Outdoor Adventure

If you’ve been listening to the news lately you’ve probably heard there is a 16 year old girl from Australia named Jessica Watson sailing her way into the record books. She is attempting to be the youngest person to sail solo, unassisted around the world in her 34ft yacht ” Ella’s Pink Lady”. Which is a mighty effort for a 16 year old school girl, in anyone’s book.

Jessica Watson Sailing Route

Jessica  Watson sailing journey will take her into some the world most treacherous stretches of ocean, like the famous roaring forties and the Southern Ocean. She will also see some of the great sailing landmarks such as Cape Horn off the southern tip of Chile, Cape of Good and Cape Agulhas off the southern tip of Africa, Southeast Cape of Tasmania and I’m sure the landmark she’ll be most looking forward to seeing is the Sydney Harbour Bridge on her arrival back home.

Currently Jessica is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean heading toward the Cape of Good Hope. So last week she past the half way mark, and now has travelled over 12750 nm into her journey, which will be approximately 23000 nm in total.

Here is Jessica Watson sailing journey so far:

Part 1 – Departing Sydney on Oct. 18th and heading north-east toward the Line Islands
Part 2 – Sailing South to Chile and round Cape Horn
Part 3 – Cape Horn to Cape of Good Hope.
Part 4 – The South Atlantic Ocean to the African continent
Part 5 – Rounding South Africa
Part 6 – The Cape of Good Hope
Part 7 – Southern Ocean to Home

Here is one of her latest videos of when she sailed around Cape Horn:

History of Youth Solo Sailing Circumnavigation

History tells us that the Australian and American young sailors have dominated the record of being the youngest to Sail Solo circumnavigating the world. With Australia’s very own Jesse Martin still holding the World Sail Speed Record Council (WSSWR) record for the youngest to circumnavigate the world unassisted in his yacht ” Lionheart ” back in 1999. Though interestingly enough the WSSWR has discontinued their endorsement for the youngest and oldest category for  the sailing circumnavigation records.

Sailor                     Country    Departure               Year           Days         Age                                  Notes

Robin Lee Graham  USA     Los Angeles, USA   1965-70     1689    21 y, 56 d      Solo, with stops. See The Dove (film).
Tania Aebi               USA     New York , USA      1985-87     892      21 y, 30 d      Solo, with stops. Aebi had a passenger for 80 nm.
Brian Caldwell         USA     Honolulu, Hawai     1995-96     477      20 y, 278 d    Solo, with stops. Westerly via Panama Canal.
David Dicks              AUS     Fremantle               1996-96     265      18 y, 42 d       Solo, non-stop, with assistance.
Jesse Martin             AUS     Melbourne Aust.     1998 -99     327     18 y, 66 d       Solo, non-stop, and unassisted.
Zac Sunderland       USA     California, USA        2008-09     396      17 y, 229 d     Solo, with stops and assistance.
Michael Perham      UK       Portsmouth, UK        2008-09     284      17 y, 164 d     Solo, with stops and assistance.
Jessica Watson         AUS     Sydney , Aust          2009    ETA: April/May 2010        Planning to complete voyage solo, non-stop, unassisted
Abby Sunderland     USA     Mexico                   2010     ETA: June/July 2010        Same as above. Departed from California, but had to stop for repairs in Mexico and restarted circumnavigation from there.

So as you can see she is on the verge of joining some sailing legends and write herself into the history books. It is something all Australians should be proud of, and be reminded of our countries reputation of being prepared to have a go and achieve success against the odds.

I wish Jessica Watson all the best, sailing around the world, and may her journey continue to be a safe one.

Cade Arnel
Outdoor Adventurer
www.outdooradventureplace.uwcblog.com   2009

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There are literally thousands of people that visit Murray River each year, enjoying all sorts of activities from fishing, camping, water skiing, jet skiing or just enjoying the natural beauty and tranquility that the river provides. And is no wonder, as the Murray River is one of Australia most amazing natural attractions.   On one of my recent holidays,  my fiance and I decided to do some River Kayaking down the mighty Murray River.

In my opinion there is no better way to experience the magic of the Murray River than to hire a kayak or canoe and paddle down the river under your own steam early in the morning or before dusk. Its not until you get out on the river that you start to notice the abundance of wildlife and flora that the river supports, and the wildlife is also most active at this time. With no motor to muffle out the sound of the birds and no distraction, its very easy unwind and feel you are actually part of the river. For many who have never been River Kayaking, it probably sounds like hard work, but it is surprisingly easy to move the kayak around in the water.

