Pugwash riding the 5,475 km Indian Pacific Wheel Ride

My friend Pugwash is riding the 2023 Indian Pacific Wheel Ride -  5,475 km from Freemantle to the Sydney Opera House.

He's very determined and enjoys a challenge - which he is certainly getting.   He is averaging 200-250 km per day.

Riders are unsupported and carry a tracking device - signals for trackers can be viewed on a map here.

I met Tim on the route along the Great Ocean Road - here's a video.

Some friends and "dot-watchers" also rode with him for a short distance from Kew Boulevard and along the Yarra Trail and Koonung Trails.

After an alpine start on the final morning Pugwash completed the ride on 10 April 2023 at 4:44 pm after riding a total distance of 5,469 km in 24 days.

An epic journey nearly completed!

Last day, riding through Royal National Park

Congratulations TJ!

Walkerville boat cruise to Bell Point

We did a short boat cruise from Walkerville North to Bell Point and back.  The coastal scenery there is very cool.  Shot with Insta360 One X2 camera - I'm learning how to edit 360 videos.

I am having a forced extended break from watersports until my tennis elbow injury heals.  Its taking a while, I am having acupuncture treatment now.

Greg's first session on a Fliteboard

My friend was keen to have a go on my Fliteboard. We headed down to Aspendale for an early start before a breeze kicked in. 

Greg is a keen skier and has good balance. He was standing on the board quite soon enjoying the flat water. He got some good speed up with the board low to the water. He rose on the foil a few times but lost control fairly quickly.

The micro forward and back adjustments are very tricky when learning. 

Riding the board flat on the water helps getting used to the speed.

"Micro flights" - getting on the foil and quickly bringing the board back down - helps you learn the small weights shifts needed to rise on the foil and descend back to a plane.

A very impressive first session - well done Greg!

Kitesurfing the Flinders reef break

I took this video of the crew kitesurfing the reef break at Flinders on Sat 18 December.  I have tennis elbow so was unable to kite this time.

Flinders is a great place to kitesurf when the wind gets in there but its for experienced kitesurfers only. It is a long swim back to the beach if you tangle your kite or have an equipment failure.

Kitesurfing Kaliantan cruising to the reef and speed runs #559

Kitesurfing session 559. We got a lift in the van again to Kaliantan around noon.  We parked near Tampa Boleq again (easy access for the van) and walked the short distance to the kite beach. The vehicle track to the kiting location is rougher.

I took my 10m kite but there was less wind around 15 knots - I could have used my 12. Taking both kites is best! 

I tacked out to the reefs, then did a slalom run back to the beach then some speed runs in the lagoon.

The water was clear and warm and the weather was good.

Stu S dropped his kite in the light wind and got dragged through one of the aquaculture constructions. Somehow he threaded his way through it and managed to relaunch his kite.

Another great day kitesurfing.

Hermann helping out

Kitebeach, Pantai Cemara

Kiting past aquaculture

Kite high!

Surfing Inside Ekas from Ekas Panorama, Lombok

The two Stuarts and I took an outrigger canoe to the Inside Ekas surf break in the morning. There were around 15 people surfing there.  People come across from Kuta by boat and also from access point below Ekas Surf Resort (who have one SUP for hire).

The reef break was clean but not too easy to catch. I wasn't having much success on my the surfboard I rented from Ekas but it was great to be out there watching others carve up the waves.

I eventually caught one and got a good ride in then headed back to the canoe feeling quite tired. Surfing is hard work for me - lots of paddling and my sternum was tender from the harness pressure in yesterday's very strong winds.

Some days there is no surf at this location. Outside Ekas reef break generally has bigger waves.

We headed back to Kaliantan in the afternoon for more kitesurfing.