Planning an adventure!

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goanywhere
Posts: 374
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:20 am
Type of boat I like: Fishing SOTs.
Location: Adelaide, South Australia.

Planning an adventure!

Post by goanywhere »

Hi all. I haven't been terribly active here for awhile, but you will be pleased to know that my Sabalo (dubbed 'Go Anywhere') is still healthy and strong, and has gone everywhere I have wanted to take her with great ability. I have had a ball in this yak and have had some exhillarating and 'interesting' times in her over the last couple of years.

I am in the middle of planning a weekender to the Coorong in South Australia again, with another friend who is also considering building a JEM, but not sure which model yet.

But later in the year we will be doing a stretch of the mighty Murray river. The longest river in Australia and the longest navigable river in the world. The first trip will be for only a week, and we will probably do about 160 kilometers (about 100 miles). This is really intended to be a 'shakedown' trip in preparation for some longer trips that will take us from close to the source of the Murray to the sea, a distance of about 2200 kilometers. Due to work commitments and leave availability, the trip will be broken into 2-3 week segments over a couple of years, but I think it will still be a great adventure all the same.

I don't know if anyone has ever paddled the full length of the Murray in a Sabalo, or even a SOT, all of the journals I have read and seen, people have done the trip in SIKs, mostly sea kayaks. But I think the flatter bottom, big storage capacity and high stability of the Sabalo on flat water will make it a very superior craft for such a trip.

Has anyone out there done any long river trips in a Sabalo or similar? Anyone on this forum who is interested in coming along for any of these trips is welcome to express interest too.

Cheers,

Steve.
My psychologist reckons I need lots of fishin' therapy!
Oldsparkey
Design Reviewer
Posts: 1272
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:08 am
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Re: Planning an adventure!

Post by Oldsparkey »

The longest river in Australia and the longest navigable river in the world.
Pardon me for asking but I always thought the Amazon River was the longest navigable river with a total length of 3,977 miles or 6,400 km.
The river is navigable as far as Iquitos, Peru, some 2,300 miles (3,700 km) from its mouth.

The only reason I know this is that two friends and I have discussed paddling it some day since we were in high school back in the 60's.
Needless to say none of us have made it down there yet , to many things like military service , family , jobs and each of us going different directions for most of the time. Now it is retirement and medical problems that command different areas to paddle , shorter ones for a week or two.

Chuck....
Remember:
Amateurs built the Ark...... Professionals built the Titanic
Visit some fine paddlers at The Southern Paddler
goanywhere
Posts: 374
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:20 am
Type of boat I like: Fishing SOTs.
Location: Adelaide, South Australia.

Re: Planning an adventure!

Post by goanywhere »

Oldsparkey wrote:
The longest river in Australia and the longest navigable river in the world.
Pardon me for asking but I always thought the Amazon River was the longest navigable river with a total length of 3,977 miles or 6,400 km.
The river is navigable as far as Iquitos, Peru, some 2,300 miles (3,700 km) from its mouth.

The only reason I know this is that two friends and I have discussed paddling it some day since we were in high school back in the 60's.
Needless to say none of us have made it down there yet , to many things like military service , family , jobs and each of us going different directions for most of the time. Now it is retirement and medical problems that command different areas to paddle , shorter ones for a week or two.

Chuck....
I do beg your pardon oldsparkey! You are absolutely right. I meant to say the longest navigable river in Australia. But it is the third longest navigable river in the world AFTER the Amazon and the Nile. Anyway, it's long enough for this adventurer :lol:
My psychologist reckons I need lots of fishin' therapy!
Oldsparkey
Design Reviewer
Posts: 1272
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:08 am
Type of boat I like: Wood boats .
Location: Somewhere around Central Florida
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Re: Planning an adventure!

Post by Oldsparkey »

The first trip will be for only a week, and we will probably do about 160 kilometers (about 100 miles). This is really intended to be a 'shakedown' trip in preparation for some longer trips that will take us from close to the source of the Murray to the sea, a distance of about 2200 kilometers.
Follow your dream and if you have to do the river ( Murray ) in sections , just do it. I regret that I will never be able to do the Amazon but it is still a dream of mine.
Just do all of us a favor and as you do sections of the river ( Murray ) or even the whole river post some information and pictures in the out and about section. This way we can also enjoy your trip. :D
Remember:
Amateurs built the Ark...... Professionals built the Titanic
Visit some fine paddlers at The Southern Paddler
goanywhere
Posts: 374
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:20 am
Type of boat I like: Fishing SOTs.
Location: Adelaide, South Australia.

Re: Planning an adventure!

Post by goanywhere »

Oldsparkey wrote:
The first trip will be for only a week, and we will probably do about 160 kilometers (about 100 miles). This is really intended to be a 'shakedown' trip in preparation for some longer trips that will take us from close to the source of the Murray to the sea, a distance of about 2200 kilometers.
Follow your dream and if you have to do the river ( Murray ) in sections , just do it. I regret that I will never be able to do the Amazon but it is still a dream of mine.
Just do all of us a favor and as you do sections of the river ( Murray ) or even the whole river post some information and pictures in the out and about section. This way we can also enjoy your trip. :D
I will certainly keep a log on the web somewhere, and will post messages here when I update.

I want to do this trip before age catches up with me, (which isn't quite yet, but it's a one-way street). I will always maintain an adventurous spirit I'm sure, but the definition of what is a 'doable' adventure might change over the next several years. I just don't want to enter old age regretting what I 'coulda, shoulda, woulda' done!
My psychologist reckons I need lots of fishin' therapy!
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