River Kayaking Picnic

There are a few different ways you can enjoy River Kayaking. One of my favorites, to win a few points with the “Lovely”, is to go on a River Kayaking Picnic. Now come on fellas, time to think a bit romantic. What could be better than to take a leisurely paddle down the river, taking in the scenery and when you find a nice sandbar or shady tree, you can roll out the picnic rug, unpack lunch & pop the cork of a bottle of Champagne. One thing that is for certain, it will be sure to put a big smile on her face.

River Kayaking Tours

Another way to enjoy the river if your don’t know much about kayaking, or perhaps you just want a guided tour, is to go on a River Kayaking Tour. There are tours available where you can go out for a paddle with a group of people and a tour guide showing you the way. These tours can range in length from a half day, to a week at a time, where you will be taken into some of the more secluded picturesque areas of the river, and camp out on the riverside.

Which ever way you decide to go River Kayaking in the Murray River, or any river for that matter, there is a way to suit all levels of paddlers. So make River Kayaking part of your next holiday into the river country.

Cade Arnel
Outdoor Adventurer
www.outdooradventureplace.uwcblog.com   2009

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The Top 10 Essential Items to take Bush Camping (items 6-10)

What are the Top 10 Essential Items to put on your checklist before you go Bush Camping. I have put together a 2 part “Top 10″  check list, together with some handy tips to help your next Bush Camping trip to be fun and enjoyable.

Here is the link to Part 1 (items 1-5) of the Top 10 Essential Items to take Bush Camping if you missed it.

6. Flash light

Then is no power when you go bush camping, unless you take a generator, so a Flash light is a smart addition to your Camping equipment. If you need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you’ll be glad you packed a flash light. There are loads of different designs, so shop around to find one that suits the purpose.

7. Knife

There are many different type of gadgets available of camping, but the most versatile would be the Pocket Knife. Some of the most common types are the Swiss Army Knife and the Leatherman, as they have multiple tools which fold out from a compact design. Remember to use some knife handling safety when using them otherwise you could be calling for the first aid kit.

8. Rain Gear

The weather is something we have no control over, and sometimes it can turn nasty, so its a good idea to take a Rain jacket and a spare set of clothing in case it turns wet.  There are some light weight Rain Gear available that can fold up very compact, so shop around for some gear that you can easily slip into should the weather turn wet.

9. Lantern

Its one of my favorites parts of camping, to sit around the camp fire at night and enjoy the company or peace and quiet. So its good idea to take a Lantern that provide a light source so you can see what you are doing. So don’t stumble around while you are cooking, gathered around the camp fire or in the tent, get a lantern to shed some light onto the situation.

There are two Main types of light available, Fuel and Solar Rechargeable -Battery. There are various different fuel type lanterns which include Propane, Butane, LPG & Unleaded Gasoline. They all have their pros and cons,  but when I travelled around Australia  I decided to use the Unleaded Gasoline type. Simply because I only wanted to carry one fuel type to run my lantern, camp stove and generator. Also Unleaded Gasoline burns up to 1.5 time hotter and is available everywhere, including remote areas. In terms of safety when travelling long distances over corrugated roads, Unleaded Gasoline can be easily smelt and detected if there is a leak, where gas is odorless and tasteless, and can be dangerous if it leaks inside the vehicle.

10. Camp Stove

As mentioned earlier, you have to eat, and unless you comfortable cooking in an open camp fire, you will need a Camp Stove. They can run on a variety of different fuel types from  are a variety including Propane, Butane, LPG & Unleaded Gasoline. There are also many different designs from the compact single burner to the 3-6 burner.

I hope you found my Top 10 Essential Items to take Bush Camping.

Here is ” Top 10 – Essential Items to take Bush Camping – Part 1 “  (items 1-5) if you missed it.

Cade Arnel
Outdoor Adventurer
www.outdooradventureplace.uwcblog.com   2009

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The Top 10 Essential Items to take Bush Camping (items 1 to 5)

What are the Top 10 Essential Items to put on your checklist before you go Bush Camping. I have put together a 2 part “Top 10″  check list, together with some handy tips to help your next Bush Camping to be fun and enjoyable.

1. Food and Water

Food is an obviously first choice as we have all got to eat, right? If you are only going camping for a couple days you can take almost anything, if you have Car fridge or a supply of ice for your Icebox.

However if you are going Bush Camping for week or more into remote areas it is a good idea to choose foods which are non-perishable. Many fruits & vegetables are available in tins, which will keep for years is needed, and some varieties of fruit are also very tasty in the dried form and can be popular with the kids. All types of meat can be cryovaced or is available in a tinned variety as well.

