Swift Cruiser 16.8 solo paddle in FLOODED Chowilla Game Reserve

This is also my first canoe camp in my new Swift Cruiser 16.8 pack canoe, now known as Roo (she is a big red after all 🦘). A flooding river means easy access into the floodplain, but it threw me a few hurdles as I made my way out of the backwaters and onto the river again. The flooding Murray also meant the bird life was amazing and the floodplain trees looked so healthy... it was such a joy to experience this unique ecosystem along the Murray River on my own only a month after the peak of the flood had passed.

[@KartsHuseonica]

For me, scratches are evidence of an adventure.

[@AmyOutdoors]

yes, absolutely Karts.... the first cut is always the deepest, as they say. Now she's got plenty of scratches it's not such a wrench to add a couple more, lol.

[@janphillips295]

Wow, that first one was the shortest portage in history Amy. But on a more serious note, I have serious frypan envy. That little cast iron pan is a beauty. And then you make a drink….. with a ice cube….. you’ve gotta be kidding me. I’ve got to ditch the kayak for a canoe complete with esky.😊😊

[@AmyOutdoors]

haha, yep! two tiny portages! such a pain in the butt when they're so short... seems rather pointless. If I'd had Little Blue with me I'd have just yanked her up fully loaded, slid her across the gravel and slid her back in, but being in a shiny new kevlar canoe I was not going to do that... and I paid for taking all those luxuries with me on that second portage! The other side of that road was a very steep and slippery mud bank back into the water - so steep I couldn't slide her down without sinking her, so slippery I couldn't stand on the slope without sliding straight into the water... I eventually built a stick ladder down to the water and got Roo, all my gear, a lot of extra mud and me back in... and the battery on my camera died, so I've got no evidence of that at all, haha! I do like that little frypan for the gas stove (and it'll be good for cooking on hot coals too)... and yes, everyone should go canoe camping with an esky at least once in their life. It's a very very comfortable way to go! love it 🙂

[@NasTimeAdventures]

That would have been an awesom experience. Great editing once again too. 👏

[@AmyOutdoors]

Cheers Nas 😊

[@petesprojects700]

Good to see you back on the river

[@AmyOutdoors]

Thanks Pete, it was so good to be back out there!

[@flash2mc]

Beautiful photography/ really enjoyed the timelapse’s as well

[@AmyOutdoors]

thank you 😊

[@FreedomOnFoot]

I may be mistaken but I kinda got the sense that you were excited to be back out on the river again. Great to see Roo's maiden trip and amazing to see how the floodwaters have impacted the landscape. That second portage looked like a tough one, especially in that heat. Love the timelapses of the sunset and sunrise too.

[@AmyOutdoors]

What gave it away Chris 😜 not sure when we'll see it like that again, back to normal flows and levels now, but the trees are still looking lush!

[@farqitol]

Sitting back, sipping a scotch, and along comes Amy, to complete the evening! Aaaaaaah.......

[@AmyOutdoors]

thanks mate! 😊

[@sansomountain]

Incredibly inspiring, thank you!

[@AmyOutdoors]

😊 thank you

[@corneliusoutdoors]

Very nice video, Amy. I get to enjoy paddling in the flood once or twice a year when the valley near where I live gets flooded. The valley is designed to get flooded when there is heavy rain to protect properties downstream. Keep posting these nice videos.

[@AmyOutdoors]

That sounds like fun! Thanks Cornelius 😊

[@smartclock727]

Nice to see another vid 👍

[@hellofromoutofplace]

Fellow south aussie! Just found your channel and ohh how fun and relaxing it was to live through you for 25minutes 😃 We are so keen to get out and try canoeing, look forward to bingeing your videos. Thanks for sharing! - Bon

[@AmyOutdoors]

G'day Bon, thanks for dropping by! Looks like you both have a great time in our beautiful state too 😃

[@hellofromoutofplace]

@@AmyOutdoors we sure do! ☺️

[@swaggingsisters]

Ended up looking like a great campsite Amy! And say wha' ??? Ice cube??? 🙌 Can feel your excitement emanating through on this trip😁. And Roo looks smooth and elegant in the Aussie bush👍

[@AmyOutdoors]

Thanks Sisters! Yep, turned out to be a great camp spot👌 You've got to have ice in your drink in summer! A good thermos is great for keeping ice frozen as much as it is for keeping a cuppa hot... at least for a few hours.

