DAY 65 TO 67: IDEAL COVE TO GERARD POINT

18th July 2023

13th July: Day 67
Ideal Cove to Petersburg 
Distance 28.5km

That feeling when you wake up, the rustle of dry bags, the air getting vented from the blow up mattress, the cookers firing up, the sound of sliding into your dry suit, doing up the velcro of your paddling shoes. The snap of the braces as you shuffle to get the right fit, the neck seal sliding over your face, the game of pack and unpack! Then climbing into your spray deck, tow line around your waist, the buckle fastened, the last three clicks as you fasten your buoyancy aid straps pulled tight! Putting on your lucky kayak hat and sunglasses pushing out your kayak and getting in. That inner child smiling when you push on the foot pegs and your spray deck snaps into place! The release of the rudder and skeg. Your hands finding that familiar place on your paddle and everything is right! One last look at the camp site as you paddle away! That memory of being, sleeping surrounded by nature the ravens and eagles screeching! You look across every team member lost in their own solitude taking in the surroundings just being! Looking into the distance you see little icebergs that came crashing down slowly fading away as your paddle breaks the surface ever moving forward! Always moving forward! This is the last day for me and some of the team members – sometimes you have to put aside dreams and adventures for the reality! Yes we are all gutted that some of us can’t continue however the team going forward will achieve SkagwaY. It will be a very sad day as we send them off! 

I had a lot of time reflecting on what it means and going forward, I have learned so much of myself, the limits you can push through; that the body is nothing but a machine made up of muscle, sinew and tendons controlled by you and your thoughts! That there is so much beauty around you and being in nature’s cathedral is a place of healing and working through that silent scream of ‘I’m not good enough’; those insecurities laid bare and dealing with it! I am enough, I can do whatever I put my mind too, I have a voice that won’t be silenced by my inner thoughts, my inner child needs to wild and free. We achieved over a thousand miles between 1.5-1.7 million paddle strokes with no injury! That I am a better man than yesterday! The craving of that human connection, finding human kindness and making someone smile! Sharing of laughter and tears, stories and dinner. That giving control over to mother nature in all of her raw power! Seeing the devastation and beauty, memories of whales breaching, pods of porpoise joining us, orcas, black bears, minks, seals and sea lions. The brutal and savage landscape that changed to raw unfiltered beauty, the underwater forests of kelp and seaweed, the tendrils reaching upwards towards the surface, crabs fighting for dominance, the bright colours of starfish clusters on the rocks. The sun-bleached driftwood and barnacle-encrusted rocks! Eagles and those little guillemots that brought so much joy and happiness to me! To all the people we have met along our journey: you have added vibrant colours to the tapestry of my life! Your kindness, love and support will nourish me just like the story we got told! I didn’t find the fortune I set out to find but the one I found instead is worth more! I have hope! Hope that got rekindled by all of you! My part in this chapter is done and I really want to thank you for playing a part in the expedition and to all the people who read the blog, gave encouragement, and wanted more! And for you I hope you find your calm, serenity and your formation! If life gets in the way: breathe, re-read this chapter and let that smile start to creep over your face! You have one chance to make a positive memory – go for it! 
I’m handing over the blog to our skipper and I will be cheering on, supporting them and wishing them fair winds, perfect weather and that the flow will always be in the right direction! 
I am a better man than yesterday!

12th July: Day 66
Gerard Point to Ideal Cove
Distance 38km 

The more time you spend out here the more you come alive! The rugged and savage coastline takes on beauty and promise of better things around the corner! Trust the navigation. Today was a big day in terms of getting the sand flats just right! Up at two in the morning; collapse camp; get the kayaks packed and get on the water as soon as possible! It’s a quick coffee and go over the route then it’s all go! The scenery changes by the paddle stroke, the water changes colour – it is now a murky diluted green from all the run off from the melting glaciers! The sunrise we experienced is unbelievable! It was worth getting up so early! The hues of golden yellow and orange breaking over the mountains, that sliver of sunshine cutting through the cold and damp hitting the back of your drysuit! The water is getting colder the further we are traveling north! We are making good time; tide is in our favour! Coming up to the flats we heard a roaring thunder rolling over the water! Thinking we have missed a waterfall, everyone scanning, double checking, there it is again! It was a massive flock of birds landing and taking off! Their little legs running on the water’s surface! The mosquito headnets have been upgraded to safety critical equipment! There is no let up of midges, horseflies and mozzies! Get to the centre as fast as possible just to get away from the insects! 
The coastline is breathtaking! I wish I could describe in more detail the feeling you get when you are in formation, that silence the calm and serenity that washes over you! The paddle going into the water, keep going forward, don’t look back, always ahead! Earn every inch; don’t let up! Breathe, smile take in everything! Get to our camp site – the sun is shining; feeling the warm rays on your skin, try and dry everything on the rocks and boulders. I am a better man than yesterday!

11th July: Day 65
Berg Bay to Gerard Point 
Distance 28km

Memories are nothing but special moments stitched into time! That formation of kayaks, that calm, those perfect conditions all lining up for that one moment! That breath-taking, beating heart, that feeling in your stomach! Nature in its full glory, the magnificent story unfolding before your eyes – or in this case underneath your kayak! When you get so engrossed in the here and now, the paddle going into the water, the concentrating on the navigating in fog and a fine mist clinging to everything! You lose track and then BOOM: a humpback whale breaches 15-20 foot in front of the lead kayak! You didn’t even notice the ripples the whale created whilst it was moving under your kayak! All you concentrated on was looking forward, always going forward, always keeping that momentum! That stunned silence that look on everyone’s faces – that blink and you will break the spell! The wonder and awe that humbling feeling that you are so small in comparison to this hulking grey mass of power and grace! Catch your breath, calm your beating heart! This moment this glorious moment is stitched into your soul into your beating heart into your being! 

STILL WATER MIST

The fog is now so thick on the water – stick to the formation; aim for that headland; keep land on your right! Finding water is always a priority – stock up as and when you can! We found a waterfall!! The double check, the confirmation, the deafening roar of water crashing over rocks, Shaun holding onto Taff by his buoyancy aid whilst he leans over to fill the water bladders! The power of the water carving out new pathways, connecting everything! The kayaking skills we got taught in Anglesey getting used with so much laughter and enjoyment! Push onto the campsites – two were unworkable, the third was created once more by silky saws secateurs, grit and that feeling of hunger! The sooner the work is done the sooner we can get hot food and coffee in us! Getting into your sleeping bag knowing you earned it! 
Today was a good day and I am a better man than I was yesterday!