Following on from Ian's debut on murrayriverappeal.blogspot.com, greetings from sunny Renmark, SA. I hope this post finds you in good spirits. The team, as always, is in fine form and has continued to create waves along the river by bringing nothin' but good times and positivity.
After departing Ned's Corner, we camped just outside of Renmark for a few days in Murtho State Forest so the support team could have a few days off. This is an incredibly beautiful riverside area that features red sands and rocks, green shrubbery and the most amazing display of stars at night that I have ever seen in my life.
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| Pristine, nobody around | | |
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| Red sands |
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| Red rocks |
Arriving in Renmark, we realised it is a quiet place, much quieter than we anticipated. Not to be deterred by this, we set about doing our thing. Riverside Park in the centre of town was our venue of choice and we erected our marquee so we could interact with the public and spread our message. We were met with fine weather and extremely friendly locals, who were all interested in our team and what we had to say. Over the course of the journey I have encountered nothing but friendliness and hospitality from the people of the Murray, and the overwhelming message is that cancer is something that effects everybody of all ages and support of any kind for sufferers of this disease is welcomed with open arms. Enter AYAC.
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| The marquee and the General |
As Chris and Ian arrived in town we made sure they were comfortable and had some time to recuperate. The two of them have been pushing out some serious hours on the river and should be commended for the hard work that they are doing. Paddling such long distances in the heat and dry air is not easy and when you add some mozzies, bad food and lack of hygiene to the mix it becomes nothing short of a mental and physical marathon. Their journey is a fantastic reference point for sufferers of cancer and shows that with a little persistence and determination one can overcome many of life's challenges.
Australia Day dawned on us as we enjoyed a free breakfast with hundreds of locals by the river. AYAC was a significant presence at the event and enjoyed a mention by the Mayor during his welcome speeches. Thanks to our partner Banana Boat, we also handed out lots of sunscreen to the breakfast-goers and took donations. Again, the generosity of the local people meant our tally of funds for the Lifehouse Centre keeps growing at a steady rate. We even impressed a few youngsters with our face painting skills.
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| Impressed |
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| Presence |
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| Chris Campbell Boyd |
As Chris and Ian slid back onto the river the next day, we joined them on a boat to get some footage and still shots for the upcoming documentary. This doco will be designed to showcase the journey and present a concise memo of the story so far. We have managed to compile a significant amount of material and I think the finished product will look, sound and feel great.
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| Brave adventurer |
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| Determination | |
Not much further to go.
Cameron Whipp
