New Beginings - 18. NB Chapter 18

“Wow how many people did you organise to come” Kyle said to Sam, “Just two from each school, so it is fair to everyone” Sam replied with a smile. I chuckled when I saw Kyle's surprised look, then I turned to face everyone. “Ok, attention everyone please. Welcome to the Upper Avon river, today is just a short trial run, to check out parts of the river, Kyle, Sebastian – my cousin and I have tested the first 12 kilometres, and the next bridge is exactly nine kilometres away, so it should take us just under two hours to complete.

This is not a competition, just a challenge, to see if each school has the skills and stamina to complete this course. This is an unofficial event, and is not to have our schools mentioned in any way, we are just a group of friends enjoying a day out on the river. Next weekend will be the same, it is an unofficial challenge, you must get your parents consent to take the challenge next Saturday, and you are responsible for any and all injuries that may happen.

I own a property just upstream from the Cobbler Pool Campsite of the Avon Descent, and all competitors and support teams will be welcome to camp on the property on the Friday night. The conditions for camping at my property is, there is to be no alcohol, no vehicle burnouts, and it will be self catering, so bring your own food and water and camping gear, we will have portable toilets for your use, but no showers, and lights out and no noise after 9pm,

The challenge will begin at 9 am on Saturday, and we expect that it will take approximately 7 to 8 hours to complete the 40 kilometre journey, you will permitted to stop at each bridge crossing for toilet break, and to collect food and water from your support team, which is to be a maximum of four people. Any questions?” I said to everyone, “Yes, if some of our team members don’t have kayaks, do we hire one?” one of the participants asked.

“No, we have a sponsor, who will happily loan you a kayak, PFD and Paddle, for your use, as you see we have 4 spares on my vehicle now, so I will need to know how many require a kayak, before Wednesday this week, so we can get extras if need be” I replied. Ten minutes later, everyone was prepared, Kyle and Sam would be representing our school for this leg of the journey, and once they were all lined up, Seb tooted the car horn to signal the start, and they set off at a fast pace, before settling into a steady pace.

Driving along Spencer Brook road, we were able to keep a close watch on the kayaks, and occasionally we pulled over to the side to let traffic pass us, and in just over 1 ½ hours they reached the third bridge, with not much distance between the first and last kayaks. At the river bank, as the 14 kayaks were brought back to land, I studied them all,

“Any problems?” I asked, “yes one section, the river gets very narrow and very shallow, but apart from that it was good” Sam replied, and I saw the others nodding their heads in agreement, and I turned to Seb, we need the twins to stay here with you, while I ferry some guys back to their cars, so they can load up their kayaks” I said to my cousin, who shouted in Italian to the twins to come and join him.

After two trips back to the second bridge, we had all the vehicles at the third bridge. Right, is everyone from each school happy with the course?” I asked everyone gathered, and everyone nodded yes, “Good, now I will send a consent form to each team, copy it have each member have it signed by their parent, and bring them on Friday night.

I will include a mud map of how to get to my place, as it is quite a long gravel road, ten kilometres from the nearest sealed road, remember to bring your own food, water, sleeping and camping gear with you. We will provide toilets and some barbeques so you can cook on them. Thanks for coming today, and we will see you on Friday, we will have a Challenge briefing at 6pm on Friday evening” I announced.

Once all the vehicles had left, I looked at the river for a while, before turning to Kyle, “How are you feeling, you did 21 kilometres today, just over half of the course” I asked him, “A little tired and sore, but I think I might get someone else from the school, to do the challenge with Sam next Saturday. I don’t think I am fit enough to do the whole thing again” Kyle replied, as we finished securing the two kayaks to my vehicle and climbing in.

When we arrived back at the rectory, Annette came out to see us. “So, how did it all go today?” she asked me, “It went well, I did the first 8.5 kilometres with Kyle, and he and Seb did the next 3.5 kilometres, while I went to meet the other teams, who came to try out the course, two from each of the seven schools, so it was quite a crowd.

Seb and I followed in the vehicle for the last 9 km’s of the journey, with Sam and Kyle joining the others” I replied. “Wait, so you did 21 kilometres of kayaking in total?” Annette asked her son, and Kyle smiled and nodded his head, yes.

