Day 32 Surfers Paradise to South Stradbroke Island

I’m waking up a whole lot earlier than I should these days, but I’m almost getting used to that as well. Despite staying in some incredibly cozie accommodation as I migrate north I’m still not settled, not comfortable and riddled with aches and pains.

Nick has defiantly taken on Jess’s recent and continued advice, that as long as food is presented and appears pretty I will enjoy it! He went to a solid 10 out of 10 effort with the oats this morning. Unfortunately after 4 spoon fulls I was done. Lucky we had Jaz the Labrador at this particular home stay to finish it all off!

Having a brief morning mentor talk with Andy was great, he knows the areas and the waters so well as he has done his fare share of crazy long stand up marathon paddles. Being able to touch base throughout this journey with Andy has been incredibly insightful for me, he keeps me grounded, aware, on task and focused. I’m very much looking forward to having his company in the water as I reach the Sunshine Coast area.

So my water support crew Mark Beech or Beechy as he’s better known just asked me to sign his will. I wasn’t sure if I should be honoured or concerned to be a whitness… but seeing as he has just purchased his first home he is getting all those fun adult necessities done. The forms did ask my occupation and address which completely stumped me, right now I consider myself more mermaid than human and my current address is quite literally ‘somewhere in the pacific ocean’ at any given time. I asked if I signed the form as a mermaid if that would change the legalities.

Heading off this morning was incredibly casual, i actually suited up at the boat ramp rather than accommodation as we had a bit of a drive ahead of us. The weather has changed so drastically to my initial conditions, as its been warming up i have defiantly shed the wetsuit layers. Today was an absolute turning point in the migration north as i paddled in a bikini, totally weird for winter but I’m not complaining a bit!!!

The paddle today saw me crossing and traveling over Moreton Bay area, it was so incredibly stunning. We chose to cover the inside of the island rather than the eastern ocean side as conditions were much more ideal in the bay. Half way across i stopped and had my usual peanut butter and honey wraps with a CoCos Pure Coconut water, moments later a turtle popped up just in front of the jet ski. The first aquatic animal spotted for the day! For the rest of the day i was in absolute awe, i paddled across a reef for 2 hours admiring all the corals and fish underneath me. The fish seemed to scatter as i floated over the top of them and dart into the weed for shelter. As i got closer to Stradbroke Island a large sand strip came into sight. This was infuse Peel Island, i paddled up onto the sandy island that was a few hundred metres long but about 3 meters wide. It was amazing to stand on an sandy island  stretch of beach and have the ocean lapping the shores either side of me! I could have been anywhere in the tropics at that very moment! It was nice to be on my feet and upright after hours on the water. Especially after the last hour of paddling where all my snacks came right back up in the form of projectile vomit… not fun, but its a standard daily occurrence despite the seas being incredibly calm.

As usual Nick was there to greet me on the waters edge, we sorted the board and drove around to the boat ramp to grab Beechy before heading to the University of Queensland Dolphin Research Centre. Our new home for the next few evenings while i paddle the logistically unfriendly island stretch of the coast line.