Hail hell

by Tess Dodd_Adveturetess

 I am almost halfway across, enjoying leaving the demands of a busy morning further behind me with every paddle stroke. My thoughts are filled with plans to paddle in Alaska.

Reading Audrey Sutherland’s books (87 days solo kayaking in Alaska, swimming and kayaking remote sections of the Hawaii coast); I recognized her spirit and felt inspired by her adventures. I spend many hours vicariously sharing her inflatable canoe. A deep rumble draws my attention to my right. I was no longer sharing Audrey’s inflatable canoe in Alaska, but alone in my Nordkapp in Moreton Bay.
Looking south, I can see darkness on the horizon. It’s distant and appears to be moving across the lower bay, out to sea, away from me. I can see the strip of white sand where my friends are camped. I know it’s not far for me to paddle now. I stop day dreaming and increase my cadence, keen to reach the beach before any rain falls. I don't fancy setting up my tent in the rain.

 Loud rumble. The storm is moving closer to me but still appears to be tracking out to sea. I stop paddling to hydrate and consider my options: I am closer to my destination than any other land.
If the storm moves towards me and not out to sea, no matter which direction I take now, I am going to get wet. I decide to continue my original course.
Before I move on, a sea turtles large head breaks the surface nearby, taking a huge gasp of air before sinking below. I notice a large shadow to the right, too big for a turtle, maybe a dugong? The shadow moves closer, rising from below to bump my boat, moving it with its body. Far out, a shark! It brushes my kayak as it moves away; I drop my drink hose, pick up my paddle and get moving.


Storm approaching, viewed from Blakelseys Landing _photo Gill Booysen

 I can see 2 motor launches near the island heading for anchor. Other watercraft have disappeared. At least I won’t have to worry about being hit by a boat out here.
BOOM… a BIG thunder clap. Louder. Closer.
The cell is moving as fast as my heart is beating – fast! I know I will soon be engulfed by this heaving beast. OK Tessie, don’t panic. Relax, think clearly, and make a plan. Stow the sail securely on deck. Point the kayak into it. Prepare to brace. (Larry Gray ‘storm brace’ technique – it works).

I glance behind me and see sunshine and blue sky. Bizarre. Ahead, I see people moving about on the beach, the storm cell has not quite reached them. I think about my friends and wonder if they can see me out here, knowing they can’t. I don’t want them to be worried about me. I wish I was with them right now. Looking into a sky that is now a deeper green than the water, I realize it’s going to hail.

I think of Australian Ironman Grant Kenny who was out training on his ski when a sudden hailstorm hit. The hail stones cut his head open. He flipped his ski over and used it for protection until the storm passed.
After the earlier shark bump, I was really hoping I would NOT end up in the water today, but knew I may not have a choice. I also hoped for small hail stones and a fast storm. The transforming beast of green and black was almost upon me. I could feel my body trembling, adrenaline I guess.

BOOM. …BOOM…crackle…The vibrations travel through me. I can no longer see the beach. The wind increases slightly as large drops of rain begin hitting the water around the kayak. It is a strangely beautiful moment. A bird sitting in the water just ahead dives below and does not reappear. Darkness wraps around me. Shit! A wave of anxiety washes through me. My senses tingle as I wait. Suddenly, a raspy sound becomes an almighty roar, heralding it’s arrival. I try to point the bow into it, bracing. The ferocious blast is more than I have ever experienced in the kayak before, EVER.


meanwhile on shore...
I struggle to stay upright, my ears fill with the roar of the wind, waves wash over my deck, my body is physically forced backwards over the deck. I bend forward trying to lessen the effects of the wind on my body. The drops of rain become bigger and the waves smaller. My saturated hat brim is down around my face. I can’t see or hear over the roar and have no idea what’s coming next. I focus on staying upright. A new sound joins the melee. Crack. Crack. Crack. Then, I feel it. HAIL! Hailstones begin hitting my head, my arms, my hands. Hail ricochets off the kayak painfully hitting my face and teeth! The hailstones increase in size. Taking one hand off the paddle, I cover the top of my head until my fingers hurt from the stinging ice. There is no relief. The noise is deafening. The hailstones bruise and sting where they hit my body. If this continues, I will have to get in the water for shelter. I don’t know how long the storm lasts, but neither of my hopes comes true. The hailstones are large and the storm is not over quickly. I endure an icy beating from Mother Nature until the storm cell eventually moves over me, the hail and wind easing to leave only gentle rain hitting my bruised face and body.