“Well, I am very proud of you son, that is quite an outstanding effort. Will you be doing it again next weekend?” Annette replied, “No Mum, I am going to be an assistant to the organiser, that wil be plenty for me to do” Kyle replied, with a tired look. “Have fun at school, and I will talk to you later on in the week” I said as we waved goodbye, and we set off again for home.

Leaving the twins to play in the rumpus room, Seb and I sat down at the dining table, and Mrs Cooper gave us a cup of tea each. “Thanks Mrs C, you are a life saver” I said with a smile, “Always happy to help my dear” she replied as she headed back to the kitchen. I stood up and went to the study, coming back with two note pads and pens, and I handed one to Seb.

“Rights lets get to work to plan this event properly” I said and I started to make some notes, and Kyle did the same think, not knowing what each was writing. “Ok, with what I have studied in Business Law, I have written up a waiver form for injuries or accidental death during participation of the challenge, covering the kayakers and their support teams” Seb announced to me.

“That is great, I have already worked out where all the bridges are and their distances on water. The course is exactly 40 kilometres from the Great Southern Highway Bridge in York, to the Peel Place Bridge in Northam, We will need one portable toilet at each of the five bridges, during the course, plus about six here on the farm. We will need about four portable barbeques, and tables to put them on, and a portable gazebo to cover them for weather protection, lets include 4 jumbo gazebos, to provide tables and seating for the teams to eat.

If I relocated the tractor and equipment to behind the old house, we can use the shed for extra shelter as well, that can be the site for the briefing Friday night, oh some lighting too for getting to the toilets. Maybe we could put the toilets, three at each end of the shed, we can use the power points in the shed to connect outdoors spotlights over the toilets” I suggested.

“That sounds perfect cousin, maybe put the four large dining gazebos together, about 5 metres in front of the shed, and we can have the smaller gazebos at the end of the dining gazebos, so all of them can also be well lit from the shed” Seb suggested. “Yes the shed lights will be enough to do that, we will also need to have a outdoor kitchen area, for washing up dishes” I added.

Once dinner was over and the twins were showered and in bed, we chatted some more about the planning, before we retired for the night, as it had been a long day, and I had promised out guests a trip to Rottnest Island. Seb suggested keeping the trip quiet, or the twins would insist on coming with me, so we agreed to not say anything to the twins, and Seb decided to let them sleep in, so Tom, Margaret and I would be gone by the time they get up.

In the morning, once we had a quick look around Fremantle, Tom, Margaret and I boarded the ferry and set off towards Rottnest Island for the day. During the ferry trip, Seb called me, to say the twins were disappointed that you had gone out early, he also mentioned that Mrs Cooper would be taking them into Northam, so he could buy a vehicle for his own use, without having to rely on me or the house keeper.

When we arrived back in the late afternoon, Tom and Margaret retreated to their room for a short rest, while I went looking for Sebastian and the twins, as the place was too quiet, and I found them swimming on the edge of the river, where it was reasonable clear of fast flowing water. Once the twins saw me they raced to me and gave me a wet hug, before Seb wrapped them up in towels and told them to go back to the house to shower and change.

While the twins raced up to the house, Seb and I walked slowly, so we could talk. “So what have you guys been up to while my guests and I were away” I asked, “Well I have a 4 wheel drive like yours but it is red, twin cab with cargo bay just like yours, and a roof rack too. We made a trip to Midland, and arranged to hire portable tables and chairs to seat 50 people, plus I bought a second hand marquee, that is about the size of your shed, and it will be delivered tomorrow along with hired tables and chairs.

I have booked and paid for 18 hire portable toilets, bought two box trailers and I bought another 4 more kayaks and gear, which we can transfer to the ship for crew and guests to use. I have arranged for 8 crew from my ship to come up from Albany, they will fly up to Perth and arrive by train from Perth on Wednesday morning, and will be staying at the motel in town, so we have enough man power to help us run this event.

“My crew can help with cooking meals, I was going to suggest that we provide barbeque meat packs for the participants and support crews to buy, and I will sponsor the salads for dinner and breakfast as well. All we have to do is change what you said about everyone bringing their own food, to buy meat backs and drinks and the salads for dinner and the Saturday morning breakfast will be provided by the sponsor” Seb said to me.

