Day 29 - 24 May, Katigeorgis - Pelion Peninsula

Another rotten camp on another rotten beach.......

 4 weeks now along this watery highway where I can wander at will and overtake nothing but the land (generally) on my right hand side and where rest areas are plentiful if I dare take them (always aware that a simple stop to stretch the legs can become a 2 hour lunch......).

I'm resting up for the day at a tiny little harbour called Katigeorgis near the end of the Pelion Peninsula. I say 'resting' but truly the most stressful part of the journey so far is chasing power to charge devices and download images. Rest days involve as much sitting (in front of a laptop) as I do in the kayak. Something that worries me as I watch my legs waste away and the Alps trekking traverse gets closer.....
At least the room tonight is mosquito free. The last time I took a room; by morning the walls were smeared in blood and the floor littered with carcasses. I was still alive but who had won the battle?

Mikalos, a shack dweller living on a beach back on Sinthonia, amidst a clutter of nets, cats, welding equipment and beer bottles, could not understand why I did not have a small engine. 'It make it easier for you. You sit and enjoy the scenery, maybe read or write your thoughts as you travel'. He'd obviously never sat in an unstable kayak! But it would be easy to update this blog then eh? (for those looking for more regular snapshots and updates check out the Facebook page )

Lunch beach on the Pelion

The last week has seen a very settled spell of weather, pretty much since I was up near Thessaloniki, either the 2nd largest or 3rd largest Greek city (if you believe the claims of Melbourne to be the former). The last 2 days down the Pelion have featured probably the most impressive section of coast since I left from Turkey. Forest clad mountains, stunning cliff scenery and dozens upon dozens of sea caves; all accessible in the millpond conditions. Yesterday, eventually I had to stop my speleological explorations and push on!

Cave Man

Of Mountains.....
Mount Ossa, Pelion - familiar names in this unfamiliar environment. So those same name mountains, back in Australia, in Tasmania, take their names from these in Greece.
But these mountains crouch respectfully beneath snowcapped Mount Olympus (2911m), the party room of Zeus and his fellow ancient Greek gods and the highest in Greece. Olympus has been my companion for much of the past week in the same way that Athos was the week before. Indeed as one faded into the background the other grew larger each day.

Camp with Mt Olympus in the background

I thought back to early plans for mediterr année before it had that name; 'one year in the Mediterranean'. It started as an idea to kayak all the way around. But I couldn't get excited about sitting on my arse for 15 months or more. So as a means to move away from the coast and use the legs it became that plus climb, from sea level, the highest mountain in each country. But then the journey headed towards 2 years; something neither Wendy nor I were keen on. So now, I stayed at sea level and passed beneath Olympus.

Of Hills......
The wind blew hard against me, waves breaking over Miss Grape. I headed for the shelter of Nea Moudania harbour. I landed on one small beach outside the harbour, absent mindedly hooking myself up in some fishing lines. Pushed off again and headed into the harbour to a small sandy beach. As I pulled the kayak out of the water an old man waved from the only house on the harbour. 'You are from Australia?' (no-one yet has recognised the difference between my NZ flag or the Aussie flag I should be showing!). 86 year old Theo came out of his gate to tell his story. In 1954 he moved to Australia and worked in the Port Kembla steel mill and for the evil (my words not his) Hydro Electric Commission in Tasmania. He fell in love with a Greek girl there and they married in Sydney but she was homesick so in 1959 they returned to Greece, Theo less keen for the return. As we spoke on the beach I glanced over Theo's shoulder, I think I was wondering if I might see his wife. Was she still alive? But what I saw surprised me. There in the yard, full of washing luffing in the sheltered harbour, was a Hills Hoist! One of Australia's proudest inventions and an icon in the mould of Vegemite and Victa lawnmowers. "I brought a few things back with me on the ship in 1959. You see my Hills".

