South West Life

Well, well, well. Mostly we don't spend a lot of time recommending a private business in our do this section, but for reasons which will remain secret I was taken by my beloved on a getaway for the weekend recently.

Twenty four kilometres South West from Nannup, we're really not in the middle of anywhere. In fact, if you want a few moments isolation, you'll have reached the right place here.

Western Australia has great things of all sorts, but our rivers are not humungous. That makes it OK for me to refer to “The Mighty Blackwood”, where I went canoeing. This is a business that has it all from my point of view. Neville, our host, has been doing this for decades, and describing himself as an ex hippie seems about right. No tie dyed shirts or dreadlocks, but he retains a gentleness about him that is calming and comfortable to be around.

The presentation isn't slick, indeed the canoes appear to have seen quite a bit of time in the water, but the man is knowledgable and the gear all works.

The river is beautiful. We've had no rain for a long time and the drive in has shown us that the country is dry. But the day is warm and the river is flat, slow, and deliciously clean. Neville gives us a basic introduction to the canadian canoe we'll be paddling, and we're off downstream.

Someone who knew what the day was to hold has packed a picnic and we head off to explore. Wildlife is a bit sparse... there are tiny fish in the river but we saw no marron, and we're heading downstream of farms, so we'd expect roos but no cows. After a few minutes though, the first of the surprises showed up. On the right bank I heard a rustling sound and watched as a goanna about a metre long devoured some prey. I was too late to see what it was, but the signs are there, enjoy the real bush.

Paddling was easy. There are a few snags but really nothing that a novice like myself couldn't handle. The water was over my head in a number of places and clear enough to see straight to the bottom. Swimming on a warm day would be a great idea.

A little further downstream we reached some tricky bits, where we had to get out of the canoe and manhandle it through shallow water. Now's the time the safety shoes provided came into their own. All the time the extraordinary quiet surrounded us.

Ninety minutes downstream, and we reached the end of where Neville had said the easy paddling would be. What a perfect time to stop on the edge and have the picnic the clever one of the party had prepared.

The trip back was just as peaceful. The flow of the river was so gentle that we made better time upstream than we had down.

Neville has a range of options for anyone wanting to experience the bush from the river. There is the simple “turn up and paddle” mode that I've experienced. On top of that there is the downstream experience, you and the canoes are transported upstream and you can spend anywhere up to a day paddling down through varied river conditions. Beyond that, there are supported expeditions. Levels of support vary depending on what you need and ask Neville for. The big expedition can see you out there for 5 days.

Remember that we did it easy. With a little more water in the river, things could get a bit hectic. It's well worth your while to try this out, and enjoy one of the great opportunities afforded by the South West's bush. It's also advisable to call ahead and discuss your levels of skills and fitness, and take an experts word for how to make the most of it.

Check www.blackwoodrivercanoeing.com. Take it seriously, but then get amongst it!