There’s not much you can do but stare in amazement at the participants of the Massive Murray Paddle, who are nearly at the end of their colossal 415km journey on the Murray.
On Wednesday evening, paddlers were welcomed on the Moama Beach shore by loved ones and support crew.
Decked out in eye-catching colours for the Be Bright, Be Seen day, one by one, each paddler rowed up with smiles spread widely across their faces, in a look of pure joy.
Underneath that joy, there’s no doubt fatigue lays dormant.
More than 130 paddlers across 45 teams signed up to get their oars wet.
You would not think this was the same day that they had just achieved the amazing feat of paddling 76km.
Up bright and early and full of adrenaline the next morning, paddlers were ready to do it all again.
The siren sounded at 7am, with paddlers mustering up that leftover energy.
The postponed 2022 Massive Murray Paddle course route had been altered so that day one, from Yarrawonga to Tocumwal and day four, from Moama Beach to Torrumbarry Weir were repeated across two days each.
Race organiser and owner of Sydney Harbour Kayaks Shannon O’Brien said that although it was not ideal to have to repeat days, he was just glad the race could go ahead.
“Everybody’s just been really accepting of the race format,” Mr O’Brien said.
He said paddlers had been making a conscious effort to spend in the towns they arrived in, many of which were impacted by the October flood.
“Being a fundraiser, this event is based on contribution,” he said.
“And because everyone has heard what these towns have been through, it’s very much on people’s minds that they make sure they support the towns by getting out and spending money.”
For some paddlers, this is their first time participating in the race and for others the race is so addictive they’ve just kept on coming back.
Echuca local, Philip Ward has completed the race 10 times.
A member of the Echuca Moama Canoe Club, he first signed up to be part of the race in 1973.
“I love the challenge and the fact that you get to meet up with old friends and like-minded people,” Mr Ward said.
“I just appreciate that Shannon O’Brien has gone ahead with the event, even though some of the days are repeated.”