You can view a short video of Theo here

Hills Hoist still doing its job 55 years after leaving Australia

Later, when I returned to the beach to set off, sporting new haircut and beard trimmed, Theo came out again. This time with a selection of photos of 1950's Australia. Of his wedding in Hyde Park in Sydney, at the Three Sisters up in the Blue Mountains, in Hobart and of the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Then he pulled out an old map. A map of western Turkey. There he pointed out the names of towns around the Sea of Marmaris (near Istanbul) -Greek names like Moudania, Kallikratia. He explained that was where his family was from, before the forced migration of 1.5 million Greeks (and 500,000 Turks the other way). Many to 'new' towns with the old names like 'Nea' (new) Moudania where I was and Nea Kallikratia which I would later paddle past. Greek history, right up until relatively recently has been a story of changing boundaries and turmoil, of monarchy, republic and coup. Today is election day in Greece.....

I'd raised some emotions for Theo and as I left watery eyes bade me farewell "Ah Australia, Australia...Yiassou, Yiassou."

Route Canal Therapy, Fingers and Rings

Route Canal Therapy No 1

I mentioned in my last blog post about my plan to wheel the kayak across the line of Xerxes Canal as a means of crossing the first of the three 'fingers' of Halkidiki, the Athos peninsula. 

For the second, the Sithonia, I gave it the full finger. And great paddling it was too. On the day I went around the end of the peninsula, it was a little blowy. I pulled in for a short break at Kalimitsi before huge cliffs would offer no respite. That turned into a 2 hour lunch with a Russian Greek and his 2nd wife...... Finally got away and bounced around the end onto the western side, glad to have got around before forecast 40 knot southerlies.  I landed at a caravan park/campsite as the sun set. When I arrived the owners said they would not charge me as I was raising money for charity. I then explained it was for Save the Children. Nicki then exclaimed 'No way!' (or the Greek equivalent) and then proceeded to show me her and her husbands wedding rings. From Bvlgari jewellers with Save the Children engraved on the inside! Bvlgari are a worldwide partner of Save the Children. Of all the camps in all of Greece.......

It was back to route canal therapy for the final finger, the Kassandra. This time a canal with water in it, The Portes Canal, allowed me to paddle across the neck. No bad thing I gather as I'd heard the Kassandra had been wrecked by over development for tourism. I looked west at my first glimpse of Mount Olympus and east for my final views of Mount Athos.

Route Canal Therapy No 2

So I'm heading south toward Athens, perhaps a week away. There's a lot of time to think when I'm paddling (aside from singing hastily made up love songs to Wendy at full volume!) and I'm hatching a little plan. I really don't need more of a challenge but with your help...........More soon!!

Plenty of fishing boats. I have yet to see another kayak

The Winds of Change

Day 16 - 11 May, Nea Roda, Greece

Today I have a cunning plan.......

"We are here to take a painting back to our church in Romania, prepared for us by one of the monasteries of Athos" Sylvia (a man) informed me

I am in Nea Roda, a small village at the neck of the Athos Peninsula, the most easterly of the Halkidiki peninsulas; 3 fingers that reach down into the Aegean Sea. Athos is home not only to the holy mountain of that name that soars over 2000 metres straight from the sea, but upon it reside some 20 monasteries that make up this autonomous region of Greece. Permits are required to visit the peninsula and none are available to women who are absolutely forbidden to enter. Were I to visit it would be a great opportunity to pick up some time; as the monasteries follow the Julian Calendar and I'd step back 13 days, thus immediately putting me almost 2 weeks ahead of schedule (if you get my drift!).

But I prefer the way of the Persian King Xerxes. In 500 BC he had his fleet of invading warships sunk by wild katabatic winds sent down by the gods off Mount Athos. So Xerxes had a canal dug, some 2km in length, across the narrow neck of the Peninsula from present day Nea Roda to Tripiti. Little remains of this incredible engineering feat from 2500 years ago save a few depressions amongst the farmland. But today I will wheel Miss Grape, my own warship, across the peninsula thus saving me over 100km of paddling and also the issue of illegal camping on the Peninsula.

That's what I call a Greek Salad!

