Setev kayaking
Day 1 Report

Day 1 - 12/4/08 - Brisbane to Karalee

This time the start was more relaxed. There were lots of interviews but only channel 7 and channel 9 were there to represent television. Channel 7 apparently did a good news presentation but I missed that because I was still paddling. Met a lovely group of Gubbie Gubbie people who wished me well in their language. There were lots of signs and people, plus a frog, a turtle and we even caught a mermaid and put her in the kayak.

Andrew Bartlett did the send-off, along with King Neptune and MC was Anna Keenan. Interestingly, as Andrew talked about the dire consequences of the dam, most of the media had switched off. The propaganda machine of the Water Commission has done a wonderful job. Most Brisbane people think the dam is an important part of what we have to do to secure water supplies. History will judge these people very badly. Perhaps their defence to their children is that they did not know. Well, they ought to know. The facts are there.

For the first 11km Louis Cummings and Greg Scott paddled with me. Here is a sum for the kids: Louis is 57, Greg is 49, our average age is 53.67. How old does that make me?

The distance to our home was 48km. I arrived at 7.00pm. The tide had turned against me at Goodna so the last 15km was a bit of a drag. For a first day effort I was happy, although pretty sore around the shoulders and chest. It will be a lot better when I am properly fit again.

start 3


start 1
Andrew Bartlett farewells Steve

start 2
Louis and Greg
John Crocker catches a mermaid


   K4e Home    |Mary Trip Home    |    Mary Trip Journey Map   |    Mary Trip Progress   |    Mary Trip Links    |    Mary Trip Contact