All the Way Round (34 page)

The Thamarrurr Rangers gave me a lift to avoid crocs on my way into Wadeye, Northern Territory, 28 June.

On 12 July I paddled into Port Nelson at the same time as a cruise ship packed with tourists, water, beer and yummy food.

The Mermaid Tree, Port Nelson, Kimberley, 13 July. In 1820 the crew of HMAS
Mermaid
carved the name of the ship into its trunk so they would be remembered.

Paddling the waters of the Kimberley on 14 July — I had wanted to do this since I started kayaking in 1997.

On Mermaid Island, contemplating crossing King Sound — my last big obstacle before Broome — the next morning, 22 July.

Sharon and Belinda meeting me on my last day, 28 July, at Broome.

Acknowledgements

M
y wife, Sharon, deserves special mention here. She knew what kayaking around Australia meant for her, as she had been through it during my previous trips. Despite there being nothing but inconvenience, financial hardship and worry for her, she still agreed to support the trip. Thanks, Shaz!

I would like to thank all those whose generosity helped me on my journey. There are many whose names I didn’t get and so are missing from the list, but I will always be grateful for their support.

Thanks to Sandy Robson, The Ocean Somewhere, thanks for organising places to stay in Western Australia; to Ian Watkins in Esperance for looking after me during my stay and organising all the coverage, and particularly for bringing my food to Israelite Bay with Chook and sons. Graham Gath, thanks for sharing your knowledge on the coast east of Esperance.

To Terry Bolland at Canoeing Down Under, Perth—thanks for lending me the sat phone and GPS, upgrading my kit for the cold weather, starting the ball rolling for my fundraising and giving me encouragement. Thanks also to Alaine Davin, for all your help during my stay in Perth and being my contact on the end of the phone during my crossing of the Bight. An extra big thanks for helping Sharon deal with the report of me setting off distress signals while crossing the cliffs.

To Cris and Grant Dahlin in Darwin, thanks for putting me up in the Dog Box—it was so rough I made it my longest stop away from home. Marion and Phil, Squatters Arms, Silver Gull Creek, Kimberley, Northern Territory. Thanks for looking after me so well, and showing that age is no barrier.

Belinda Dwyer and Richard Young, Broome Adventure Co., Broome. Thanks for looking after Sharon and me during our visits to Broome and arranging my welcome-back reception. Also thanks to Richard’s dad for the lift back to Port Smith.

Thanks to Mark Sunden at Expedition Kayaks, thanks for the Mitchell Blades paddle to fix my wrist, the Reed paddling jacket and spray skirt to keep me dry. Thanks to William Smyth in Sydney, for your help with this book and for the support you gave the family during the trip.

There are numerous people who showed such kindness and generosity in looking after me during my stay in their area – many of whom also provided advice, lifts, food or samples of their great homebrews: Janet Norriss, Exmouth; Davis Evans, Geraldton; Anne Gligic, Perth; Jane Perkins, Western Australia Sea Kayak Club, Rockingham; Paul Robertson, Albany, thanks for putting me up in Albany and getting me to the dentist, and thanks to Ken Norman, Albany, for keeping notes on your travels through the Bight and sharing your experiences with me. Anne and George McKay, Eyre Bird Observatory; Tony Bransbury, Adelaide; Ian Filmer, Victor Harbor, South Australia; Paul King, Lakes Entrance; Dave and Etta, Coral Sea Kayaking, Mission Beach; Robin and Mark Lynch, Coffs Harbour; Ken Eyles, Byron Bay Dive Centre; Gary Forrest, Queensland Sea Kayak Club, Brisbane; Dave Glasheen, Restoration Island, Queensland; Alan and Maree Cross, Nhulunbuy Surf Life Saving Club.

To Ken Wilson, Kalbarri, thanks for looking after me while I recovered after the Zuytdorp Cliffs. Also many thanks to Phil Hearps for putting yourself out there to guide me into Kalbarri. Rod and Carolyn Coogan, Mandurah, thanks for rescuing me after my wrist packed in south of Perth. Colin Jenks, Hopetoun Caravan Park, thanks heaps for bringing the supplies round to Starvation Boat Harbour. Terry Hardy, Ranger at Head of the Bight, thanks for picking me up after the crossing of the Bunda Cliffs. Phil Doddridge at Adventure Kayaking, South Australia, thanks for looking after me and the family in Adelaide and for the lift to Victor Harbor. Barbara McGrath and Roger Price, Port Macquarie. Thanks for the visit while I was stuck at Crescent Head.

Louise and Gary Owen, Lennox Head, thanks for making my Australia Day a real celebration.

Tim Trehurn and Mary Frances, Cairns. Thanks for looking after me during my stay, all the good advice and the loan of the car so I could get organised.

To all the New South Wales Sea Kayak Club, Queensland Sea Kayak Club, Victorian Sea Kayak Club and South Australian Sea Kayak Club members: thanks for all your encouraging messages, support for my presentations and fundraising. Thanks especially to Peter Osman at New South Wales Sea Kayak Club—thanks for planning and executing my life-saving food drops in the Kimberley. Thanks also to Graham Dredge, Queensland Sea Kayak Club, who was instrumental in organising my stay in Brisbane, the presentation and fundraising.

Lyn and Tex Battle on Sweers Island, thanks for looking after me during my stay, organising and donating my supplies, lending me Tex’s thermals, and for giving me your encouragement. Keith Hallett, King Ash Bay, thanks for bringing my supplies out to the Sir Edward Pellew Islands. Captain John Russell of the
Kestrel Bay
, thanks for the hospitality and use of the bridge to get tidal info and ring home, not to mention the yummy breakfast.

Thamarrurr Rangers, Wadeye, Northern Territory. Thanks for looking after me during my stay and particularly for the lift upriver to town. Peter Tucker, Fishing Tours, Kimberley. Thank you for inviting me round for a bit of a rest at your camp. Charlene Vella, Christine Hay, Andrew Jarvis, Defence Materiel Organisation. Thanks for supporting my plans.

Finally, thank you to my sponsors, who provided all-important equipment for the trip, as well as much-needed support: Sea to Summit, Flat Earth Kayak Sails, Nadgee Kayaks, Spotters, Kokatat, Wilderness Wear, Canoeing Down Under and Expedition Kayaks. Special thanks to Nadgee Kayaks for also transporting the kayak to Broome, doing maintenance on my keel and establishing an expedition webpage on their website, and Canoeing Down Under, who also fixed my paddle, loaned me a sat phone and PLB, and gave advice and encouragement.

About Stuart Trueman

Stuart was born and grew up in England. He climbed, skied, cycled, paddled and travelled through over forty countries to finally settle in Australia in 1987, continuing his career in information technology and pursuing his interests of travel and the outdoors. He lives in the Blue Mountains near Sydney with his wife, Sharon, and their two daughters, Brittany and Ella.
All the Way Round
is his first book.

First published 2013 in Macmillan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd
1 Market Street, Sydney 2000

Copyright © Stuart Trueman 2013
The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

This ebook may not include illustrations and/or photographs that may have been in the print edition.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

Trueman, Stuart, 1962-

All the way round / Stuart Trueman.

9781742612225 (pbk.)

Trueman, Stuart,
1962–Travel.
Sea kayakers–Australia–Biography.
Adventure and
adventurers–Australia–Biography.
Ocean travel.
Sea kayaking–Australia
Australia–Description and travel.

797.1224092

EPUB format: 9781743288092

Typeset by Midland Typesetters

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