I've been reading Vic McAuley's book "Solo," as I was already familiar with the outcome of the expedition, every moment of humor and triumph detailed in the book was marred by a pang of sadness and loss. Seeing the picture of Andrew's little boy crying did me in, I started sobbing too.
I quite agree with everyone else that what Andrew did was selfish, but coming down to it, I don't think I could have resisted either if I were in his shoes. Sea kayaking is a funny thing, it plants the seeds of endless possibilities, and someone like Andrew is bound to test out his beliefs, his limits, and his inventions.
Which is a long way to say, it's impossible for me not to sympathize with Andrew. It also rekindled my enthusiasm, I'm not ready to come out right to say I'm going to commit to a second attempt yet, but the wheel is already rolling.
So I've been reading that in the last two days, and it brings back so much memories of testing situations in trips, and so many what-ifs, I actually felt sick to my stomach, so much so that I could not eat anything. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast on Tuesday, I did have a can of instant coffee yesterday, but had absolutely no food nor fluid since, and I decided to ... yeah, go paddle.
So I was going to do the Is. hopping route: DB-> Peng Chau -> Kau Yi -> Chau Kung -> Hei Ling -> Mui Wo -> DB. That was the plan.
I was feeling a little weak as I lifted my kayak to the water. No problem, I was so excited about paddling again, I didn't think to grab some food before I go. So I paddled out in high spirit, even made it to the rock garden that guards the DB pincher in 8 minutes, which is actually faster than my pre-NZ speed.
But my stomach was already growling at that point!
No problem, I'm no stranger to paddling in hunger. So I pushed on, mucked around with my painter line and paddle leash (one of them snapped and I had to use a spare.) By the time I made it to Tung Wan of Peng Chau I was already having doubts in my ability to do 25K in my condition. I drank half of my water hoping it will settle the stomach, but it did not. I decided to skip Kau Yi, paddled straight to Chau Kung Is., was tempted to just round CKIs., but thought that would definitely be cheating, so I pressed onto Hei Ling.
I was still doing okay at the HLIs. storm shelter, but then as I crossed the channel over towards the ammunition storage facility, I noticed a Kaito heading straight for me ... so I sprinted as hard and fast as I could. The Kaito missed me by a meter or two, which might sound like decent distance, but it's actually hair-raisingly close. I was banging on keeping my clothes dry and head straight to a restaurant after my paddle, but the boat wake had me drenched through and through. I started to get chilled (from being wet,) and I took on an inch of water in my cockpit (no spray deck because of fair weather condition,) and I didn't have a sponge (because of poor planning.)
When I finally glided back into flat water free of looming threats of rogue kaitos, I actually doubled over holding my stomach. I didn't realize how incapacitating hunger can be. I also started to get a little dizzy from the rock bottom blood sugar level. I paddled, stopped, doubled over for a while, paddled again, stopped again, my stomach refused resolutely to settle.
So I gave Mui Wo a miss too, and headed straight back to DB. Unfortunately I was too drenched to be served in any restaurant, so I went to the freezing supermarket to pick up some take out. Every step towards home was a challenge, I was tempted to just find a bench and devour my take out dinner right there and then. Self-denial is definitely not my strong point.
DB> 1:56
"rock garden">2:04
(departing) Peng Chau> 2:40
(departing) Chau Kung Is> 3:12
(rounding NE tip) Hei Ling Is.> 3:30
Storm shelter entrance> 3:45
I was fading at this point and could not concentrate on anything other than my hunger, was also starting to get dizzy.
(landing) DB> 5:03
Got home and ate like there is no tomorrow. For about an hour after I finished my take out meal, I still felt ravenous. I'm only beginning to feel stuffed now, like any good thanks giving turkey should be.
I think I'm going to have a soak in the tub, and then call it a night.
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