Freo Paddle

A long schemed paddle from the UWA boat shed at Matilda Bay to Fremantle on the coast for lunch and back again was finally undertaken. Joining me on this mammoth paddle was Maria.

We were down at the boat shed to early to grab the best gear. Our start was delayed a little due to a passing shower but we were soon underway. Leaving the familiar waters of Matilda Bay and rounding Pelican Point we were exposed to the full force of the stiff south-westerly. After battling along the Dalkeith foreshore we took a brief rest by an old pier before steeling ourselves for the blustery crossing to Point Walter.

At the café at Point Walter we refueled on coffee and cake before scraping over the sandbank and towards Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan. At the time we didn’t realise it but the retreating tide sped our progress to Fremantle harbor. Retreating to the Zephyr Café for lunch we hungrily battled against the tide.

Maria and the kayaks at the Zephyr Cafe

After lunch the flow of the tide had eased and we were in a wider section of the river. We decided to explore the hideous mock mansions of Peppermint Grove along the north bank and generally pootled back sometimes paddling, sometimes sailing with the following wind. At Point Walter we had to hop out and portage the kayaks over the now exposed sand bank. Some horrible cross waves aside we were soon in sight of the boat house and starting to hatch further adventures.

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