| Paddlers battle tides to reach Moon Point |
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Stand up paddle surfers Chris De Aboitiz and Woogie Te Manu Marsh finished Monday, the first full day of their Fraser Island marathon, completely exhausted after pushing against an incoming tide for three hours between Kingfisher Bay and Moon Point
Their spirits revived with a feast of fresh mud crab and a good sleep, but they still declared Tuesday morning a rest period while both received therapeutic massage from Noosa-based sports physio Peter Hogg. “Hoggy”, best known for his work with Australia’s winter Olympics squad, arrived just after first light, having jet-skied in from Hervey Bay with two interns. He set up a table on the beach at Coongal Creek and went to work on the aching muscles. A Channel Seven news crew also took advantage of the rest morning to shoot an update, continuing the great regional media coverage of the John Madill Toyota Fraser Island Challenge. The paddle will resume on the outgoing tide Tuesday afternoon with the crew hoping to reach Wathumba Creek. South easterly tail winds are predicted to continue until Thursday when, as the paddlers round Sandy Cape, they will drift to the north. Or at least that’s the optimistic outlook! At this stage the main problem on the run south along the ocean coast is an increasing swell on Saturday. Chris and Woogie are attempting to become the first stand up paddlers to circumnavigate Fraser Island. The 300-kilometre marathon, in aid of the Disabled Surfers Association of Australia, is sanctioned by the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Supporters have already donated more than $3000, but the Challenge has a long way to go to reach the $20,000 needed to equip the new Sunshine Coast branch of the DSA. Check out the paddle pages on www.standuppaddlesurf.com.au or www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com to follow the event and make your donation to this great cause.
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