FORMER Horsham resident Tom Dunn, 18, is kayaking down the Murray River to raise money for the Aurora Early Intervention Centre. He was inspired by his sister Cate, who was born profoundly deaf. Mr Dunn is providing the Mail-Times with a diary of his journey. This is the second instalment.
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AT THE time of writing I have completed day three.
I’ve travelled from Albury to Bundalong.
Three days. Who would have thought you could experience so much in just a small amount of time?
Already I’m at a loss on how to describe what I have been through.
No words can describe the excitement of putting six months planning into action and completing my first kilometre.
No words can describe the pride in yourself as you pass your personal best kilometre marker.
And no words can describe the exhaustion of completing each gruelling day.
The trip has already become an incredible rollercoaster of firsts and experiences.
There have been moments of sheer elation like when I pushed off and felt the full power of the mighty Murray for the first time.
There have been moments when the current has taken me faster than I could paddle and I could relax.
There have been moments when I have the most scenic stretches of the river all to myself, and my mind races, trying to absorb every last little detail.
Those are the peaks of the rollercoaster.
The troughs, however, are the reason my mates laughed when I said I was going to paddle the whole Murray River.
Moments of panic when the current dragged me towards a tree stump.
Moments when I throw up from working too hard, desperately trying to pass the next kilometre marker to keep on schedule.
Moments of utter fear when I feel a pain and exhaustion I have never known before and there’s still more than 2000 kilometres to go.
These troughs might be enough to make some wonder ‘why?’ For now I don’t have the answer.
But with each day, I know that despite each twist and turn, peak and trough, the rollercoaster is heading in the right direction.
Again if I was asked what that direction is, I wouldn’t have the answer.
But for every kilometre I paddle I know it will be easier next time.
For every ache, I know I will be stronger next time.
For every trough, I know the peak to follow will be worth it and so far I haven’t been proved wrong.
The Murray has only just started to test me, but more importantly I have only started to test myself.
Being only three days in I can’t wait to see what the next trough will be but more importantly I can’t wait to experience the next peak.
You can follow my progress or donate on Facebook: Kayaking the Murray for Aurora.
