Progress Report 11/26/07 Monday - updated by Freya 28.11.07

Weather update from Karel Vissel:

http://www.kayakweather.blogspot.com/

Oreti beach tues mrng w 4bft noon w 4bft aft w 4bft seas 2.50 mtr frm sw
Oreti beach wed mrng w 3bft non w 4bft aft w 4bft seas 2.40 to 2.20mtr frm sw
Colac bay tues mrng w 4bft noon sw 4bft aft w 4bft seas 3.50mtr frm sw
Colac bay wed mrng w 3bft noon w 4bft aft w 4bft seas 3.30 to 3mtr frm sw

Satellite Text Messages Received from Freya:

I'll give it a go tomorrow at 6am with the tide around to Bombay Rock, maybe with afternoon tide to Riverton or Colac Bay.

Update by Freya 28.11.07:

I had a walk yesterday afternoon around the Bluff Point yesterday when it was blowing pretty hard, and I noticed the outgoing tide was forming a rough race all up to the Lookout Point, but with a gap between the rough area nad the rocks wide enough to paddle safely.

When I was reading Paul's chapter in his book about that part, he was paddling actually against the tide, as he was crossing Bluff harbour on slack between ebbing and flooding again, and then kept on going...

I didn't see the races developing to the other direction, but from what he was writing he was working them hard "uphill"...I'd rather go with the tide then around to Bombay Rock...and that was the plan for tomorrow, starting at 6am until the tide turns at 10.30am.

In the morning I visited Meri Leask again, and she connected me to a call to John Hawkleff, an experienced fisherman of the Fjordland area, who gave me even more tips about the Fjordland area. We agreed Meri would see me at night when the latest marine forecast came in about whether I would start tomorrow or not.

Another walk today took me up the Bluff hill to the hilltop and down to Lookout Point again, then uphill again on another track. I really enjoyed those lonely walks in native forest again, it reminded me to the long tramping trips with my little boy on the South Island 7 years ago...

Meri cam at night, and she and Ian were happy to get up tomorrow morning early to pick me at 5.30am and to give me that short lift with all my gear to the beach...

I am not sleeping well when I do have to get up that early, especially when a tough paddle is planned, and was listening all night if the wind really eases down a bit as forcasted. Rain was still all night washing against my window, and I was happy to be still in a dry hut.