Eco & Gecko

On Sunday I bought an Australis Gecko. I have been stalking this boat on ebay for ages because you just can't have one boat and have any cred in the kayaking world it appears. Actually, this isn't the real reason. My wife Sam is dead "keen" to paddle and I have friends who are really keen and don't have a boat. Despite the proximity of Lake Macquarie and the sea (both about 5 minutes away) and some of the best beaches in the world there seems to be bugger-all kayakers about. Well, at least they're never out when I'm paddling. The Gecko is the right size for Sam at about 4.5m. It also gets great reviews from some notable Oz kayakers. It's bloody uncomfortable to sit in, though, and we'll have to install some rubber padding for comfort. Otherwise, Sam fits nice in it.
I had resolved to buy one new because second kayaks hold their value making them only marginally cheaper than a new one. So I was doing a routine ebay browse for kayaks when I saw a freshly listed Gecko for $1000 "buy now" in Woolongong. I bought it immediately and drove to Woolongong to buy it. The Tyronsea paddle that came with it is rubbish but will do until Sam learns to paddle. Good job I say.