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Protest camp at James Price Point – update day3

The lowloader with the Bulldozer on-board remains in one place on the road to Walmadan, campfires light the night sky and the Goolarabooloo people and their supporters remain steadfast. MURRANJI PHOTOGRAPHY 2011

June 9th, 2011 The protest camp at Waldaman near James Price Point is in positive and strong spirit. After holding up the bulldozer’s progress along the road for another five hours this morning thoughts are turning to the next efforts to protect Country and stop the pre-emptive land clearing. All the folks at the camp would like to thank everyone for all the support and the donations of food and supplies.
Still there has been no land cleared by Bulldozer on country and all involved are determined that this will not happen.
If you can get there tomorrow your presence will be very important.
If you are interested in traveling to the Kimberley to help out look at http://kimberleydirectaction.wordpress.com/
Want to help Save The Kimberley? http://www.givenow.com.au/savethekimberley
or look at what can I do to help and how to write a letter.

The roadblock vehicle is removed by Broome Shire workers. MURRANJI PHOTOGRAPHY 2011

update day 2 Kimberley protest against James Price Point gas

Sourced from www.savethekimberley.com

Latest: 10:14 pm Goolaraboolo family and supporters are currently sitting in front of the bulldozer. They will not move. They expect more police at dawn to move the dozer. Please – lots of people early to support please – Day 3 tomorrow is shaping up as another big one..
5:32 pm 8th June 2011: Both Shane and Shayne have just been cut off the bulldozer and car respectively. For local hero Shane that represents one of the longer ‘lock ons’ in protest history. This is not the end of the story, no matter where you are – if you can get out there soon. The Country needs you.
The protest is ongoing as of tonight:
“Protesters and police camped on the site of the blockade last night and are expected to remain in the position about 15km from James Price Point into tonight.
Broome Shire earthmoving equipment remains on site to clear the road but at this stage cannot make it down the road as two cars have broken down blocking a route to another derelict vehicle further down the track.” Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/9602243 accessed 6:03PM WA 08/06/11

Joseph Roe, Goolarabooloo Lawman and Traditional Owner of James Price Point (Walmadan) standing firm on the Manari Rd to James Price Point. MURRANJI PHOTOGRAPHY 2011

If you are interested in traveling to the Kimberley to help out look at http://kimberleydirectaction.wordpress.com/

Want to help Save The Kimberley? http://www.givenow.com.au/savethekimberley

or look at what can I do to help and how to write a letter.

There was broad coverage of the unfolding events on evening TV news.
Online articles:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/08/3238622.htm
And the incongruously headlined: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/9602243

Protests continue at James Price Point

sourced from http://www.savethekimberley.com/wp/2011/06/07/protests-continue-at-james-price-point/


Hero of the Country; Shane, locked on to the Bulldozer to halt it in its tracks!

June 7th, protesters met Woodside contractors on the road to James Price Point north of Broome. A small group who got wind of the movement of bulldozers and other equipment formed a human chain across the road and delayed progress, and a protester chained himself to the bulldozer on it’s trailer.
Meanwhile a small car with no wheels appeared on the road further down the track and a steady stream of Broome locals joined Joe and Phillip Roe and Therasa, who are Traditional Owners, native title claimants and Law Boss for the area, in protecting Country from planned clearing.
Another protester replaced the first chained to the bulldozer and at time of writing was settling in for the night…

After herding off Woodside contractors on his camel this protester took a moment to enjoy the music. MURRANJI PHOTOGRAPHY 2011

A ‘back of the ute’ concert from Dave Mann and Will Thomas, juggling and singing accompanied the firm but non-violent protest message and strong cross-cultural community spirit as Greens MLC Robin Chapple and a diverse cross section of Broome business owners and residents supported the road blockade and bulldozer lock on.

Woodside want to start clearing bush in the area they propose for a huge Gas plant. Protesters point out that this development is NOT APPROVED by the WA EPA, the WA environment Minister, the Federal Environment Minister, Woodside’s joint venture partners and not even at final investment decision point for Woodside itself. Compulsory acquisition of the land from the native title claimants is still on the table and is currently the subject of a legal challenge.

This development is clearly not approved by the Broome community and they were there to show that and stop the pre-emptive clearing of bushland.

THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES – gas could be processed offshore like Shell is doing or processed in the Pilbara where there is already established infrastructure. A port and plant at James Price Point would be environmentally and culturally damaging.

