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Royal Seachange Kayak Club
I love the reflections that can be captured when taking photos of the water. In the early morning, the images are very peaceful.
This photo of the “Royal Seachange Kayak club”, an informal group of resident kayakers, was taken at Emerald Lakes in Carrara.
The challenge when capturing this photo was that I was standing on my outdoor decking, in my night attire, trying to catch the attention of all the kayakers so that I could take a group photo. They usually gather rather haphazardly, some head off in one direction or another, and others wait behind for the stragglers. I had to be bossy to try and get some order into the chaos. I was yelling out, trying to give instructions, but I was also aware that many of the neighbours would still be asleep as this was all happening before 6.30 in the morning.
I use a Canon G16 for the sole reason that it is a compact camera with a viewfinder. This is very much just an up-market point-and-shoot camera, but suits me fine. It takes good photos, and is reasonably compact. I have long since given up lugging around large SLR cameras, and big lenses.
I love my photographs and will always transfer from camera to computer as soon as I get home and sort into appropriate computer files for ease of retrieval. I pride myself on my ability to find photos quickly and easily and without having to go on a witch-hunt.
About the Royal Seachange Kayak Club: Around 12 months ago, Damian Parker began to organise a group of kayakers to gather for a social paddle. Unofficially, they called themselves the Royal Seachange Kayak Club.
Through word of mouth, and by locals observing from their lakeside decks how much enjoyment the founding members were having, the numbers grew. Participation varies from 8 to 24 kayakers at the regular twice-weekly event. The paddlers are men and women whose ages range from 65 years to the oldest, at 80.
The mission is a meaningful social gathering full of fellowship and fitness, with the destination being the local coffee shop. Depending on how much gossip there is over coffee, the activity usually takes around two hours all up.
These gatherings have been particularly effective in enhancing the lifestyle of members of the village community by introducing them to a water sport of this kind for the very first time. Across the group, there is very little previous kayak experience. Most have learned to get in and out of kayaks by trial and error with the occasional unplanned swim. Depending on the person’s weight and their affordability, the boats are a collection of kayaks, canoes, and an occasional stand-up paddle board. Most of the ladies are very proficient and head the fleet with 14kg enclosed-style kayaks of various colours.
The men in the club are very helpful in making sure that the ladies can launch and retrieve their kayaks. They also assist with manoeuvring, so the ladies can easily step ashore at the Emerald Lakes Village. However, there have been a few “dunkings” as the steps at Emerald Lakes are quite slimy and there are no railings for paddlers to grab hold of when trying to get out of their kayaks.
Many of the group are over 70, so it would be nice in the future if the Council or local stakeholders could make the minor modifications required to ensure safety when using the area. Starting from the homes on the north end of the lake, the group usually paddle along the various branches of Emerald Lakes on the way. They dock at the French Quarter and are well looked after by Berg, of Kokko Maria Deli Café, who humorously calls the paddlers’ group, “the boat people”.
There is a healthy ecosystem around the lakeside wetlands. Paddlers usually expect to see much wildlife, such as cormorants, occasional pelicans and many other lakeside birds. There is discussion to enhance the activity by including photography, and quite often, members collect floating pandanus leaves and other rubbish (including a large, dead barracuda on one excursion!). This fish had been quite a well-known feature in the Lake until its untimely demise.
Image and text by Vernia Bullivant
About the photographer: As a water-skier since she was 10 years old, Vernia has always liked being around the water. She is now taking life easy and living at Emerald Lakes Seachange, where many of the houses are built on the lake’s edge. Most of those houses have a large storage area underneath, which is suitable for storing kayaks. She and her husband are currently trialling various brands of kayaks to assess their suitability, so they can also join in the fun.