LAST UPDATED 21 September 2008

Recent additions

Precipitous Bluff - kayak & walk - January 2008
Port Davey Track - December 2007
Sea kayak circumnavigation of Tasmania - Feb 2007
Overland Track - July 2006 - with sidetrips up Barn Bluff & Mt Ossa
Cockle Creek to Precipitous Bluff summit & return - 3 day trip
Federation Peak summit in under 48 hours (from 1997 - but I only just found my old trip report from then)

Trip Reports - kayak & bushwalking

Photos from my Tasmanian trips

My first attempt to circumnavigate Tasmania - May 1999 trip from Hobart to Port Davey & return- "heading back down to south-west cape, well offshore, I lost sight of land in thick mist, 10m swells and gale force n/w wind.  I thought to myself "This can't be good!"

My solo circumnavigation of Tasmania by sea kayak - November 1999 - starting from Pirates Bay - heading anti-clockwise

My second solo circumnavigation of Tasmania - November 2001 - different weather and many different landing points - starting and finishing from Hobart - paddling anti-clockwise

Steve Dineen's sea kayak circumnavigation of Tasmania - February 1998 - Steve's trip was the inspiration for my trip.  It gives you an insight into the mental & physical suffering that this trip inflicts

Steve Dineen and Lester Nation's Bass Strait Crossing - March 1998

The first circumnavigation of Tasmania by Sea Kayak - John Brewster & Earl Bloomfield- 1979

Bruny Island in a day (142km in 18.5hrs) March 1, 2001

Bass Strait Crossing (Maatsuyker Canoe Club Trip - Feb 2001)

Paddle from Huonville to Kettering

Solar charging batteries during trips - flexible solar panel

Three Peak Race 2004 - by sea kayak.

Ed Gillet - California to Hawaii

Australia to New Zealand - crossing the Tasman Sea ...

Frenchmans Cap walk

South Coast Track (south-west Tasmania) - guide, trip reports and photos

Rogue Waves - About 1 wave in every 2000 waves will be about double the average height of the other swells - this is about every 2-3 hrs.  So you could expect if you are paddling down the west coast of Tasmania and the swells are 5 metres that every 2-3 hrs you will get one come through at 10m.  (This information was from Simon McCulloch - metoerologist & ABC TV weatherman)

Link to NSW Sea Kayak Club article by Richard Birdsey (very interesting)
Link to the Tasmanian Coroners finding about the death of Hamish SAUNDERS on Pedra Branca rock - 28km off the south coast of Tasmania.  Reading this is very sobering and highlights how quickly the Tasmanian weather can change and how scary it must have been clinging for life as waves broke over the 60 metre high island.

Mirage 580  - If I could only have one kayak I would have a Mirage 580.  The cockpit is roomy & comfortable.  They go pretty fast for a sea kayak, catch waves easily and hold lots of gear.
Greenlander - Sea Kayak by Penguin Composites (formerly Penguin Fibreglass), Tasmania.  Review and comparison pictures of old & new model.  Great for sailing.  After the recent visit by Justine Curgenven I have found that there is more than one Greenlander Pro sea kayak.  Nigel Dennis kayaks from the UK also produce a Greenlander Pro.  They are nothing alike.  The Tasmanian boat has a rudder and a totally different hull design.
Mirage 22s - very skinny, long sea kayak - good for calm & moderate seas.  Good for flat water racing also.  Not the kayak for rough open water.
Mirage double sea kayak - good touring double that cruises along quickly.
Slingshot - Sea Kayak by Paddling Perfection, New Zealand.  It is great for catching waves on large following swells but not the most comfortable kayak to use on long trips.

Racing kayaks/surf skis

Grafton Paddle Sports - wide range of racing kayaks for all paddlers, GT, Wizard, Time Machine, Time Traveller, Time Bandit

Fenn skis - Mako 6 & XT

Epic skis - V10, V10L, V10 sport

Red 7 skis -

Think skis - Evo, Legend

Aurum K1 - from Dean Gardiner, Sydney (oceanpaddler.com) - my K1 just arrived.  It is a beautiful carbon/kevlar boat.  I am hoping to go fast in it when I get used to it.

Perception Wavehopper - good for training in whitewater rivers or for playing in the surf

Sisson Evolution Edge & Sisson Evolution Ski (Skevolution)  I bought an evolution ski (skevolution) from New Zealand.  It cost a lot, was roughly made and arrived with lots of cracks from the freight - but it probably would have been fast if I didn't sell it

JKK ufo 6.4 - a fast, skinny racing kayak.  JKK won't freight boats to Australia but there are other retailers in NZ that sell UFO's that will send them to Australia ... shop around or just get a Time Bandit from Grafton for half the price and no hassles.
 

Other stuff