So I'm in Greece; for the first time since 1998, a trip notable for Wendy running me over with her hire scooter. Kayaking should be safer! 9 days ago I left Turkey. I met with the coastguard in the border port of Enes. Ramizan, the commanding officer, made a number of phone calls after inspecting my 'craft'. We waited for some return calls. "No problems then?" I enquired. "Yes, there are big problems". My heart sank, as I thought of the alternative - trucking my kayak to the nearest land border crossing 50km away."What is the problem?" I asked. Then Ramizan broke into a broad smile "I joke with you. You are free to go to Greece tomorrow!"

So I arrived in Greece, crossing the watery border at the Evros Delta, clearing immigration at Alexandropoulos. Easy enough once the police accepted that kayaks don't come with shipping registration papers. Greece will be home for the next 6 weeks or so; a time when I'll learn a little more about the economic crisis that engulfed this country. Of reducing salaries and increasing costs. Only last night Evi, the daughter of a taverna owner, told me about her job in a hotel; 7 days a week for 700 euros ($1000) per month. And Constandinos, a Greek coastguard officer, whose salary has gone down by 20% but the repayments on the house he proudly built increase.

Blue skies, turquoise sea

But Greece has been 'bought' for Save the Children and it is fitting that my mum and dad bought the first full mediterr année country I pass through; given of course I passed through mum to first enter this beautiful and fragile planet! (ah memories of Jackie's Pass on Mount Kingston deep in the South Australian desert......)
I'd like to take the opportunity to acknowledge those who have bought a country as I pass through that country with the words they wrote. So to mum and dad first up for Greece:

'Our enormous pride is tinged with concern that you stay safe and healthy in your pursuit of this hugely worthwhile cause. You will be constantly in our thoughts and prayers. 
Mountains of love, Mum and Dad
"They are ill discoverers that think there is no land when they can see nothing but sea". Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

12 out of 20 countries have been 'purchased' now. Israel & the Palestine Territories went the other day (thanks to Liam and the boys of the Club Cyclistico Coglioni (!) in Perth). Perhaps I should say that all but one of my first 6 countries have gone 'under the hammer' - Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Slovenia. Croatia awaits an owner........

Preparing to launch off a rocky beach using beach detritus for boat protection!

Thanks to ALL who have donated so far to Save the Children in whatever way, whether by direct donation. or those taking up their own challenges to raise funds for Save the Children. People like Trent Moore who is attempting to match my 15000km with his own on the bike in the same period, Kate Schnabel who is running 150km per month and Helen Dorsett who has a complicated formula of cycling km that only she understands but that should see a few $1000 to Save the Children! And of course the mediterr année mountain bike team is up and running.
And what about 10 year old Maizy Evans who has galvanised her school in Exeter, Australia to have Save the Children via mediterr année as the fundraiser for the year. Love your work Maizy!

Children Saving Children

Just now I skyped with Anna (9) and Anders (6), 2 of my gorgeous grandkids. Today, on Mothers Day in Australia, they have set up a nail painting salon outside their house in Sydney. Offering $2 for Adults/$1 for Kids; you can get your nails done for Save the Children. $8 in the bank already!

Catching some sun rays at last....

But I am in Greece and now starting to feel the rhythm of the journey. And at last the past 3 days have seen warm sun and sparkling seas from the grey and storms of before. I feel like I am now in the Med! Some beautiful coastline but also some terrible rubbish (more on that another day). The Mediterranean is not yet awake from it's winter slumbers. Occasional Bulgarian babes in bikinis have been spied but most hotels are closed, all beach umbrellas likewise. The fishing boats are out but I have yet to see a yacht or a powerboat. It will be interesting to see the human tide of summer slowly engulf this sea as the months progress.

Munching on a large slab of Halva.......

So I'm in Greece and 1/26 of the year is done. That sounds pretty good and not as daunting as '350 days to go'!

Day 5 - 30 April, Vaylak, Turkey

Lightning forks into the sea, rain buckets down and a Force 6 wind whips up the water. A good time to find my first internet in 5 days and hide in the only bar on this harbour I'm camped at. Although I'm soon to leave Turkey I'm looking forward to being back here as this journey reaches it's end - such fine people!