“Are you sure about all of this?” I asked Seb who wrapped me in a hug, “I will do anything for my cousin, so just let me do it for you and be happy” Seb replied. Once back at the homestead, Sebastian went to check on the twins, while I went to the kitchen, to inform Mrs Cooper of what will be happening on Friday and Saturday this coming week, and she looked pleased that there was extra people coming to help.

With Tom and Margaret leaving on Wednesday, I had agreed to drive them down to Perth tomorrow, so they could have a day to look around Perth, before their flight the next day, and I felt sad when I dropped them off at their hotel mid morning the next day. “Don’t be sad dear boy, we will see you in mid October, when the ship arrives, it will be great to have you on the farm for a little longer this time, and that it is only two months away till that time” Tom said to me when he saw my sadness.

Once I had left the hotel, I went for a walk in Kings Park to try and relax a little, and as I drove eastwards back towards Toodyay, I realised that I has driven towards my former school, so I decided to stop and see if I could find Kyle as it was almost lunch break time. Stopping at the administration building to announce my arrival, and request that I see Kyle Davies during lunch break, I went and sat in the chapel while I waited fore the lunch break to arrive, and I sent a quick text to Kyle.

“I am at the school, waiting to speak to you if you are free at lunch time, I am in the quiet place” I texted, and moments later I received a reply, “LOL, ok see you in a few minutes in the chapel”, and I smiled at the reply, before I pocketed my mobile and I looked around at the beautiful old building, that has been around for over 100 years. My quiet contemplation was interrupted by the sound of the big heavy door opening.

“Hey you, didn’t think you would want to come back to school” Kyle said to me, and I laughed which echoed, as I stood up and headed towards the door. When I stepped out of the chapel, I was surprised to see Sam, Lloyd and four other guys had gathered. “This is the Guildford team for the challenge, just thought you might like to know who they are” Kyle said to me.

“Hey guys, I know most of you, just a few little changes to what I said yesterday in Northam, you won’t need to bring food or drinks with you for the overnight camp, we will have barbeque meat packs and drinks for you guys to buy, we will provide the salads for dinner and all of breakfast the next morning, courtesy of our sponsor, we will have a marquee, with tables and chairs for your meals, and we have a catering team, who will happily cook your meals for you if you like, so just camping and sleeping gear will be required.

We will have some forms sent to you tomorrow, that need to be filled in and signed, and helmets will also be required for this challenge, as well as the PFD’s, good luck with the challenge on Saturday, and we will see you at my property on Friday afternoon” I announced, to everyone, and they wandered off to have some lunch, and I headed back to the admin building to let them know I was leaving the school grounds.

By the time that I arrived back home, it was a little after 2pm, having stopped in Midland for some lunch, and I was surprised to see a large truck parked near the shed, and some workers were putting together the framework for the marquee, and Sebastian was supervising everything. “Hey, wow you have been busy today” I said as I approached my cousin, and looked at the now completed framework.

“Hi, yes it looks good doesn’t it, the chairs and tables I hired are all in the shed, as are the portable barbeques, I decided to hire large ones, that can grill and fry, plus they have separate gas burners as well. Just inside the shed workshop on the front wall to the right, I have had a plumber install a double sink, there is a pressure pump connected to the water tanks for the sink, and a drain pipe runs along the side wall to the back of the shed, where we have installed a sunken leech well, so the water can slowly soak into the ground” Seb said to me.

“So where is the cooking going to take place?” I asked, “In the workshop area, since that is where the kitchen sink is, and it has a concrete floor there, and you don’t have any farm tools in there yet, so we might as well put the area to good use” Seb replied with a big smile. “Ok, that sounds like a plan. Did you get some extra tables and chairs for the kitchen area?” I asked, “Yes and I have enough plates and bowls and cutlery for fifty people” Seb added.

Leaving Sebastian to supervise the marquee frame to be covered, I headed to the homestead to rest a little, as I had a strong headache that won’t go away. I let Mrs Cooper know that I was going for a lie down, and she said she would let me know when it was time for dinner.

When I woke up next, I soon realised that I was back in hospital, and I groaned in annoyance, “Hello Mr Devonport, it is good to see that you are awake, I will go and get the doctor, to come and check on you, I will be right back” a nurse said to me and she dashed out of my hospital room, which I noticed was a private room.