Wet and Wild - Episode 136
Good morning patrons!
This week we take you with us as we kayak up 2 rivers, park Mirrool under a waterfall for the first time in 2 years, hike up a hill sized mountain with a spectacular view and get familiar with the wild waters of the Bathurst Channel. There is even a little bit of boat gardening thrown in for good measure (one for you Jake 😉).
We are so excited to bring you all this week's episode. We loved editing this one and hope you enjoy it. An episode filled with plenty of adventure and fun plus my favorite scene from Dead Calm 😂
With gratitude
Pascale
Comments (31)
One tip I’d like to see implemented as a kayaker with a few sea miles under my hull is attach your paddle to the kayak with a lanyard so that in the event of a dunking, by keeping hold of the paddle, you are always attached to the boat. It doesn’t take much wind and current to have the kayak go out of reach faster than you can catch it. Sure don’t want to lose you guys! Pete
Good advice Peter thankyou. We have since made up a few lanyards with dyneema that act as paddle leashes among other duties.
Wonderful stuff guys! Great filming, great content, great scenery indeed and great people.. what more could we ask for!
Another fabulous bit of cinema. Your art is really able to transport me to freaking Tasmania! I do enjoy these so. Thanks you! Tim (Loved the Pascy cold water squeal and the hydroponics...)
Thank you so much Tim for you kind words - and it was bloody freezing in there!
"Hydroponics! Growing plants artificially in water, very interesting technique. We'll need to know all about it if were going to go to Mars and Places"! (From Last Chance To See by Douglass Adams) The man being quoted was Dr, Struan Sutherland, an Aussie venom expert who would rather talk about...Hydroponics! Last Chance to see is perhaps my all time favorite book....)
Will check out the book for sure cheers Tim!
Tasmania has always been a destination calling me, so watching this series seeing it through your keen eyes, and hearing both narrations has been and continues to be most interesting. Sailing in that strong river current must have had it's moments....I found myself naturally leaning, but soon realized my couch was close to 8,000 miles away here in California. Weeeeeeé ✍️)))
We would say that the thing most recommending Tasmania as a destination is the variety of landscapes to explore. Just an incredible natural beauty in so many forms. Yes, sailing against that strong current with a powerful wind on our stern was exhilarating. Plenty of submerged reefs to gybe around too!
Another great episode, thanks for always being awesome. Just curious as you often talk about how many people say you “need a bigger boat”. If budget was no issue, what would be your dream sailing yacht - or is it in fact Mirrool 🍻🥂
We just answered a very similar comment above in this thread. If budget was no issue, I think a trip into very high latitudes and ice would be in consideration. We would still look at old , strong and heavy, but with top of the line equipment. I reckon we would still come in at under $180,000 Aussie. Also, that kind of trip would require crew so the size would go to about 42'. Having said all that, FRS is about showing people what's possible on a budget boat with realistic expectations and managing what compromise is acceptable.
Audio is great on this one. You mixed it well with the dialogue. That said, quite a stunning video of the natural surroundings...and you guys. I just love the foggy, cool, wet world that is Tasmania. Never been there, but you folks made it so I think I have been.
We both thought the same Joseph. Some episodes, it feels like things click together better- this was one of them. Thanks for coming with us.
Love my Friday morning Free Range sesh. Incredible scenery. So much like Scotland, it's uncanny. Those inflatable kayaks have been such a great addition. I think I'm going to get myself one here in Berlin for the Summer.
We think they are quite well made, though the attachment points on deck are glued on so there is a limit to their load capacity. The rudder that is on them was sent for free as a bonus. It is fixed and serves only to help track straight. I wouldn't class it as necessary if your technique is about average (like ours). I think eskimo rolling them back up would be impractical but as they are very buoyant, they won't sink getting back into them. We would be interested to hear your thoughts on whatever you get, so please keep us in mind if you do get a 'yak.
Finally, as a newbie I vaguely recall you discussing catamarans in one of your earlier episodes and would like to know if any episode contains the outline of your dream boat and rigging and if so could you point me to the episode. I believe I have viewed over 90% of them and as I am an ageing armchair sailor these days my memory is no longer perfect (but not too bad), thank you.
As soon as i had seen the first episode i knew i was in for a binge watch🤣
Oh ! and I think the title "Free Range Sailing" is very clever as it evokes images of many things, free range in area, foodstuffs and many other images. Love your Vids and living style, even if a lot of it seem like hard work keeping up maintenance on the Marool as well as the labour in editing and posting your videos. I find that terribly time consuming just keeping my own small videos (family) in order, so making the FRS videos is not just a bed of roses but I guess, jolly hard work. Thank you !
Thanks Francis. Each video represents quite a time investment but it has brought us into contact with some lovely people and it will stand as a great body of work for many years to come. We think our young relatives might enjoy seeing what we got up to in our younger days once we are gray and cantankerous!
I agree with Andrew Howie that many of the areas you have visited and photographed have been absolutely beautiful, indeed better than the photos provided by my iMac (with Retina) as screen savers. It has made me think that some of the areas you have still photographed (not vids) in hi-res would be suitable for a calendar of Australiana and some of the beautiful places you visit. Including a map of Marool's wandering since you began your voyaging on the inside of the back page marking the site each photo was taken. I would pay happily for such a calendar, Marool and yourselves should also be put on the same page as the map.
Quite an interesting idea. Onme for the back burner
Great episode, my South African friend introduced me to biltong a little while ago and have become quite the fan.
We find it unbelievably addictive. Caution is warranted when you have a kilogram of the stuff in easy reach!
Another fantastic episode. The area is so photogenic, beautiful, and your editing and music backing really captures the magic of the area. Thank you.
Thank you for joining us on the voyage. Making these videos for such an appreciative community really adds another dimension to the experience for us as well.
Wonderful episode!! Those looked like very fun kayak explores! We've been enjoying some modest exploration with ours too. It's a great way to get into some wonderfully interesting places. I found a submerged bridge in my little boat last week (man made lake with all kinds of interesting hazards, some charted, others not so much). Watched the depth sounder getting alarmingly shallow, but was unable to see my navionics chart due to sun glare, but then felt and heard a bump, and a bit scraping along the top of something . Fortunately I have a retractable keel, and did not have it locked down (likely never will in these waters). I was able to raise it a bit and cleared the rest of the bridge structure while navigating my way clear. I've got to study up a bit better ahead of time!! Very cool you're able to keep things growing and have fresh herbs that way! Looking forward to seeing the refit videos! Sounds like you're making good progress!
Just goes to show what a talented sailor you are Scott. The rest of us have to be content with just passing under bridges!
Beautiful as always. Love the way you get out into the wild places. Re the kayaks: what are they like to dry out and pack up? Do they get water inside so you've got a wet bum for hours?
Good question Roger. They do take a bit to sponge out at the end of the day, but the amount of water shipped isn't large-especially with the spray skirts fitted. We used an automotive sponge to mop them out and wiped them with fresh water. Then we dried them off with towels but on warm weather, the sun would have done that. Our main enemy is salt below deck so that is what we focused on eliminating. So far, we haven't seen any mold...
That was a lovely episode guys and I can see why you enjoyed putting it together. We just have the plastic sit on top kayaks on Kombali but I find that lashing them carefully they stay out of the way. I’d hate to go through a storm with them on the foredeck though. My wife loves kayaking and exploring with them wherever we drop the hook in an interesting place. Stay warm as this front brings the antarctic to Hobart.
In our very first videos you can see we sailed with a ski on deck which Pascale loved to take exploring too. We left it with a friend just before we got to crocodile waters and have been looking forward to more paddling ever since. We are just a bit small for deck storage 😞