Free All the Way Round by Stuart Trueman Page A

entrance can be, he had been waiting for me.
    There have been only two other paddlers who have crossed the Zuytdorp Cliffs to reach Kalbarri and they were the only two paddlers to successfully circumnavigate Australia: Paul Caffyn in 1982 and Freya Hoffmeister in 2009. Phil was there to guide Freya in, as he was for me.
    Phil then handed my empty carcass over to Ken Wilson, who also has a history of helping kayakers cross this coast. Ken had also been there for Paul and Freya, offering all the assistance needed for an exhausted kayaker to recover. It was much appreciated, I really didn’t want to do the caravan park thing this time. I was taken to Ken’s house, which overlooks the entrance, then settled into Phil’s excellent homebrew and a few ‘wee sensations’ of Ken’s Glenmorangie.
    Next day I was sore from head to toe and shattered, but the realisation of what I’d done had sunk in and was consolation. I had paddled successfully through what I’d always believed was the hardest section of coast; my preparation had worked. While I couldn’t afford to give myself too much of a pat on the back, as I still had a very long way to go, I was very pleased to get to Kalbarri. I idly wondered if anybody cared. Would my trip now be considered as a serious attempt to paddle around Australia? I had only kept in touch with a few friends and family via email whenever I was in a town, but my contact list was growing as I met people along the way. I updated my webpage with my progress, unsure if it was being viewed by anybody other than my nearest and dearest.
    It took three days for me to get back into the kayak, and on 3 June I was paddling again. I was still not fully recovered from the cliffs and it took another three days of struggling with the paddle before I started to feel strong again. My next stop was Geraldton, 130 kilometres south of Kalbarri, and headwinds developed on this stretch as I expected. What was unknown was how strong they would be and how long they would blow for. After September the warmer weather brings constant southerly winds of 20 knots or over. To have to compete against a relentless, tireless opposition for days as it grinds down your progress is a demoralising prospect. This was why I was here during winter when it was bearable.
    I pulled into Geraldton and rang Dave Evans. I met Dave on the evening before I set off down the Zuytdorp Cliffs. He was camping on a nearby beach and found me as he was looking for a spot of evening fishing. After I explained I was going to cross the cliffs, he didn’t think I stood much chance but gave me his phone number in case I got to Geraldton. He was surprised to hear from me.
    Homebrewed beer was fast becoming a feature of my trip and over a glass or two Dave told me that the houses in the area are built to cyclone specifications. Not because they are under threat of cyclones but because of the strength of the summer winds. They hold windsurfing championships at Geraldton as the winds are so predictable and strong, with the lean of the trees sculpted by the force of nature confirming this.
    I was told the 400-kilometre drive from Geraldton to Perth can get a bit dull and uninteresting. Well, not the paddle. The beach is protected by a reef for much of its length and as you approach Perth from Jurien Bay the reefs offshore build up to make it interesting. At times it was a bit hard to find a way through the barrage of breaking waves, but it was ten days you would definitely not call boring.
    As I got closer to the capital city of Western Australia, Perth, the houses built up and it got harder to find a place to camp. I pulled into a marina for the night and after a fruitless search among the stone walls, jetties and signs, I found a small park at one end that was my only chance. I was being looked down upon by the walled palaces and apartments of the affluent end of town. I was sure someone would do the public a service and call the police if I pitched my tent,