After storm selfie
 Once again able to see, I look towards the island. It is further away but, in front of me is the bizarre sight of half the beach covered in grey sky, half blue sky with a rainbow…half storm, half rainbow! I self-assess. My kayak is still upright. I am beaten up but OK. I am close to tears, instead of crying, I begin laughing. Strange, stress relief laughter. I feel spent, alone and ready to resign the ‘Adventure’ from AdventureTess.



But, I am in the middle of the bay and need to get moving again. The storm is north of me now, cutting a swathe over the water and Dunwich on the west coast of the island. I have a clear view of blue sky either side of this intense black and green field of energy. Eager to see my friends, I pick up my paddle and begin the work to reach them. I have been blown away from the island, so have additional distance to make up. While paddling, I reflect on the experience and my choices that day. I believe I made good choices and would have felt some comfort with company, but would company have created an additional concern? Using the last of my energy, I reach the beach. People are moving about, fixing campsites, and checking boats. I see my friends and call out. Relief floods through me as they make their way to the water’s edge to meet me.



Note: I launched just after lunch to paddle 10km to meet my friends, who were waiting at camp. Conditions were mild. The water was bumpy with a 10 to 15kn headwind. A possible late thunderstorm was forecast. It was early and there were no signs of a storm when I launched. I often paddle alone and am familiar with this stretch of water. I have been asked about the wisdom and safety of my paddling alone. Even for these short distances in familiar water. I enjoy social paddling with a few close friends but feel confident in my skills and decision making ability to kayak alone.


great campsite story...                                                                                                                                       photo: Gill Booysen

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Photo: Landing before the storm

I am planning a trip to shores where the sun never sets.
Team members from 3 different countries will join me on a 3 week paddle in a place where granite meets the sea.


Photo: Tess Dodd/Adventuretess_used with permission
In the meantime I am honing my skills in my local pond (Moreton Bay) and enjoy the less crowded beaches that the colder weather brings.
I have been gathering information on the weather and coastal conditions and some locals may join me for part of my journey.
It is truly inspirational how these small boats can bring the spirit of adventure alive and create a sense of belonging to a community that goes beyond the "virtual friendship".

PS Thank you to my readers concerned about my lack of writing lately: all is good, I just have been busy :-)
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White Christmas paddling

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It's 92F (33C) in the shade and the sea is just perfectly bath-tub warm. The sun is right above my head and I need to roll to cool down.
While at the other end of the world, at a pond where I grew up, my friend's paddling



River Mera, tributary to Lake Como, Italy. Photo courtesy of Marco Ferrario/Eko.

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VIDEO: too windy

I believe in pushing myself in environments that are often outside my comfort level.
It is in conditions that test my skills and endurance that I gain a better understanding of my potential and abilities. I encourage others to do so too because I see it as the only thing that really improves a person's confidence, fast.
Lately I have been spending more and more time paddling in windy conditions because I feel that I greatly need to gain more skills in developed seas.
I used to dread a windy forecast; anything above 15 knots would make me reconsider my paddling plans. Now I look for winds that will oppose a tidal flow hoping for some waves that will mimic a tidal race. Bumpy is good.
Saturday's forecast was mild (up to 15 knots) but Sunday was shaping to have 25-35 knots wind against an ebbing tidal flow. I have paddled a few times there before and I knew that with onshore winds waves will form.
What I didn't know is that too much wind doesn't make for better fun.



I reefed my Code Zero Flat Earth sail to reduce it's surface knowing that a full square meter was going to be too much for me to handle.
Soon after I launched I was again glad to be paddling with a Greenland paddle remembering how much more wind effected my Euro paddles used to be in a stiff breeze.
My progress was a bit erratic and the strong wind kept on pushing my bow downwind. The British kayak I was paddling has proven a handful before I relocated the seat forward (to balance its trim for beam winds); this time her handling was really lousy. I wished I would have weighted the bow with ballast to release the stern a bit as I could barely turn my kayak around and paddle back out into the waves for another run.

I will take a weathercocking kayak over a "neutral" one any day. In a weathercocking one I can drop a bit of skeg; in a so called neutral, when the wind really blows, it suddenly becomes lee cocking, something I definitely DO NOT want.

My attempt at sailing was dismal: even with only half sail I could not get my kayak going and I quickly capsized. It was then that all the futzing with sculling training in clam conditions came handy as I managed to roll back up without having to wet exit in a rather tricky scenario. I packed the sail back on the deck and continued to just surf the messy waves.

After a few hours of battling with the wind I called it a day.
Getting the kayak back from the shore across the sandblasting beach with me leaning at a great angle into the wind, was another story.

