To kayak or not to kayak!

Jonesy and I had been invited to try our hand at Kayaking by Alan, and so we met him and his friend Ann by the shores of Lake Macquarie at Valentine. Lake Macquarie lies a few kilometres south of Newcastle and is the largest permanent salt water lake in the southern hemisphere, covering an area of 110 sq.km (42.5 sq.mi) with a total shoreline of 167km (103.8mi). To put it into perspective it is twice as large as Sydney Harbour and reaches the Tasman Sea at the aptly named Lakes Entrance.

It was discovered by Captain William Reid in 1800 when he entered the lake in mistake for the Hunter River when looking for coal from Newcastle. The lake went by the name 'Reid's Mistake' until 1826 before being renamed in honour of the Governor, Lachlan Macquarie.

It was a gloriously sunny and warm early evening but the wind was very strong and the lakes surface was rippled with waves that at the time we didn't worry about. Kitted out with our life-vests, Alan and Ann showed us how the paddle should be used and how to get into the kayak. It was added that in the event of an emergency capsize we should not worry about the paddle but ensure we surfaced away from the kayak and not remain under it.

We were both confident of success and Jonesy was first into his Kayak and quickly paddling into the sunset, followed by Ann as his chaperone. Alan had drawn the short straw and was to be my guardian. At first despite feeling a bit rocky, the kayak, with me in it, nosed its way out onto the lake. The wind had seemed to increase in strength and the waves were quite noticeable as I tried to get into a smooth  rhythm.

A wooden jetty was looming ever closer and despite my best efforts I could not steer my kayak around the end of it. In trying to push myself away from it the inevitable happened, I rolled to the right and capsized. I was out of the kayak and surfaced in seconds but now had an upturned kayak. I was able to climb a set of steps onto the jetty whilst Alan secured the kayak, before making our way back to the shore for another attempt.

At least the water was warm and as soon as we had emptied the water from the kayak, sopping wet, I tried again. This time I struck out confidently to all but the experienced kayaker, until encountering a floating rope boom and....swimming time again! This time I swam back to the shore and after yet another emptying exercise, set off to try again.

By now Jonesy and Ann were out of sight and hopefully on their way to Warners Bay, our intended destination, some 2 miles away. Here we were to listen to a free music concert, have a fish and chip supper and enjoy a glass or two of champagne.

2 miles now seemed even further away than ever and, frankly I would be grateful to just make a few hundred metres over the lake rather than under it! I seemed to be really ok this time and Alan came alongside encouraging my progress. He suggested that I try to put a little more effort into my right hand stroke to alter the course slightly and counter the wave action that was buffeting me from the left hand side.

This I tried and....you've guessed it, more submariner action! This time I lost my sunnies in the silt of the lake and, after another couple of aborted attempts at launching from the shore it was time to concede defeat this time.

Soaking wet but laughing hysterically, I waited with my submerged craft until Alan drove closer so that we could load the kayak onto his trailer and drive around to Warners Bay and hopefully find Jonesy and Ann. It was well and truly dark by now but we found them and they had arrived without mishap and were enjoying the music and some chips by the shoreline. Sportingly they had saved us some champers so a bit dryer now but feeling rather chilly in the still strong breeze I sat and joined them.

Apparently, this free music event occurs every Friday throughout the summer and continues through to the clocks being put back an hour for Autumn. This was therefore the last concert of the season as the time changes this weekend, the 25th March.

Despite my abject failure to paddle far, it had not deterred me, and Alan has offered to take me out again before I return home. Bring it on, perhaps not too late for London 2012!