WA’s Unique Paddle and Power Dinghy River Race from Northam to Bayswater

I will be back next year! I had so much fun. The start of Day 2 was like a beautiful downhill 40km rollercoaster. The response from the SUP community has been both shock and pleasure that it's a new SUP destination. I am positive there will be more of us next year!

The whole weekend was fantastic, staying in Northam on Friday night, watching the fireworks, the atmosphere on Saturday morning at the start, the high water levels and camping at Cobbler Pool. What a ride down the Valley on Day 2, it was challenging but exciting. I'll be back next year.

I'd like to express my gratitude to the organisers for allowing my 91 year old mum access to Bells for the event. Mum supported me in the Descent in the early eighties through to the early 90s and loved the opportunity to be able to see me compete again this year. She was at Bells and saw me come through (upright thankfully) and I saw her there as well. She got a real buzz from being there and joined me at the finish to celebrate.

If ever there was a year to shoot Extracts/Williamson’s Weir 2018 was it, with the highest water since 2008 we were having a great race. Sadly we hit a few too many rocks and snapped our nose off, good old shopping bag and some Gaffa tape got us through to the finish line at Cobblers Pool, what an adventure and thrill completing Day 1 in near flood conditions I am yet to do the full 124km course but nothing will stop me trying, bring on 2019