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Photo: strong-wind-warning sailing

The week-end was shaping to be wasted: heavy rain and a strong wind warning kept me off the water on Saturday but I was still optimistic for Sunday.
Being outside at least one day of the week is my priority and I really regret it if I miss it.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a strong wind warning but the wind chart website promised lighter winds on the western side of the bay.
We decided to head out anyway and make a call at the launch site.
I was hoping for some exhilarating sea kayak sailing but it was incredibly calm and sunny when we set off: disappointing.

I was dressed for a colder and wetter scenario and welcomed the breeze once half way across to my favorite destination island only a short distance paddle.
Eventually the wind did pick up to a healthy 15-20 knots but dropped off again a few hours later.

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Profile: Jill Remme_outdoor photographer

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I stumbled across Jill's work when she became a follower of GnarlyDog News.
Her profile linked me to her blog site (jillremme.blogspot.com) and I was immediately taken by her images.

I have checked her blog on a regular basis for a while and every time I was really impressed with her work.
Jill possesses an incredible talent that allows her to view the world through the lens of a camera like very few other photographers can: to me, her images convey passion, happiness and love.
I finally approached Jill and asked her a few questions; I wanted to know how she developed that photographic view.
("amber" is GD, "light blue" is Jill)



1) Jill, you photographic work is outstanding. So, how long have you been photographing and what sparked the passion?

I guess all my beautiful tours in nature spark the passion further and further. The love for nature and the movement in a picture to capture the moment….I love coming home and see what is the catch of the day on my camera; it is one of my favorite thing to do. I had my first camera when I was 17, and I still have that old Canon. I think I spent a small fortune to capture images before digital came along.


2) Your work has a very friendly and lovable feeling. Your portraits depict very relaxed faces and the subjects are really pretty. Are they professional models or just friends?


It is mostly friends and family. I really enjoy taking pictures of my children. I have three daughters and one son, two of them are stepchildren :) It's always fun to be with them; so that's perhaps why they look so relaxed.  And now I also have a grandchild;  lucky me!
Occasionally people ask me if I can take their pictures, but I more often say no than yes :)

3) Do you spend some time planning the photographs that you are going to take or is it just candid capturing of moments as they happen in front of the camera? With the portraits, do you have any special technique to put your models at ease or are you just good friends and they feel relaxed?

I have no other technique than: I try to think of the light and movement: I try to catch people as they are in that moment, but it is not always so easy. I rarely or never plan. I get inspired by others and the pictures I see on the Internet and other places. What inspires me most is just being in nature and enjoying it. I also use Photoshop when images aren't captured they way I saw them.
I spend some time trying to think up new ideas and angles but I often feel that I repeat myself. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes not.




4) Your images are taken often in very cold places and you seem to love the outdoors a lot. Do you prepare or protect your digital cameras in any special way to make the battery last?


My camera is well tested in bad weather. I use my Canon D 30 mostly indoors and in dry weather, but my Canon G 12 stands up to the weather in the outdoors. There is a lots of rough weather where I live and I've already worn out a Canon G 12. When I bought a new I also bought a waterproof housing since I paddle a lot and I always have a camera ready with me.
I clean my camera almost always after a trip. When the weather is too wet, I use a plastic cover around the camera. If its really shitty weather, I have a bag that I use. If I am in extreme cold as -20C, I hang the camera away from me in the hallway so the lens does not fog up. The contrast from the outside and inside temperature is not good for the lens. I always have with me two camera batteries. The batteries run out quickly when exposed to such cold temperatures, but a little heat from my pocket revitalizes them again.




5) Have you exhibited your work apart from your blog? Do you sell your images?

I have a photo bank called www.moments.no but it is not in use. Have been planning to add my photos there. Where I stored them before was not to sell them but only for safekeeping.
If occasionally somebody wants to purchase pictures of course I say yes. I have no need to display my photos publicly, but if anyone likes them, I'm incredibly happy.
It's always great that someone appreciates what you do, but mostly I do it because I like it so much. It is a fantastic relaxation in my life. Just being in the moment and 100% alive it is something that we should do much more often. If there is too much stress in your life it makes you forget why we are here; Nature is there for a reason :))




6) Lastly: do you travel around the world or do you concentrate to your local environment opportunities?

 I traveled a lot before but after that we got our Samoyed Nansen (big white dog), we have not traveled that much the last 2 years. Now, Nansen is an adult and it is easier to get someone to watch him. So we look forward to being able to travel again more in the future. I love to explore the nature around me. The light out here by the sea change so often that it feels like I see the place for the first time, every time, if you know what I mean.


