When Peter White committed to paddling the length of the Lachlan River in a kayak to raise funds for youth mental health, he probably wasn’t banking on being dumped in the water twice in the first hour.
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But he’s a man on a mission – and he’s now one week into his trip from Wyangala Dam as far as the river will allow, coming through Forbes on the weekend.
“The first week was really hard,” Peter said on the banks of the river on Monday morning, the temperature a chilly minus two degrees.
“But this is not about me, this is for the kids.”
As he’s said a number of times as he prepared for this journey, “If we can save one life, it was worth it.”
In addition to losing his camera and phone to the river when the kayak rolled that first day, Peter has repeatedly had to pull his kayak out of the water and carry it around snags and over steep sand banks. It’s been hard work.
Peter’s son Bruce travelled the first stretch with him, but had to stop due to illness.
The nights on the river bank are cold, the first night it was also raining and the men rolled out their swags under a tarp.
The second night they found a large, hollow fallen log which looked like an ideal, dry shelter – unfortunately a wild goat had had the same idea and taken it as shelter.
“We chased him out, it smelled like goat all night but it was dry, so it was good,” Peter laughed.
He is looking forward to the journey flowing a bit more smoothly from here on, the river is flowing faster “and there’s 100 per cent less snags, so that’s a lot easier on my body”.
Although he has no access to Facebook or social media at the moment, he understands support is starting to flow for the cause.
Mr White is partnering with the Australian Horizons Foundation, who will administer all funds raised.
He’s hoping to fund seminars, designed to create and foster discussions about mental health among high school students, for Central West high schools.
You can support Peter for the cost of a coffee every day while Peter is on the journey by SMSing PREVENTION to 0437 371 371 and following the instructions.
You can also go online to https://fundraise.giveeasy.org/campaigns/2018-lachlan-river-kayak-trek/
Donations over $2 are tax deductible.
The Advocate will continue to watch Peter’s journey and catch up with him at the end to hear all about it.
Peter was also part of the Mighty Murray kayak trek last year and a DVD of photos and videos from that journey was compiled to share.
He’s hoping similar can be done of his journey down the Lachlan, to inspire others.
In the mean time, you can follow on Facebook at 2018 Lachlan River Kayak.
That’s not to say he would recommend others undertake the journey.
The former Defence Forces member says he has had many years of kayaking and camping experience, and the Lachlan is “a serious river”.
“The snags and sand banks have hammered us,” he said.
Peter’s journey has been 12 months in the planning, he’s kayaked sections of the river (Forbes to Condobolin, and Condobolin to Euabalong) before.
He’s also carefully planned his diet of dehydrated foods to ensure his body gets the fuel it needs to for the epic task he’s set.
