Leaving Barham on Day Four the strain of long hours on the water and behind the wheel was beginning to show. Most participants were involved in fairly sedentary occupations with Kevin, Geoff and Kim being the exceptions. The lack of physical conditioning by exposure to hard physical work, showed up in tiredness and near exhaustion.
However, the record attempt continued!
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- Packing at Barham.
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- Refuelling at Pental Island.
The boat crews powered through State Forest for the first hour. Downriver of Gonn Crossing the country opens out into low, flat, irrigated farmland. The first fuel stop was at 0910 at the Pental Island Pumping Station, a location that involved a degree of turning back on our route.
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- Tony with Greg’s forgotten helmet.
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- Greg retrieves his helmet.
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- Near Pental Island.
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- The Bus at Swan Hill.
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- Crew change at Swan Hill.
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- Refuelling at Swan Hill.
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- Kim didn’t notice the ‘terrorist’.
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- Making good speed.
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- Mid afternoon nap for Peter.
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- Didn’t stop the photograph being used.
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- Fuel stop
An hour later the boats arrived at Swan Hill. Tony purchased gearbox bolts to replace those that had fallen out as a result of a lack of checking. The boats were refuelled. The crews were changed. The expedition continued.
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- Kim checking maps while waiting for boats in the forest near Boundary Bend.
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- At a fuel stop.
Heavy rain marked our departure Swan Hill. It persisted for most of the afternoon. The list of towns checked off grew – Nyah, Wood Wood, Tooleybuc, Goodnight, Boundary Bend.
From the mid afternoon fuel stop at Boundary Bend the course of the river again took the boat crews through State Forest. They arrived at Robinvale at 1735 and we set up camp in the caravan park. A cold, biting wind swept across the exposed park. Tony refuelled all jerry cans at the onsite bowser and returned to camp with a warning that no one was to go near the Triton with its load of 14 full jerry cans, some of which had spilled fuel.
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- Kevin checking motors.
Lessons learnt on Day Four were:
- Physical conditioning is important;
- Regular maintenance of motors is necessary;
- The establishment of a standard procedure in case of breakdown is necessary.