be confirmed but it looks hopeful that I might have gained a new sponsor. I will keep you all posted as it all unfolds
Hope you are all happy and well and hope to see you on the water soon
Phil

Has it been that long

Wow
Sorry Guys I've been very slack with the Blogging and very busy on the other fronts. The housework is almost done here (all but finished the painting). So it's basically just cleaning up and getting the house on the market (fingers crossed that it sells quickly).
On the house front we have bought (well we look at contracts this week) a place in Aberglasslyn so that is good but it has put the pressure on us to get this place sold.
I also attended interviews for Hunter Valley apprentice of the year awards the other week (electrical division) so it has all been happening. I know what your saying how can you be eligible if you finished your apprenticeship? Well apparently it goes on when you are supposed to finish (ie. start of this year) So far I've made it to the final 7 in my division so well see how it goes - I think work is more excited than I am!
Tim's been cutting more teeth on top of everything and not much paddling has been going on - must get back on that wagon now the house is pretty much done!
On the brook to beaches front I have drafted a letter that I am posting to a host of Kayak manufacturers to see if I can get them involved. So far I have found the paddling easier than getting money out of companies so wish me luck!
Phil

Back in the paddle

Gday
Yesterday I finally got back into the Yak (inbetween digging and barrowing dirt) I decided to do a training paddle from Raymond Terrace to Hexham.
Being a shorter one I convinced Dad to come with me assuring him that it would be a gentle 10Km paddle.
Well we got in at the Raymond Terrace boat ramp about 2:00pm and it was perfect weather, but first bend we rounded and the wind was blowing hard! Poor Dad - so much for the gentle paddle. It blew hard into our faces for the first 5Km but Dad is a trooper and was detirmined to see it through to the end!
My easy ten Km blew out to 12.5Km - the first 5-6 into a strong Headwing!
By the time we got to Hexham we were pulling in in the dark - and we were both ready to get in the warm car!
The last couple of hours were absolutely magic as the wind dropped off and the sun was setting over the water!!!
Overall it was good to back on the water and to get a couple more Km's of river under my belt so I can be sure of what I will be tackling on this stretch come October!
See ya for now. Don't be strangers!
Oh on another note I have been saying to some that Carrington might be a good spot to launch spot for people joining the paddle on the last day. For those that know the Hunter you might have picked up on a small problem - Carrington is not on the Hunter!!! I am currently looking for a new spot - that is on the way!!! Maybey Stockton Bridge, but I will have to talk to Brett.
I will keep you posted - please join me on the last day if you can - A part of the money raised through Hire will go to camp quality and I would love to paddle with you as I reach my destination.
Phil