Please Donate to the cause and help protect an area that is significant for the world

More info visit www.savethekimberley.com

Read articles in the press:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/9594615/gas-protesters-block-woodside-vehicles/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/07/3237665.htm?section=justin

Photos:

this little car held up Woodside contractors all day..

Broome hero locked on under a bulldozer

“STOP” pleads Theresa Roe, mother of native title claimant Joseph Roe.

Hands Off Kimberley Coast Protest songs!

I was in Broome today when members of The Pigram Brothers performed a gig outside the local Woodside office with Wil Thomas, travelling musician Dave Mann and didgeridoo artist Paul Boon.
the musicians wanted Woodside to consider other locations for its proposed $30 billion gas processing plant at James Price Point and to not develop the untouched and special Kimberley Coast. This Protest Concert also coincided with three others, one in Perth, one in Melbourne and the other Sydney, with artist Jimmy Barnes and John Butler leading the fray with there big names!

see here for full story »

And for more info on the issue go here http://handsoffcountry.blogspot.com/

this development would be a true loss to the world not just Western Australia, this coast line leaves me breathless and needs to be preserved.

View From Price Point the Heart of the proposed Gas Plant location

A Little Bit of North West Australia

Sitting yet again on a plane, I am surrounded by people speaking in a very familiar fashion; yet with a slightly different stress on nouns and hint of raised tone at the end of words. I look from the window and the of Western Australia lies below me; arid, brown and ongoing. I am flying north from Perth to Broome, where I will spend 10 days with my Friend Kazz; who lives there. A seven hour flight the day before; with a four hour time difference, had me landing in Perth at 6pm after leaving Auckland New Zealand at 2.45pm. I was shocked to find how strong the Aussie dollar was when I changed $50 USD into $42 AUD. I wont mention what my NZ$ turned into. Hoping a cab I headed to my friend Kazz’s friends place in Carlyle. Cos was home to great me, gave me a beer, a bed and shower, though I was in desperate need for sleep and retired at 9pm. I was surprised how chilly it was in Perth until I looked on a map and saw that it was the same latitude as Auckland. I was expecting semi tropical, and was glad I had brought my jacket. I awoke this morning to a clear crisp morning, with the sun shining through the window. I lay for awhile and then realized, “ I am in Australia!”. I had never been to Australia in my adult life and never to this side, the cultural familiarities had me a blasé; however I now am excited. There is a pleather of Snakes, Birds, Lizards, Amphibians, Insects, geology and coast line I have yet to see and explore; right out the door! going for a quick walk before my cab ride to yet another plane flight to Broome, I was instantly enthralled by the birds everywhere. Even in the heart of suburban Australia, native species flourished, some very familiar; Pied Magpies, Crows and some not so. I walked to a nearby park and just watched rainbow lorikeets play in a eucalyptus tree, there loud excited squeals reminding me of the American tropics. Magpies tattled calls, reminded me of rural NZ, and the Crows croaking as they collected twigs, took my mind to the Pacific Northwest of Canada and USA. a number of interesting birds I watched and etched to memory in order to ID them later when I find a good book. I instantly find Australia exciting and alive, Even in the ‘Burbs’, the idea of all the creepy crawlies here brings a smile to my face; I cant wait to see what adventures come in the next few days, and Broome is wild and remote. Only memorable things can come from a romp in the outback of Oz, surely!

THE END (for now)

After arriving in wellington, Leona and I loaded my boat on her car with inflatable roof racks loaned to us by Fergs kayaks and headed to her place. I spent the next 5 days enjoying wellington area and catching up with old friends and family. The storm finally came the next morning after I arrived and proceeded to rain and rain and rain; plus the wind; my, my how the wind blew. This storm travelled north and proceeded to devastate coastal Hawke’s Bay with the biggest floods in 100 years, destroying parts and cutting off many of the coastal villages I enjoyed along the way. No one died, though many people lost homes and farms, I was quite epic. I am thinking of a title for this trip, maybe “ In The wake of Disaster: kayaking the north island of NZ during a summer of chaos” after all, there had been the Christchurch earth quake, the Japanese quake and tsunami, the Myanmar Quake, Floods in Australia and now the floods in Hawke’s Bay. We will see, it is probably to ominous a title.

