IT was the moment when a Bacchus Marsh explorer nearly threw in his oar and went home.
Setting off from Biggara in the state’s north-east on July 30 to tackle the 2600-kilometre length of the Murray River, Chris Hayward found himself very much in the deep end.
Instead of starting from Hume Dam (formerly Hume Weir), Hayward, 18, took the river less travelled and began paddling hundreds of kilometres upstream, near Mount Kosciuszko.
Hayward (pictured) admits he likes to do everything a little differently, but on this occasion he almost sank his dreams in the process.
“The first two days were a shock to the system,” he says from a river bank near Renmark.
“I capsized five times in the first two days due to the conditions. I had the wrong kayak for a start; I had no skills or formal training. The only experience [I had] was on a peaceful lake.
“There’s been many days where it’s been absolutely wild and I’ve wanted to stop and pull over.”
But Hayward refused to quit and is now confidently paddling up to 60 kilometres a day towards his final destination, Goolwa in South Australia, to raise money for environmental charity Green Fleet.
While solo explorers can prepare for hunger and thirst, loneliness remains a real problem.
When Hayward spoke to the Weekly last Friday night, it was the first time he’d had any human contact in almost a week.
“I’m a very social person,” he says. “And there was nothing in a 300-kilometre stretch between Mildura and Renmark.
“Today’s the first day I’ve had reception since last Sunday. I turned on my phone and about 30 texts came through. My phone was going nuts.”
The expedition is likely to be the first of many for Hayward. While most teenagers are planning their careers, or the next party, he has only wanderlust on his mind.
Hayward expects to arrive in Goolwa in about three weeks.
To track his progress or donate, go to chrishayward.com.au
