Yes, they exist unfortunately and I accompanied 6 of them on an adventure in South Australia over the weekend.
In the Lower Murray Lakes there is a large inlet which finishes in a River the width of a small road, with high
reeds either side. A great place to sail or peddle a Hobie Island or one of those other kayaks if you must.
Reminds me a bit of the African Queen movie adventure.
Anyway, it is 7.5 Nm to get to the end and the ability of the 6 kayakers was widely varied so we gave a few a
tow with our TI under sail. Started out with them holding onto the akas but they were bouncing around a bit
as the 10 knot winds were making a few waves in the sheltered waters, we ended up towing them some 10 or
20 feet behind.
After 4 hours odd came the best part. At the end of the River is a landing with a phone on the post to the
Currency Creek Winery who are happy to pick us up and take us a few miles to their winery for tasting and
lunch. They even have boutique beer for the die hards like me.
We had early in the morning dropped off a car and trailer so fortunately four of the kayakers decided to drive
back to our starting point. And that's when the fun began. Well not really until we negotiated the river and
came out into the bay where a 20 knot wind was blowing straight up the bay giving a reach of a few miles
and chop of nearly a yard. Of course the two kayakers expected a tow from our TI Mother Ship so outboard
motor it was. There was one section that I was able to sail across the bay on a close reach but most of it was
motoring.
My next project must be spray skirts as my wife and I were suffering from the cold even though the forecast
was for 80 degrees Fahrenheit. I don't think the kayak riders were much worse off. One started out bailing
her kayak as the cockpit filled from the waves. She was worried about it nose diving but when it appeared
it wouldn't, she let it fill up as the water wasn't as cold as the spray and wind. Probably didn't help our
progress speed but we made it back, cold and wet in about 3.5 hours.
This is us sailing and towing a couple of the kayaks on the way up, when I was still smiling.
So when we were back I thought great, this will be the end of those silly kayaks without sails or mirage drives but over a meal and drinks back at the camp, they all wanted to know when the next trip was planned. My wife inadvertently said how nice it was to kayak at the top of Spencer Gulf so the trip is planned for March.
This is where we will kayak so I don't blame them for wanting to go.
Hopefully it will be warmer by then and I will have spray skirts on the TI.
