Food

Hungry times
Food is of course an important component on any adventure.   This one is no different and I have a healthy appetite even when I'm not paddling 45kms per day.   There are a couple of ways to go for supplying  dinners for a trip like this and both involve either freeze-dry dinners or dehydrated dinners due to the volume of food needed and the length of time it needs to stay good in tropical environments.

I have decided to make and dehydrate all my food and not purchase any freeze dry meals.  The main reason for this is that the freeze dry meals made by 'Backcountry' and 'The Outdoor Gourmet Company' are too small and have far too much packaging that all needs to be carried out.

How much food is needed?
With five rest days and five days of emergency rations I will need to cater for a full 30 days.  Even with dehydrated food this will be a very tall order to fit in a sea kayak when you account for gear and water.    whatever, it needs to fit...

I am planning a stop in Bowen which is roughly the halfway point so it is possible that if I cannot get all the food in I can post some of it up there before leaving.  I don't think this will be necessary and I will be able to fit everything in the boat.


The dinner menu
The dinner menu includes:

• Spag Bog and pasta
• Chilli Con Carne and rice
• Kheema Indian Curry and rice
• Spicy Lamb Mince and rice
• Thai Chicken Mince and rice
• Pkt Pasta and tuna
• Dahl and Rice
• Spam, dried peas and Deb potato

I am also hoping to catch some fish on the trip and that will be the nights that I have the Dahl meals...   

The lunch menu
main snacks such as peanut butter and vitawheat biscuits with some dodgy long lasting cheese and dehydrated olives.   I also have oatybites bars and raw nuts.    

Breakfasts
Breakfasts will be the same muesli mixed with LSA, Sunflower seeds and extra rolled oats.  I am also dehydrating a bunch of fruit such as mangos, pears, apples and bananas that will be good for breakfast.  This will be mixed with powered milk and washed down with a coffee or cuppa tea.

Snacks
I will be making a bunch of beef and roo jerky which will be good throughout the day.  I will also have nuts, and oath bites bars.   Also some Pkt soup