Back on the Water

I still don't really know anyone here in Brisbane, as my work can be pretty isolating and spare time is mostly taken up with uni work. Recently however I have been getting the chance to work collaboratively with someone else, Suanne Lowery from Fitness Forever. After meeting and chatting with her a few times, I plucked up the courage to invite her out kayaking with me sometime. Suanne was enthusiastic - she had never been kayaking, but was very keen to give it try!

We found a date where we both had the day off, and Suanne met me at mine to help load the kayaks on the car before setting off to Enoggera Reservoir. Getting the kayaks down the track to the water's edge went smoothly, and I gave Suanne a bit of a dry-land lesson on what to do if she capsized, and how to paddle, before hitting the water.

Suanne was in Adam's sit-on-top kayak, as getting out in the event of a capsize is super easy - you just fall off! That didn't really matter in the end though, as Suanne was a real natural and only had a couple of 'nearly' moments, no capsizing at all!

We paddled around the sheltered area of the lake, taking in the views of the wildlife and exchanging friendly chats with other paddlers we passed.

My silly hat gets another outing

Getting to a more open area where the wind was whipping up choppy waves, Suanne fancied carrying on. She had picked up the paddling so easily that I thought this would be fine, so we picked a far off spot to aim for.

It was good for me to practice paddling further and with more resistance, my little arms aren't what they once were and need all the workouts they can get! We made it though to a little sheltered bit of water on the far side, where we paused a while to watch the beautiful, elegant sulphur crested cockatoos up in the trees - and listen to their hideous, ear-splitting screeches!

We couldn't stop for too long as the wind was still pushing us around a bit, so we turned around and paddled back the way we had come. Back at the more sheltered area, we were treated to the sight of some river turtles basking on a log. Shy and timid creatures that they are though, we couldn't get very close before they plopped back into the water.

When we finished up paddling for the day and were taking the kayaks back up to the car, we were treated to more wildlife - there was a goanna up a tree, and another couple down nearer the water. What a great day!