I write for Trail Runner Magazine every so often as ‘Trail Muse’. I think my way around a particular piece of trail, narrating my world internally, and return to the laptop to write about it. We all do this in some way, regardless of the depth in narrative, or actuality of penning a story in the aftermath. As is the case for Bass by Kayak, I filmed whilst doing, including extensive filming before and after, even now, 12 months after the expedition itself.
The film series has at times been like having Turrets. I openly swear at myself on screen as I say something cryptic, or wanky, or not at all. I square up again with myself as I unpack the experience within my PhD ‘The Secret life of the Seakayaker’. I’ll be frank. My fat orange head, in need of a haircut and a good wash, is a little sick of itself. I’m still vaguely likable as myself to myself, continuing to raise a smile at some of the moments I encouraged, encountered or witnessed during Bass by Kayak. I still laugh at Dan and Matt, but that’s probably because I’m not them. The last few weeks are telling of my overdone ego. I’m celestially drawn to bed at 9:15 each night to read, a place where I get to be Batman, or a farmer, or both.
The reason I’m rambling now is to tell you that Episode 6 of Bass by Kayak is my favourite episode, mainly because it doesn’t exist. It will, and actually does exist in the form of a script and a shots list, but not as a clickable, commute watching, likable, sharing, thumbs up reality. When it does land, I hope to bring you an Avant-garde piece that reflects the all-at-sea Muse, metaphorically stitching together the key themes, ideas and weird Beauism’s that represent Bass by Kayak to me. It is/was an expedition after all that is far longer, more telling, and more complex than the 15 days it took to paddle from mainland Aus to Tassie.
Read More: Beau Miles Film
Episode Five.
Day 14 sees the Tasmanian mainland emerge as a smudge on the horizon. The expedition’s success is in sight. A quick shop at the-town-the time-forget (Whitemark), backdropped by the sublime Strzelecki Peaks, the party moves rapidly south. Banks Strait, as the final crossing that isolates Tasmania from her outlying islands, lies between gallons of wine, families, and hangovers. ‘The Banks’, a famous body of water with a skeleton of shipwrecks, moves as fast as a kayak can paddle. So, once again they wait. In the dying light of their 15th day, the party reach Little Mussleroe Bay on the NE tip of Tasmania.
Watch Now: Bass By Kayak Episode 1
Watch Now: Bass By Kayak Episode 2
Watch Now: Bass By Kayak Episode 3
Watch Now: Bass By Kayak Episode 4
This six-part documentary series is brought to you in conjunction with Beau Miles by Monash University and Adventure Kayak Magazine.
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Filmmaker/Director/Paddler (researcher)
Beau Miles
Bio: Wanna be farmer who likes to build things, run, paddle, teach and tell stories. He has been narrating his travels for most of his adulthood, and tends to resist the idea that people can, or should be any one thing. Bass by Kayak is his PhD data for, ‘The secret life of the sea kayaker’. Past films include Trials of Miles (2012), of the first running of the Australian Alps Walking Track and Africa by Kayak (2010) of his 2000km odyssey from Mozambique to Cape town. Beau’s highest scrabble score in a single go was 146, but it’s dubious.
Producer/Editor
Mitch Drummond
Bio: Outdoor educator, cricketer, film buff and photographer. New to skateboarding and drone flying. Mitch makes complicated, slow, very good sandwiches and just completed his Honours thesis on ‘Digital representation of outdoor experiences’. His best scrabble score in a single go was 42.
Key Trio of Paddlers:
Dan Webb
Bio: Outdoor guide, rock climber, sea kayaker, funnyman. Endearingly warm and friendly, Dan gets sick of muesli after 11 days. Has been known to eat a whole chicken in one sitting, and will often go climbing for 3 days and come back 5 weeks later. Dan is not familiar with the game Scrabble.
Matt O’Keeffe
Bio: His true love is backcountry skiing, but in truth Matt loves simply being outdoors. Director of ski patrol at an Australian ski resort, Matt has taken to dragging his 1 year old son around in a sled or trailer as he runs, skis and rides around the hills of his mountain town. He doesn’t have time to play scrabble.
Paul Marshall and Craig Hines came to the expedition late, two guys who were planning to make their own crossing that same Autumn. They had tried to make the crossing the year before but had ran out of time. Great guys, who would essentially run their own trip, but make some of the crossings with Beau, Matt and Dan in the larger pod of 5.