A good supply of flour, sugar, rice, tea, coffee and a range of herbs and spices, will make you feel like you are dining like a king in the bush. After all  who doesn’t like freshly baked damper from the camp fire.

Water as we know, is also essential to live. Without it we will perish. When bush camping its not always possible to have access to a clean & fresh water source. If required you can boil or filter the water, but it is advisable to take your own for consumption. That way you know what you are putting into your body.

You can however use any available water sources to wash dishes & shower etc. to conserve your clean water for drinking and cooking.

2. Ice Box or Car Fridge

If you’ve got food and drinks to store, you definitely need to store them in a Ice Box or Car Fridge. Most Ice Boxes are similar in design, but as for Car Fridges they can either run on 12v battery or Gas. Most people, prefer a 12 volt Car Fridge because of their robust design.

Obviously when your out camping in the bush with no power you want your fridge to be as economical on power as possible. So before I bought my 12 volt Car fridge I did my homework on what types are best. It seemed nearly all fridges use the same amount of power when the compressor is actually running, but the trick is to find a brand which holds its temperature longer so the compressor doesn’t have to run as often, thus using less battery power. Most Car Fridges use a simple insulation behind the fridge walls to hold the temperature, while others use a liquid like Gycol, which has a superior temperature holding properties. Its also a good idea to purchase a 240 volt transformer so you can also run the fridge on mains power as well if available.

3. Sleeping Bag

When you go Bush Camping, you will of course, want a comfortable nights sleep. So a quality Sleeping Bag is essential, depending what climate you are going camping in, will dictate what type of sleeping bag you will need. They come in different designs and materials, so choosing a good quality sleeping bag is money well spent

4. Tent

When going camping, a Tent is your shelter from the weather. If its hot and sunny, it serves as a place to keep cool in the shade. If its wet and windy its your retreat to keep you dry and warm. There are many different shapes and sizes to choose from, depending on what type of camping you are doing, how many people you will be camping with, and easy of setup if you are intending on traveling from place to place.

If you are travelling from place to place and packing space is limited, a swag may be a good choice, as you simply roll it out and your matress, sleeping bag and pillow are setup easily within seconds.

5. First Aid Kit

Don’t go Bush Camping without a First Aid Kit. Camping mishaps are are very common, especially if you are camping with kids. Although most mishaps will only be of a minor nature, if someone really does get hurt, its peace of mind to know you have a First Aid Kit handy.

I hope you found the information on the first 5 items useful.

Say tuned for the ” Top 10 – Essential Equipment to take Bush Camping – Part 2 ” (items 6-10)

Cade Arnel
Outdoor Adventurer
www.outdooradventureplace.uwcblog.com   2009

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You might have heard on the world news lately that there is a 16 year old school girl from Australia, by the name of Jessica Watson, who is causing quiet a stir. She is attempting to be the “youngest person, to Sailing around the World solo, non stop” and to achieve one of her childhood dreams. She is attempting to Sail 38,000 Km around the world in about 230 days without any help. She will be sailing into some of the world’s wildest seas, and going where even grown men would fear to sail.

The reason this story has created so much controversy is that there is no right or wrong answer, it depends on your perspective. The story has divided the communities in some ways, some saying it’s too risky and dangerous, she is too young and innocent be taking on the mighty sea by herself. While others are really in support of someone so young living out their dreams, after all even 16 year old school girls have dreams to follow.

If you come from a Family oriented perspective, you  will no doubt be disagreeing with Jessica’s parents allowing her to attempt to set a new world record, sailing around the world.

If your someone like myself who loves outdoor adventure or achieving life dreams you will be probably cheering her on and following her progress with great interest. The fact that she seems be doing it for all the right reasons, other than the attention, and she is extremely prepared, makes me understand why her parents seemed comfortable allow her follow her dreams, and to attempt such an adventure. The interview on 60 mins indicated to me that her life dream is sail around the world, and the world record is just and excuse to do it at such a young age.  Jessica was extremely prepare in terms of her yacht & equipment, and the fact that she had been sailing with her family since she was a child tells me that she has a lot of experience even for a 16 year old girl.

This part is hard for many people to understand because many people have not sailed out in the open ocean or travelled into outback where there is little help available, which can put you way out of your comfort zone. This in itself is the attraction, to test yourself and grow as person, and why preparation is the key for a successful adventure.

I wish Jessica Watson all the best, sailing around the world, and may her journey be a safe one.

I will be watching with great interest. Go Oz!!

Cade Arnel
Outdoor Adventurer
www.outdooradventureplace.uwcblog.com   2009

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