Once again, club members have assisted in aiding injured wildlife. Unlike the story of Dave the turtle in 2010, the story of John the seagull has had a happy outcome. Ron Willoughby reports from Monday’s paddle out of Charles Clarke Park.

“We came across a seagull that was exhausted, thrashing about in the water unable to swim or fly.  When we rounded it up with our kayaks, John Hall was able to take the bird out of the water. We found that it had a fish hook in its mouth with the line wrapped around it’s legs.  John was able to christen his new knife and removed the hook from the birds mouth which made the line easy to remove from it’s legs. After biting John on the finger as a “thank you”, the seagull, ( now known as John) was released it back into the water where it very happily swam away.

A reminder that John- ( Hall not seagull ) will be available at the next safety day to discuss his surgical skills.

Check out the group of Frog Mouth Owls in the tree.

Submitted by Sue Alcock

Photos taken by Barbara Dillon

• Queensland Canoeing kayaking skills booklets available to buy. Email – mark.thurgood@canoe.org.au
• Sunshine Coast Council seniors promotion booklet featuring many members.
• Tasmanian trip in February – Jim Blyth
• Chinderah camp in November – Brian Inman
• Awards presented to Alan Taylor & Jim Blyth

Guest speaker for the day was Gary Forrest……Read more…

Enjoy a slideshow of the events……Click here…

© Barbara Dillon

I learned a hard lesson today and maybe found a solution to avoid a repeat performance.

After the paddle at Ningi Creek this morning, I said my goodbyes to the lunch group and headed off across the Bribie bridge to have a coffee with an old friend. Coffee over I turned back across the bridge for home.
Half way across the bridge, much to my horror, in the mirror I saw my beautiful old kayak pirouetting along the bitumen on its nose with a very startled driver in the vehicle close behind!!

Yes, in my haste to pack up I had neglected to strap my boat down.!!

Pirouette completed, the kayak tried to catch up with me by sliding along the road.

Fortunately, the youngish lady driver behind stopped without crushing the boat and without having another vehicle mount hers from behind. I thought I might’ve  had one mighty cranky lady, but no. Out she bounced and said “that was freaky”.

Red faced I hastily reloaded my boat while she picked up a little shrapnel off the road.

Now this is my favourite old kayak. My first built. The one I learned to paddle in. First fell out of and first caught a wave in. On the drive home I am thinking, “can I repair it or will I invite friends to wood fired BBQ!

Why was I worried! I built this old girl and it is made of real stuff…Wood.

Like many an old girl, she will need a nose job and the rear end could do with a new rudder fitting, but other than that nothing that a little time and TLC won’t fix.

So what lesson did I learn?

Yes, that I might be becoming old and forgetful … mmm … maybe.

To ensure no repeat performance, I will from now on, when unloading the kayak, place the straps on the driver’s seat. That way, when I settle into the seat and feel some discomfort, I have either developed a severe case of haemorrhoids or I have forgotten to strap down my kayak!

Fun aside, this incident could have had a very severe outcome. My kayak through the windscreen of the vehicle behind. A blinded mother driving a car full of kids off the bridge.

God forbid such a catastrophe should occur.

Is your procedure fool proof?

Regards to all,

Dave Pass.