Vaylak is about 40km from the Greek border. Been an interesting few days since I paddled off from Anzac Cove on 26/4. That was a blowy day too and obviously a somewhat emotional day. Both for my leaving but in the imagining of the arrival of the Anzacs on this same beach 99 years ago. After packing (everything fitted - yay!), photos, a last few calls including of course to the gorgeous and incomparable Wendy, and enjoying the company of a group of Kiwi kayakers on a Anzac week tour, I gave Marco and Elena one last big hug and set off; mediterr année had begun! Elena presented me with a little shell from the beach, instructing me to put it back when I returned in 12 months. Those 2 are such beautiful people and a key part of the project. I hope to see them again in 69 days for Elena's 40th - in Croatia perhaps?

return this shell next year.........

Geez it felt good to be paddling! Many people enquire how I train for such a trip? Here's a little secret. This was my first paddle for over 4 months. Well you know; other stuff sort of gets in the way! On the job training is always best eh?

The first few days were interesting to say the least. After a couple of hours I rounded a headland to face a strong nor'easter full in the face. Struggled on for a couple of hours before camping on the rocky beach with a patch of grass just large enough for my tent. The Nemo Obi tent, home for the next year, went up and the all important first brew of the journey was poured into the faithful mug (see Blog entry below). I stayed put here for the next 40 hours or so. Day 2 presented strong headwinds which would have seen me unlikely to move. However during that first night I woke with an unbearable need to pee. When it did it was like doing it through the proverbial razor blades; Bloody painful! And on it went all night, along with chills and shivering. I assumed a Urinary Tract Infection and texted (Dr) Trevor, a good mate of mine (who'd recently been in Sicily with me) for advice. Got straight onto the antibiotics and then lay utterly wasted for the next 24 hours. Even getting to a kneeling position outside the tent for a razor pee took 30 mins of build up!

Camp 1 (and 2!!)

Day 3, 28/4 felt a bit better, still weak, but the wind had dropped so, like an old man, I packed slowly and headed along a beautiful coast in grey conditions with heavy rain at times. Wind, sickness, rain - nothing like getting some contrary doses early on! Apart from a few fishing shacks it was just cliffs and a couple of beaches. Not wanting to overdo it, I pulled up to camp at 4-30pm or so, beneath an old concrete sentry box; another reminder of the battleground this whole peninsula was 100 years ago. I had no appetite but forced a small amount of pasta down and a cup of tea, knowing I needed some energy.

'I'm paddling in the rain.....'

Day 4, 29/4 and the sea was calm, the sun was out and, as I popped my head out of the tent, a pod of a dozen or so porpoises frolicked offshore. I took it as a good omen and, despite having no weather forecast, decided to beeline it straight across to the north side of the Gulf of Saroz - some 12km -  rather than go deeper into the gulf; a move that would save me some 50km or so. Fortune (sometimes) favours the brave and I did my first open crossing of the trip in good conditions only to see a strong wind (Force 5) whistle up within an hour of my crossing. Now I continued paddling in choppy waves amongst impressive cliffs interspersed with long beaches peppered with clusters of deserted holiday homes. Ghost towns for 8 months of the year. But there were enough people around......I'd spoken to no-one in the past 3 days but now, like the earlier rains, there came a deluge.

Yusuf, town planner at the local government, called me in from the jetty he was supervising building at Erikli. With black trenchcoat 2 sizes too small he cut an interesting figure in the wind and sand. Soon a small crowd had gathered, each wanted a photo, each proffered help in some way. The most useful was the weather forecast. Finally they pushed me back off the beach but I'd only gone half and hour when I heard a horn beeping madly. I looked over my shoulder to see a car bouncing down a dirt track, the driver hanging out of the window beckoning me in.

At first I thought it was the Turkish Police, caught up to me before I paddle across the border. So you cross a border in a kayak; you are not a registered craft like a yacht, nor are you using normal channels of entry. In the hotel at Cannakale one guy enquired whether I heard about the guy shot by Greek police for trying to cross in a 'small boat' recently; they thought he was a refugee or some such like.... Following this I did make some calls to Greek police and they are waiting for me to arrive in Alexandopoulos!