April 28th was my Birth Day; I turned 30 years old, I couldn’t think of a better way to roll (or should I say kayak) into my 30’s. it has been an amazing 29 years of life so far, I can’t wait to see what more is to come. I celebrated with a small collection of friends and relatives who were around and available for dinner and drinks. Leona made an Awesome kayak cake. What a great little night at a South East Asian Restaurant called Monsoon Poon; it was very funky and the food tasted great.
My father drove down after the storm passed his land in Hawke’s bay hadn’t been affected luckily. We drove up and camped on the west coast looking out at Mount Egmont; it was a fitting way I felt to end things: the boat on the racks of a car, camping back on the west coast and watching the sunset into the Tasman, me sitting in the kayak on top the car as we drove along, setting up the tent in the dunes; all reminiscent of how Dave and I began the trip on the North west coast and now I end it In a similar way. We awoke the next day to a beautiful morning, it was a flat day on the west coast, the snow caped peak of mount Egmont glowed in the morning light and ever so slightly a tingle felt in my belly, an urge filled my mind, the call to paddle on started whispering in the back of my mind…………….. and I knew there would be many more adventures to come.
Read all the Stories here www.kayakdownundernz.blogspot.com

KAYAK DOWN UNDER NZ UPDATE April 17th; Gifts from the Cray Fishermen

Log
Date: April 17th
Weather: overcast
Swell: 2M SW
Wind: 10knots SW
Distance: 10 NM
Camp: Mikes Bach, Flat Point

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Blog
I awoke to find the surf area at low tide riddled with rocks awash, hmmm. The surf was big enough to be tricky though there was a good channel through the rocks straight out from my camp, and swell lulls were often. I packed up camp without a rush, allowing the tide to come in a bit more and to let the morning sun dry my wet tent before I packed it. As I ate breakfast and loaded the boat down on the beach, big dark clouds rolled in and the sun started to get covered, by the time I decided it was time to work my way off the beach through the rocky surf, only patchy sunlight came and went.
I Sat and watched the surf to find some patterns, but when I launched and held my ground amongst the rocks in the wash, the waves seemed to pick up in intensity with no lulls. I sat and sat; fighting to keep in the channel and off the rocks, waiting for the gap in the surf; so I could safely break out back and not risk getting back surfed on to an exposed reef. Finally after 8 or so minutes the gap came and I powered my ass out through the green lumpy swells that started coming in again; breaking left and right. it was well timed and I had no incidence.

I was only paddling a short way today, to find a good place to camp up for 2-3 days to let the coming bad weather pass and then I can move on, though as I paddled south, the wind blew up in my face a bit, and I got worried that I was getting caught out by the bad weather early, however I could see my destination, flat point, ahead; so I pushed on. Nearing flat point I could see only rocky shores, and started doubting whether I was going to be able to land; though as usual, when I am in doubt, I see a tractor and boat trailer and know that if they can launch and land a power boat in that part of the surf, then I can land as well.
I came up next to the tractor, through surf much smaller than it initially appeared, just as the EL Toro (a Cray Fishing Boat) came blasting up onto the beach on the other side. I had always wondered how they got these big boats up onto the trailers, now I got to see. The Cray boat was now high and dry on the beach, after a full speed landing; now the Trailer was backed up to it, and a winch pulled the trailer under the boat as the tractor backed up. The boat didn’t move until the trailer tilted forward and lifted clear, then it all went like normal; however I guess in this case the whole process was normal.

At this point I meet Mike and his Son Luke, they where instantly intrigued by my story and within 5 minutes of talking, I had been given a Cray for dinner, had help lifting the fully loaded kayak onto part of their boat trailer, and transported up to their ocean side Bach.
At the front door of the Bach I was given the key and told to make myself at home. “ sorry we can’t stay and talk, though we need to get going back to town, we will be back 3 days probably, so as long as you can figure out the stuff inside by yourself, we will see you once the storm passes; enjoy!” said mike as he and Luke then drove off up to their Lobster shed.
Here I was given the use of a brand new, fully furnished modern beach Bach and I didn’t even know these guys, wow awesome. I had been prepared to hunker in a tent for 3 days while some crazy winds and rains came through and now I had a warm little house to hide in, but still also be right on the water. Perfect; even had a Fur Seal as a neighbor.

The evening went very still and got very sunny, so I cleaned some gear and hung it to dry and had my doubts about the coming weather. I then cooked the Cray for dinner, sat out and watched the moon rise over the ocean, while eating my meal and drinking a beer, then very quickly the night turned, the Calm before the storm was over and the storm was here, the winds picked up fiercely, clouds rolled in and I went inside to listen to music and read a book. Soon rain came and poured down while the wind whipped the sea into a fury; while I was warm and comfy inside eating chocolate, reading a book and listening to music. I am happy I am not in a tent. Thanks Mike.

