JEM Watercraft

G'day guys,

My partner, Evie and I just got back from an extended holliday (vacation) camping/paddling and fishing. We originally went to this place for 3 days and ended up staying there for 4.5 weeks. This is our set up.



The put in with our camp in the back ground. 'twas a simple matter of saliding the boats down the grass in front of the camp and into the water



Evie has never paddled a kayak before and she was keen to give it a go.



and she very quickly got the ghist of things,



The original plan was for a short, initial paddle in front of the camp but before I knew it, she was heading upstream, into the rain forest.

I haven't paddled my Laker in a long while, and I had forgotten just how much fun they are. I even found time to drag a lure or two around.





We continued upstream walking our boats through some small rapids and working our way from one beautiful water hole to the next and stopping hevery here and there for a cuppa and a break.





and as usual, Evie starred in the fishing department.

As the day was wearing on, we opted to head hom in what remained of daylight and Evie, by now was so confident in the Laker that she was keen to have a crack at running some small rapids.

Lining the first race up.



Unfortunately, they went round a bend and out of sigt but she managed them well enough.

On the way back, she told me how much she loved this boat so I gave it to her.



This was the first of many paddles she did in her Laker. Infact, she was so keen that she often took it for a walk on her own. I would wake up in the morning and Evie and her boat would be long gone.





even in the worst of weather



She has asked me to de-purple her boat to highlight the woodgrain and this will be my next project.

Get report as usual. Careful getting that purple off. Would hate to see you mess up the wood and have to build another.

Hiya Mick
Warmed my heart that report did,thanks for sharing what looked like the perfect holiday
All the best zeb

Enjoyable report Mick, good to see you are enjoying life.

The fish being held up in the second post looks like a Ling but I can't imagine one of them being in a river - what is it?

Also, the area looks pristine - are you able to tell us where it is? We promise not to share it around .

PS Zeb - haven't seen many posts from you for a while - what have you been up to? Put something in the out and about section, even if it's just local, we all like to see a Jem on the water.

Pretty sure that's a catfish Bob. Sure a nice spot. I Googled Yabba Creek and found out it's in the Conondale Range area near the Sunshine Coast in Qld. Looks like a great spot. Pity Queensland is in Queensland!

http://www.exploreconondales.com/content/

Anyone that can turn a 3 day trip into 4.5 weeks,will get my vote anytime,great report. Now do some more.

MM

"Matt Said",

Get report as usual. Careful getting that purple off. Would hate to see you mess up the wood and have to build another

Thanks mate. The lakers are ideal to tie on top of the camper (not too long). Re another boat. yeah I am thinking of two 13' P5's

"Zeb Said".

Hiya Mick
Warmed my heart that report did,thanks for sharing what looked like the perfect holiday
All the best zeb

Thanks mate appreciate it a lot.

Bob, the fish concerned is an eel tailed, fresh water catfish. Pretty good to eat but Evie isn't too keen on them. She much prefers Bass



The creek and surrounding valley is pristine. gob-smacking beautiful in fact. We stayed at a camping ground that goes by the name "Island Reach Camping Resort" right in the small town of Imbil, about 30 kilometres west from Gympie. (google it) "resort" hardly fits. The place has 11 acres of good shady camping ground right on Yabba Creek with good access to it and some of the best paddling and fishing in the creek. There are a few powered sites and the amenities blocks are basic but clean.

More and more, Evie and I have had a gut full of the crowded coastal camping grounds that are being over run with grey nomads every winter. Island reach is far enough from the coast to avoid that. When Evie and arrived, there were, i think 5 other camps there. If the blokes that run it were any more laid back, they would be dead. When we arrived, i tried to pay and the Jim, one of the owners said to just go and pick a site, set up camp and come and see him about paying when i got time. I spent two weeks trying to get someone to take my money with the most common answer from them was "Nah, come back tomorrow. I'm going fishing or I'm having a beer" Bloody good blokes - all of them. the place is pet friendly and open fires are permitted. If you are ever up this way, the place is well worth a look.

Thanks for that info Mick. I did find Yabba Creek and Imbil on Google Earth but there are so many photos on there I wasn't sure which part you were in. Certainly wouldn't have guessed it was in Imbil itself as there look to be so many great spots along the entire creek.

You know I still love living in Adelaide but we envy the east coast waterways - only one real river, a few creeks and some protected bays over here. Other than that it's out on the sea.