The car pulled up, a young man ran onto the beach followed by his father. As I hit the sand, the young man tried deftly to hand me a large glass jar whilst trying to keep his shoes dry. I climbed out to greet them and the 1kg of honey that was their gift. The father, Erhmet, explained in mixed Turkish, Italian and German that they'd seen me paddle by earlier and chased me down to wish me well and provide a gift. He had a tear in his eye; perhaps it was the wind....

Random acts of kindness

So I now have enough honey for the rest of the paddle (Danien/Dennis - I hope you'll perform a random act of kindness with some Bundanoon Bush Honey......) and I'm going to need more space than my kayak has if it goes on like this. As I type away, Yildiray, the owner of this bar has taken to Google Translate to show me messages 'If ever you need help; call us' 'If you are cold in the tent tonight, you are welcome to sleep here' and finally 'you will always remember us' accompanied by a Seahorse shell to take with me!

I certainly sense the strong bond between the Turks and Australians, expressed to me a number of times and borne out of that time as enemies at Gallipoli when respect for each nation grew amongst the carnage. I wonder how well they know their flags?  I'd forgotten to pick an Aussie one up but thought, with stories of border insecurity etc, showing my colours seemed not a bad thing. So, in the ANZAC spirit of cooperation, one of the Kiwi paddlers gifted me his flag. So a Kiwi flag now flutters on the back of the kayak. So when I say I'm from Oz who will be first to ask why I've a NZ flag?!

The ANZAC spirit of cooperation

The forecast is better tomorrow but now....... bira clock......

23/4/14 - From Gallipoli, Turkey - 3 days to go, Time to kick this Blog off!

Been meaning to post on this Blog for weeks but Facebook has been main vehicle for info so far. It is my 'intention' to post up here every week or 2 after I set off  but wilI depend on such variables as time and internet availability. I don't want this journey to become too dominated by head in a computer downloading photos and thoughts to the detriment of the experience........Let's see how we go!

In just a few days, on Saturday 26 April, I'll push my kayak off the beach at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, push the right hand rudder pedal and head east toward Greece. mediterr année, a 12 month, 15000km human powered circumnavigation of the Mediterranean Sea, will begin.
 

After so many years in the mind and the planning, it is great to be here in Turkey. Staying at Cannakale (with many thanks to the Turkish Government), I've left a month in Europe behind along with various boxes and bags holding trekking, biking and skiing gear. Now I have only the sea kayak equipment; set for the next 2.5 months along the Greek, Albanian, Montenegran, Bosnian and Croatian coastlines to Slovenia.

 

On Friday I'll attend, along with a few thousand Australians and Kiwis, the Anzac Day commemorations at Gallipoli. 2015 is the Anzac Centenary and many, many planets - health, weather, political and more - will need to align to ensure I arrive back at Gallipoli by Anzac Day, 25 April 2015.

 

The busyness of the planning and life in general has left little time for 'how do I feel?' but now, just days away from departure, I'm a little daunted by the task at hand. Sure I've done plenty of long 3-4 month expeditions but 12 months? I have often reflected in the past how explorers only a couple of hundred years ago would disappear for 2-3 years with no communications back to family, friends or sponsors. And return (or not!) to glory (or not!). Even 25 years ago a scribbled aerogramme (those under 20 please Google this) or a 2 hour queue at a Telegraph office to make a phone call home was the go from many countries. Now of course we over communicate (sorry!) and indeed I have dipped my toes into the shark infested waters  (unlike the Med itself!) of social media for this little jaunt.

 

I recorded some thoughts in a 3 minute video last week sat upon a high pass in the Italian Alps. You can view it by clicking on this image

 

 

Fundraising for Save the Children.......

Partly this is to raise the profile of and hopefully a load of funds for Save the Children for the work they do with children affected by war in conflict in places such as Syria, one of the 20 countries I plan to travel through (hoping that the terrible situation there eases). I really hope you will consider donating - 100% of all donations go straight to Save the Children. It is as easy as following this link. You can make a donation of any amount or even buy a Country! I'd love to raise  $100,000 or more. There is over $25,000 in the bank so far so I hope you can move me toward that target.

