Great Lake in Tassie highlands has been conquered for the first time (we know of) - in midwinter no less!

Air temperature 6-8 degrees, water temperature 2 degrees, elevation 1000m. We were hoping to go snowkiting, but the snow had melted - and we all know how warm snow-melt is.

The launch was off craggy rocks down a 4wd track.

I wore two wetties - a total of 8mm of rubber was girding my loins.

Wilson is the one who deserves the respect. Just the one 5-4 wettie with a hole in the leg, and no booties. He could only kite for 3 minutes before he had to come in to warm his feet up.

A sweet 15-22kn breeze, a little gusty. The only really awful moment was getting that cold water up my sinuses when I ballsed up a jump. Instant icecream headache - aaargh!!!!

A memorable session was made even more special in the pub afterwards. Charles Wooley of 60 minutes fame started telling us about the two lunatics he saw out on the water with a "big parachute thing", and how cold they must have been.

Major stoke from that session. Still smiling