[@swaggingsisters]

@@AmyOutdoors yep 😁 we've done the ice in thermos trick too thanks to learning it off Explore Bound channel (was Exploranger)

[@wewentthatawayadventures]

Great vid Amy and how amazing is the bird life. Fantastic to see Australia from a different perspective. Think I need to spend a bit more time on the rivers.

[@AmyOutdoors]

Thanks mate, I can highly recommend some river time!

[@Getgowin]

Another great video Amy, loved the location and exploring the flooded trees. I see I have some stiff competition when it comes to cooking! Great meal ideas, just goes to show you don't have to limit yourself to freeze dried meals. Regards, Paul

[@AmyOutdoors]

Thanks Paul! It was so special to get out and enjoy it, despite the mud! And absolutely... who'd choose to eat freeze dried meals on a quick weekender? Bleh... the only time FD meals are a go-er is when you're pooped and food is needed... they fit squarely into the "food for fuel not for pleasure" category for me. But that's not to say I haven't thoroughly enjoyed an FD meal mid-expedition at the end of a long hard day!

[@turtlepurple9304]

Another great video Amy . I'm heading up that way later this year when it's warmer. And I'm changing from plastic canoe to f glass canoe saves 12 kg of weight at each portage for same size boat. Keep up the good work

[@AmyOutdoors]

Thanks Turtle. Should be back to normal levels by then, so these tiddly little portages won't be a problem... although depending which creeks you take it could mean carrying around snags instead. Wow, 12kg saving, that's going to be a noticeable change for you! I'm sure you'll love it.. both the new canoe and paddling around Chowilla 👍

[@corneliusoutdoors]

3:32 I feel you, Amy. 😁

[@jacqueline7118]

Roo is a beauty and I know how you feel about the scratches but it does get a little better as the boat ages and it accumulates a few more. lol I was the same with my first new canoe. OMG, that mud was something, good way to lose a shoe. :( Thanks for sharing your first trip with Roo. :) :)

[@AmyOutdoors]

Thanks Jacqueline, urgh, the mud was awful! Roo's got a nice array of scratches to go with the ones from this trip now, so I understand what you mean about it getting easier over time too! 🙃

[@CM-kj6lt]

Nice to see you back out paddling. Scratches or adventure marks? Lovely piece of SA water showcased there Amy.

[@AmyOutdoors]

Both! I've come to terms with them now, scars show a life lived. She couldn't stay perfect for ever, not the way I use my gear 😜 and thanks CM, much appreciated 👍

[@ladyadventurer5095]

So bloody good! I felt your enthusiasm! Go, Amy, you're a happy paddler now! Love Roo. Love your waterways...

[@AmyOutdoors]

thanks LA, much appreciated!

[@PaddlingTramp]

Hi Amy, it's interesting where you can get with the canoe after the floods. I really liked your food, it must have been very tasty. David PT

[@AmyOutdoors]

Thanks Dvaid. Yes, i always enjoy trying to cook new things in the bush 🙂

[@jasonthompson5256]

You need a cup holder now 😂👌

[@AmyOutdoors]

Haha, yep!

[@ralphhalwes3376]

at 14 to 20 kg depending what extra you got that would be so light to the other one, would love to have one but the price is just to much for me. hoping to get back to Ral Ral Creek Nelbuck Creek Hunchee Island down the murray back to ral ral wide waters top end Loop for second shot as last week did not go as planed when the wife capsized at Calperum causeway, so looks like her first time will be her last, I just enjoy what you are doing.