 

Follow the journey.........

There are a few ways to keep tabs on the journey:

 

Facebook - has been the main portal in recent months for providing snippets of information about the journey. I'll continue to use this as the expedition rolls on. Don't forget that you can look at this page without being a member of Facebook (for all you social media shy types!)

 

The Blog - I plan, once I set off, to post reports up on this Blog, probably fortnightly or whenever I have a bit of time and a wifi connection. Let's see how it goes!

 

Track Me - Horror of horrors I plan in the interests of fundraising etc to let you know where I am every day - something I never did for my mother nor do for my wife! People seem to love following moving dots. So to this end I will carry a Spot Tracker. Each day I'll press the button on this and it will mark where I am in the Mediterreanean on the Spot Adventure website. So you can see if I get stuck in a bar on a Greek island for 2 weeks........In the next couple of days there should be a link for this on the website Home Page which i'll also publish on Facebook.

 

The Website - has lots of background info on the journey, the fundraising, sponsors, me etc. You can also link to the items above from it.

 

Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, thanks for all the many people involved in the project and of course a huge thanks to my sponsors

 

I'm off to enjoy what I hope will be a bloody good adventure!

Join the mediterr année MTB Team

Race Events; Ride for a Great Cause

Join the mediterr année MTB Team

As part of the fundraising we're forming The mediterr année MTB Team. You don't have to be an elite rider, you just need to commit to doing 10 of the participating events listed below in the period from Anzac Day 2014 to Anzac Day 2015; the period Huw is making his way around the Mediterranean for Save the Children.

Here's the deal (it's pretty simple really!):

1. Maximum of 10 rider spots available, all team members operating independently
2. Enter in at least 7 of the events listed below. Each event organizer has generously offered to donate 50% of your entry fee to Save the Children via mediterr année. So you pay full entry fee, they donate 50% of it.
3. You commit to raising a further amount during the 12 month period through your own fundraising efforts. The riders who commit to raising the 10 highest totals are selected for the team. Anyone who commits to raising a minimum of $1000 is automatically selected!
4. You will receive a mediterr année cycle jersey and a mediterr année T shirt.
5. The most important part - you get a very warm and fuzzy feeling for having made a great contribution to a great charity for the work they do with children affected by war and conflict in such places as Syria, Afghanistan and the Congo.

Participating Events

With thanks to Rocky Trail Entertainment, Rapid Ascent, AROC Sport, Wild Horizons, Self Propelled Enterprises, Southern Highlands Cycle Club.

Below is the current list of 15 events. A couple more will likely be added to the list.

2014 or 2015 Giant Odyssey

2014 Rocky Trail Shimano Grand Prix Series – Rounds 2, 3, 4, 5

2015 Rocky Trail Shimano Grand Prix Series – Round 1

2014 Jet Black 12 Hour

2014 3 Ring Circus

2014 Kowalski Classic

2014 CamelBak Highland Fling

2014 Jet Black 24 Hour

2015 Bike Buller

2015 Capital Punishment

2015 Willo Enduro

What happens if I don’t make it to 7 events?

Hopefully there are enough events spread throughout the year for you to select 7 from. If you do less than 7 then you’d be expected to donate $50 for each event less than the 7. So for example, if you completed 5 events, then you would have to donate $100.

To join the mediterr année MTB Team

Send an email to the Team Manager, Danien Beets, on danien@mediterrannee.com.au. Let us know you’re keen to to be part of this fundraising and how much additional money you commit to raising for Save the Children during the 12 months. Anyone who commits to raising $1000 or more automatically becomes a team member!

The 10 highest commitments become members of the mediterr année MTB Team!! 

A Taste of the Mediterranean - Corsica Circumnavigation

In June last year I enjoyed a 600km kayak circumnavigation of the rugged Mediterranean island of Corsica.
It was a magical trip and in some ways a little test for me as to how I might take to the 'Mediterranean life'. That life treated me well! The current (Jan/Feb) issue of Australian Geographic Outdoor magazine has an article on the paddle. You can read it here