Launching from Shoal Bay, Port Stephens

Tomaree Lookout. Cabbage Tree Island and Broughton Island in the background.

"Hey, watch me fall out!"

"I think that's a coffee shop over there"

Team photographer

"Ramming speed, ramming speed!"

Bird Island, Central Coast of NSW

Will the water be that smooth all the way to Tassie?

"Do you like my new Eco Bezhig?"

Greg, the slightly bigger boat in the background looks like a better option.

But that's cheating!

Paul, Greg and Robin at Burragura, Central Coast

Paul lost at the Macdonald River, NSW Central Coast

Troy on the final marathon leg - Port Macquarie Iron Man

Summerland Point, Lake Macquarie

Millpond conditions in Sugar Bay, Mirrabooka, Lake Macquarie

Cruising in Lake Macquarie

Off Mannering Park Point, Lake Macquaire

Introduction to Sea Kayaking 101

Summerland Point, Lake Macquarie

"If only I had an Eco Bezhig..."

Steady as she goes...

This is why I paddle...

Smooth lake, Smooth paddling

Let's go!

Paul tries a different look

Heading out from Swansea Heads

Robin approaching Moon Island, Swansea

Off the Swansea coast

Brendan, Troy, Greg and Robin paddling towards Bird Island, off Budgewoi Beach

Off Bird Island, Central Coast

Climbing 2m swell

Heading out to sea to play with the 'big boys'

Greg and The Eternal Wind...and I'm not referring to Greg's bowel dysfunction!

Head-on collision coarse!

"Does my bum look big in this?"

...at sea

...going home.

Looking back to Nelson Bay after circumnavigation of Cabbage Tree Island

Paul and Robin circumnavigating Cabbage Tree Island

A pod of dolphins cruised with us between Swansea Heads and Dudley Head

Troy and Greg heading for Dudley Head, Newcastle

The Shark Hole south of Swansea

Inside the Shark Hole

Greg at Norah Head

The Geko on Moon Island

Greg sails past Bird Island

The beautiful wooden boat

Shoal Bay, Port Stephens

Fingal Bay...getting ready to paddle around Port Stephens Lighthouse

Brendan, Robin, Greg & Troy...overlooking Shoal Bay, Port Stephens

...a day too late for Robin!

...the point of Robin's demise!

Tomaree Lookout, facing North. Broughton Island visible on the horizon, approximately 20km away.

Sunset on a Squall

Rear hatch cargo!

Cruising down the western coast of Pulbah Island

The Black Dog Institute asked us to run in the Sydney Running Festival, and do something 'wacky' to promote our cause. Avondale College kindly donated a heavy old Canadian canoe that we modified so that we could run the course 'Fred Flintstone-style'. We called it "Heavy Dog"

The begging of the transformation from heavy Canadian canoe, to lightweight (?) running accessory!

We cut large holes in the bottom of the canoe, and fabricated harnesses so that we could run with the beast for 9km

On the way to Sydney for the 'Run the Bridge' event, we found that Heavy Dog wasn't rigid enough to travel on the roof racks. So we crumpled it up and stuck it in the boot of Greg's Nisan Patrol!

Adorning Heavy Dog with Black Dog Institute logos before the Sydney Running Festival 9km Bridge Run

Paul, Greg, Bill and Troy at the finish line (Sydney Opera House) with Heavy Dog. We ran the 9km Bridge Run in 1:01:35. Not exactly race pace, but not a bad time with a 5 metre canoe!

Robin demonstrating proficiency with Eskimo rolling off Blacksmith's Beach near Swansea

Paul doing a reasonable beach landing (in easy conditions!) at Blacksmiths Beach, near Swansea

Paul demonstrating how not to do a beach landing in nice conditions at Blacksmiths Beach north of Swansea

Robin almost demonstrating how to do a cowboy re-entry