[@AmyOutdoors]

Oh no! What a pity. That causeway is not easy to get in and out at (assuming its out of the water now). I hope she gives it one more go... just make sure it's an easy short one... maybe Loch Luna, or even the Little Hunchee loop (take off from Wilkadene boat, upstream on the Murray, left at Little Hunchee Creek, left again into Amazon Creek, back for the last 1km on the Murray)... I often do that route as an overnight lap with newbies because there's a few spots you can camp at, it's nice and safe, no portage and only 5kms of pretty easy upstream. If not, well... solo canoe camping is great fun too 😄

[@lawrencestokes5745]

Hi Amy - oooh I am having a bad case of boat envy :🙂🙂. We went and had a look at the Swift Canoes in the flesh when were up at Kangaroo Valley in March. They are truly beautiful boats. As usual I have a couple of questions for you🙂. Which seat configuration did you opt for and what is it like. And why did you pick the 16.8' over the 15.8' , both of which I think would carry you and your gear easily.

[@AmyOutdoors]

G'day Lawrence 😊 yes, they really are beautiful boats! I went with the sliding pack seat as I used the sliding function quite a bit in Little Blue, and it means you can trim on the go if you get lazy and pack too much in your bags in the back of the canoe... like I might do sometimes 😆... but if you're methodical with your packing then a sliding seat probably isn't necessary. I do like that i can move it forward when I dont have any gear in the boat on a day paddle though, to get the trim just right. They do go faster if they're sitting level in the water! I wanted the pack seat because I like having a backrest. Roo's swift pack seat isn't quite as comfortable as the seat in Little Blue, but Little Blue's seat is outstandingly comfortable. The flexible nature of the swift seat also means you can't lean back and lounge in a Swift boat like I can in Little Blue... but it's really good for supporting your back while you have a rest and enjoy your surroundings... you just can't lean back heavily on it or it bends. The lumber pad is a great touch on the backrest too. I chose the 16.8 because I just wanted the longest packboat I could get. I used to paddle sea kayaks and I missed their straight tracking. I also wanted to be able to put all my gear in on one level so it all sat at gunwale height, and the extra foot was just a bit of extra room to do that... as I said in this vid.. I can now take everything I took in Little Blue plus an esky and it's all on one level in the boat 👍. Yes, I'm sure I could fit me and everything else in a 15.8 on a single level if I left the esky at home, which I do on an expedition... and I'm sure it tracks almost as beautifully as the 16.8. The 16.8 is a looong boat to manoeuvre on land though, and it's a lot of canoe to be pushed around by wind when lifting it up on top of the car in anything more than a gentle wind. It definitely also requires bow and stern anchors when it's up on the roof racks and driving, though I'd say it would be very sensible to do that for the 15.8 too!

[@lawrencestokes5745]

@@AmyOutdoors Thanks for the detailed reply Amy. I hope you will find the time to do an in depth pros and cons review of Roo further down the track. Re the sliding seat , did you get a seat/back pad to sit on top? The sliding seat with the footbar we saw at Paddle and Portage just had the carbon seat with no back to it. Cheers

[@AmyOutdoors]

@@lawrencestokes5745 ah yes, the pack seat comes with the attached backrest and seat cushioning... at least, that's what I got 👍

[@l214laus]

Welcome back Amy. How are things out west?

[@AmyOutdoors]

Cheers Paul, things are ramping up for my next expedition (wrapping up jobs at work, last minute gear prep, etc), but I'm also trying to shake off a bout of covid that hit me earlier in the week (doh!)... hopefully it doesn't delay things. Heading in the right direction, so here's hoping!

[@l214laus]

@@AmyOutdoors good luck. I have avoided the pandemic so far, touch wood.

[@AmyOutdoors]

@@l214laus I was trying my hardest, even wearing masks in public for the last few weeks... never mind, glad it happened before I left to be honest

[@bjsunbeam1668]

is there any footage between robinvale to SA border?

[@AmyOutdoors]

Yes, I've got heaps... just haven't edited it and posted it yet 😉 In the meantime you can check out @auntymonkey01 or @paulbrookerJOURNI for their murray paddles on KZbin too