Scarborough to Bribie Is via Gilligans return - here comes the front...

This was the front we were looking for!  It just failed to deliver the 15-20 knots of tail wind we wanted in a timely manor so we ended up paddling home in another glass out to complete a 35km training paddle against the run in and run out tides (yup - I did actually plan it that way).

We were tossing up a plan to paddle over to Moreton Island, but 25-30 knots of headwind on the way home put those plans to rest. Plan B was hatched to paddle from Scarborough to Bribie Island, and get some surfing in on Gilligans (a sandbank off Skirmish Point) whilst we waited for the front to come through and liven up proceedings for the crossing home.

We were treated to another great sunrise over Moreton Island as we made our way to Skirmish Point for breakfast.  A pod of dolphins kept us entertained as we sat on the beach hatching a plan for the rest of the paddle.

The front came through as we made our way over to Gilligans where we stayed to play in the surf for a while before paddling against the tide back to Scarborough.  The wind failed to turn up until we reached our destination - where the wind sock went from hanging limp to horizontal within 5 minutes of us turning up. This flat water paddling is doing my head in - bring on some wind and swell!

Winter Solstice Training Paddle

Well the water temperature has cooled off a bit, but the winter solstice started out at 16 degrees Celsius at 6:00 am this morning and only increased from that point.  I spent the day comfortably paddling in a short sleeve rashy wondering if we are skipping winter this year.

Another weekend training paddle spent paddling on flat water! We took off at 6:00 am with first light appearing on the horizon heralding a very calm day.  Not as spectacular sunrise this morning with the coastal showers receding away to leave us with another hot winters day.

39 kms paddling today as we looped around Mud Island from Shorncliffe.  We pushed the pace today and sat on over 9 kms/hr for a couple of hours which left us feeling like we had a good workout by the time we returned for lunch.  We took a diversion as per the images below - thanks to Jono and Gary D for keeping me company.

Paddling on glass

Winter in this part of the Southern Hemisphere has failed to turn up as yet with the only tell tale signs being the shortening days.  It was 16 degrees this morning as we took off for a 30 km training paddle - it wasn't long before we were covered in sweat and wondering when our cooler mornings were going to turn up.

Our training paddle was interrupted by an inspiring sunrise so our average speed dropped away as we sat appreciating the beauty of the breaking day.  We had the promise of some wind picking up later in the morning but it failed to eventuate so it was a flat water paddle on the ocean.

Whilst calm conditions on the ocean offer some artistic scope for capturing images, they are a bit boring for the ocean paddler.  We ended up trying to entertain ourselves as we clicked over the kilometers - and no, we didn't tip anybody out of their boats!  So the inventory for the day ended up being a couple of dolphins, a school or two of bait fish, one small shark, a number of birds and floating debris.

The yellow marker off Woody Point turned out to be the boundary marker for the North-Eastern corner of a green zone.

We paddled past the Sandgate Jetty on the way back into Shorncliffe and noticed that the council had erected a barrier to stop people getting to the end of the pier as it was no longer considered safe.  I'm not sure what the plans are but it is bit of an icon so I hope it doesn't end up being dismantled.