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On the third day it was time to put our canoeing skills
to the test. We began the first leg of our overnight journey on the Blackwood
River, traveling west toward the town of Margaret River. The first leg of
the journey was about 10 kilometers, and was full of challenges. In addition
to tricky currents and small rapids, there was one portion of the river
that was blocked by a dam, requiring us to portage (or carry) our canoes
over the dam. The picture to the left shows part of our plucky group paddling
along a calm stretch of water, enjoying the scenery. The picture to the
right show us hard at work portaging our ten canoes.
Approximately half way through our first day, we stopped
for some water and food-- paddling works up an appetite, especially when
you spend a significant amount of time going sideways rather than straight.
We relaxed, sharing food and conversation as we replenished our bodies
and pushed on to the campsite.
 |
|
It
[canoeing on the Blackwood River] really did make you feel like you
were Pocahontas or something because of all the birds and trees
around. My arms were hurting a lot when we finally reached the
campsite. |
By late afternoon we arrived at our destination, a level
bluff overlooking the river. The good news was that the company leading
this part of the trip already had the basic food and gear set up when we
arrived; we only had to transport our sleeping bags and clothes in the canoes.
The bad news that every FLY in the greater Margaret River area was there
to greet us! Fortunately, they abated near sundown. As the crew prepared
a spaghetti bolognaise, we pitched camp and then turned our attention to
an activity. This
particular activity involved a piece of string, a garbage bag, a roll
of toilet paper, and a canoe. In case you haven't guessed, the groups were
to devise a way of securing the toilet paper so that it could be towed behind
the canoe, across the river and back, while remaining dry. The picture in the
upper left shows one of the groups concocting a strategy to meet 
this task.
The picture to the right shows our intrepid paddlers battling it out on the
water. Clearly however, the race did not necessarily go to the swiftest.
Nor to the slowest for that matter. As the picture to the right attests,
all of the groups ended up with a fairly soaked clump of toilet paper. Good
thing we brought a little extra along! All this activity made us forget
(at least a bit) about the flies and the total lack of bathroom facilities,
while working up a healthy appetite for dinner.
Overnighting
on the Blackwood River