FOR MORE STORIES FROM THE KAYAK DOWN UNDER NZ EXPEDITION

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we made a cover!

Open publication – Free publishing

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Leg 1 Of kayak Down Under NZ Expedition Complete

We pulled into Takapuna Boat ramp at 12.30pm after 20 days and 287 nautical miles (517kms) of paddling.
With sore muscles, ready to eat lots, repair electronics and boat bits, and have a couple of days off, we loaded our boats atop a car and headed to a friends place.

the next two days we will repair ourselves as well as faulty solar charging sytems, a kayak rudder AND ……. FINALLY our Lendal Paddles have been Released by NZ Customs, YAY!

for more stories from the adventure www.kayakdownundernz.blogspot.com

Feb 7th, So It Begins!

Log
Date: Feb. 7th
Weather: sunny moderate swell from the east, light swell from east
Wind: light NW
Distance: 20.5knts
Camp: Spirits Bay

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We awoke early both apprehensive of the day coming, this was really going to be the beginning of it! I felt doubts and fears creeping in, but brushed them of as, “just the ideas and fears of failure and the worst case scenario”, in reality, I knew when the best time to go was, the weather was good, and as soon as we got around Cape Reinga, with the weather the way it was, we didn’t have to contend with the surf of the west coast. Dave didn’t know these things as certainty and he wasn’t as cheery as I was, I knew this and I tried to keep him positive, which also helped me keep positive, Dave did not need a beating in a loaded boat, as this would result in a lot more damage to the boat and maybe to him than the day before had provided. The surf break looked great, we were set.
We packed the boats close to shore, and by the time we were ready the water had come to meet us, we where however 30 minutes late, the break had changed, it wasn’t as good, but was still doable though we had to go now. We broke out with very little miss hap, though the breaking water was continuous for what seemed like 30 minutes, Dave was feeling a bit defeated he thought we had missed our chance, I assured him to wait, and then like mosses parting the red sea, the surf suddenly opened up. “GO!! F#@#ING GO! THIS IS IT WOOO HOO!
Dave and I paddled like bats out of hell, we powered through half the zone before the first peaks came at us, we pushed up these faces with 200kg loaded kayaks not giving up their momentum. I; looking back after I kicked of one big wave, saw Dave in his green machine, fully airborne off the back of the now breaking wave and come crashing down with a splash and powered on! I laughed at this point, just before I looked forward and saw the huge back breakers start rearing up and I screamed, “PADDLE FOR THE WHITE WASH!”
Dave and I punched through the first wall of white water, the boats in their loaded state not giving an inch, we then charged for the shoulder of the next one as it curled and broke furiously beside us as it passed, we pushed hard up the last step green face and then slowed down the pace, not stopping yet until we knew we were well out of the rogue wave breaking zone.
YES!! IT HAS BEGUN!! I yelped in ecstatic joy! Dave was still a bit charged and speechless, we drank some water and then we where off! Dave was pumped and ready to take on the world, and so was I. what a way to start the trip, some real good lessons, and some great achievements. We packed our surf training into one day and it paid off great.

The paddling was stunning, we moved along well off shore, both of us happy to be away from the surf zone for now. The sun beat down and the sky was blue. Rounding the first cape; Marie Van Damon, Cape Reinga came into site, and the swell drop off. Cruising by golden beaches and tall cliffs, we approached the fabled Cape Reinga and its notorious shoal and rip tides, edging in it looked tempting to go on the inside of the shoal as we had got to it on about slack tide and no currents where present . Heading advice however we gave the shoal and its gigantic clapitos waves a wide berth paddling out about 3km’s.

I felt very sea sick out here due to all messy large swells mixing, though that was soon forgotten when we looked across the angry waves at the light house of cape Reinga with all its tourist looking out at us ( or at least so we would like to think), and I was stoked. We had beaten the west coast break, we had done the rounding of cape Reinga the trip was now a reality!

We punched over 20 knm’s that day; we caught a fresh fish for dinner, and reveled in the change of beach energy compared to the west coast. We came to a beautiful large crescent beach, where we rode in through the small surf, and set up camp behind the dunes. Hot smoked Kawhai (the fish we caught), was on the menu for dinner and we enjoyed the sun setting behind cape Reinga as we talked and reflected on the day and our hopes for the next three months of our trip together. As night fell the light house light blinked away and we retired to the tent triumphant and well feed.

To read the rest of the Story click HERE www.kayakdownundernz.blogspot.com