FORMER Horsham resident Tom Dunn, 18, is kayaking down the Murray River to raise money for the Aurora Early Intervention Centre. Mr Dunn was inspired by his sister Cate, who was born profoundly deaf. He is providing the Mail-Times with a diary of his journey. This is the third instalment.
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ANOTHER seven days have passed.
Another seven days along this rollercoaster track that is the Murray River.
The scenery of these seven days has lived up to the rollercoaster theme – with each bend, the river offers something completely new.
‘How can it be new?’ you will ask, and that is a good question.
Every section has two banks, some trees and a watery bit through the middle, obviously.
However, if you have the time – and with close to seven hours of paddling a day, I do – you notice things that don’t appear on first glance. Simple things.
A tree that has fallen down creates a new obstacle, or perhaps it’s bird life that reacts to you coming past in a new way.
Now, again I know what you will say – ‘it’s still a fallen tree and they are still ducks’ – and again, you are right.
For a large stretch of this week, I had had enough of fallen trees and ducks.
Every single corner, more trees and more ducks.
It drove me to a really low trough on the rollercoaster.
Being completely alone for seven hours can play with your head.
With only my own thoughts to keep me company, my mind runs in circles.
It quickly takes me to a head space I would rather not be in.
Suddenly each new tree and duck is like an insult.
Wave after wave of these insults are thrown at me, at every bend and every straight.
It is ridiculous to say, but it was like the river was determined on breaking me, one duck at a time.
With each duck, the beauty of the river was drained.
The goal of improving a child’s life was punctured one duck at a time.
The hope of completing the trip shattered by ducks.
It got to a point where being alone had blinded me to the beauty before me.
Then one day it changed.
Maybe it was the call from home, maybe it was the generosity of people we passed, maybe it was a paddling companion, or maybe the river had changed its mind.
I don’t know why and I don’t know how, but the beauty and enjoyment came back.
I was no longer blind and the river was new to me again. The scenery had not changed but I had.
I had been taken to a place I had never visited before, a mental place where things were too hard.
I didn’t realise it at the time but I had just faced one of the biggest challenges I will come across on this trip.
To know, even when it seems it can’t get any worse, that each paddle stroke is worth it.
The ducks might drive me mad, but at the end of the day it will be worth it.
The river has only begun to test me but I am already learning about myself.
While the challenges might not be enjoyable at the time, the rewards are. And the reward at the end of this trip is a big one.
● People can follow Tom’s progress and donate via Facebook – Kayaking the Murray for Aurora.