As a formal professional photographer with academic training I am humbled by Jill's skills and passion.
I appreciate her imagery for the candid representation of her life and environment, love for the outdoors and happiness of being outside. I wish one day to travel to Norway to experience the beauty of that incredible land and possibly meet Jill.



All images: Copyright Jill Remme 2012_used with permission

Weather: dodging bullets

Outings planned for the last two Saturdays had to be amended because the spring weather that has been rather erratic.
Usually a bit of wind or rain does not bother me but the recent thunderstorms have been intense, so I pay attention when they are forecasted.


Lightening should be avoided when on the water since the tallest object often happens to be myself.
A carbon paddle is very conductive and, as pointed out to me by Paul at Northern Light, I did not want to become the guy who "Put another kayak on the barbie" (quoting Paul Hogan's Australiana).

A careful assessment of the forecast indicated that I had enough time for a quick outing to my favorite destination (Peel Island) and back in time before the afternoon storm.

Notice the sudden increase of wind speed!
I kept a watchful eye on the distant horizon to see if any mushroom clouds were forming but the storm only hit once I was back at home with kayaks stored in the shed :-)
A change in weather against the forecast would see me sit out the brief storm on the shore of the island to then resume my paddle once the storm had passed (it only lasted 1/2 hour).


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Too much water

My city experienced a disaster that some residents thought could not happen again.
In 1974 the city of Brisbane flooded and a dam was built to prevent a similar disaster to occur again. Unfortunately the dam was designed to hold back water from one particular area, not the whole basin of the Brisbane River. On Wednesday 13JAN2011 the level of the river rose to just about the peak of 1974 bringing disaster to areas close to the banks.




A usually slow flowing river (tidally affected) was suddenly gushing like a mountain torrent.
Brown with silt the strong current was suddenly carrying debris from towns and properties upstream. I have seen an incredible amount of belongings just wiz past me while helping my friends save their home on the banks of the river. Trees, boats, pontoons with boats and barbeques attached, beach balls, kid's toys.
While most of the floating debris ended up in the bay where I often paddle, the silt deposited along the way.
In the following couple of days the water retreated and the mud is now exposed.




Coating everything from a light film to feet deep this sticky greasy mess now stinks.
The waters are contaminated with god knows what and paddling anywhere near this disaster area would be out of question.
The shores of the bay are now filthy with floating refuse. Some larger items have been salvaged by crews before they could reach the bay while others have made ground on surrounding beaches. Some will be lost forever.
As much as the disaster impacts humans, the marine life is impacted more so. A clear line between flood waters and salty one can be seen in Moreton Bay. It might take some time before the local waters are once again clean enough to safely kayak in the Moreton Bay.

TRIP: when it rains it pours

Just some fun pictures of paddling in a squall.
Full trip report by Adveturetess: here




30 knots headwind, great conditions for traditional paddles which are not affected by wind

British kayaks, British weather?

The forecast was calling for possible thundery showers but I have to say that most times the weather bureau can't get it right; there are just too many variables to be able to predict the precipitation with pin point accuracy.
The wind however was going to be light and admittedly forecasting wind seems to be more accurate than rain.

Morning started nice and sunny with only patchy clouds but by the time we reached our destination island 14 Km away the clouds have rolled in and prevented us to have a pic nic on the grassy shores.
The rain made us scurry for a tinned roof shelter and we quickly changed into our spare clothing trying to get warm.
The rain started to bucket and, while waiting to ease off for a quick dash to the "fish'n chips" shop just up the road, the water pouring from the field formed a stream big enough to wash one of our beached kayaks back into the sea!
We looked at our fleet of kayaks on the beach and then it dawned on us: we were all (bar one) using skegged boats, most of British origin, a couple of British style.

Was it that such a concentration of "British boats" could cause the proverbial British weather?
I don't believe in superstition but it was an odd coincidence :-)

Funny enough though we all seemed to enjoy the weather.
On the return leg (now raining steadily) we were all smiles.
Being warmly dressed made us enjoy the situation.

Living in Queensland we opt way too often to chuck in the sponge if the weather is not picture perfect since we can just avoid those rare rainy days and pick most other times to head outside.
What some might have viewed as "terrible conditions" became on opportunity to observe the large water droplets that created the peculiar divots into the water surface.
It looked like somebody had spilled a bag of pearls and now they were bouncing on the sea.
Needless to say we were the only "fools" to be out in such "miserable" conditions.

PS: to my cold weather climate readers: it was a still balmy 20C and not that gnarly anyway. Reed Aquatherm or a light spray jacket was all that we needed...