Monday 28 March 2022 Wallaga Lake, Long Bay

 A quick morning paddle was what we planned. What we ended up with was short on paddling and big on socialising.

Driving to our start point we encountered an old neighbour, famous for her baking skills, who during our quick chat asked us to call in for a cuppa after we finished the paddle. Lovely idea we thought as we proceeded on our way to our launch site at the end of Fairhaven Point Way.

S&V soon arrived also having stopped for a chat and similarly being asked to drop in.  As we unloaded the boats we discussed the merits of jam drops vs scones and wondered if we would be lucky enough to have run into J on a baking day.

Getting onto the water at 10.00am headed over to Meads Creek.  The water is still very murky after the rain and shallows and underwater hazards were felt and not seen making for quite a few uh oh moments,

Paddling past the entrance to Meads Bay.

Even with rain clouds looming, the creek looked very inviting however

with the tide now outgoing it was getting more shallow by the minute

so we only paddled up to the confluence and turned back down Narira Creek

so we could return to the lake before running out of water.

After scraping our way over the shallows at the mouth of the creek we headed down the lake hugging the shoreline.

Having stopped for morning tea in a little bay we continued round the point into Long Bay, L insisting we explore all of its nooks and crannies with an eye to a future Tammie Norrie overnighter.

Having circumnavigated Long Bay we paddled back across the bay to a convenient site at which to have lunch. It would have had the most splendid view of Mt Gulaga had the mount not been shrouded in cloud.

Having taken a ridiculously long time over lunch, mainly because it was such a nice place to be we headed straight back up the lake to our launch site making landfall at 1.25pm.

After loading the boats we headed to D&J's where we spent a a convivial hour or two sitting on their patio, looking across the lake as we caught up on each others news and yes we were spoilt, there were freshly cooked scones, homemade jam and cream.  Thank you J.  A delightful way to end the outing.

Trip notes:

High Tide at Merriman Island: 8.30am 1.7m

Put In/Take Out: end of Fairhaven Point Way

8.00kms

Monday 21 March 2022 Bermagui River

 It's been about a month since our last paddle. A combination of other commitments and 353mm of rain, falling mostly as endless heavy drizzle which led to swollen rivers, minor flooding and coastal lakes bursting open have kept us off the water.

We took to the water at 10.10am and headed upstream and under the bridge. We opted to paddle up the inside of the oyster beds and head into the mangroves.

Despite being overcast and the water still a little murky from the recent rain we were all very happy to be back on the water. Having not seen each other for over two weeks there was lots to catch up on and the chat was non stop as we slid up the river on the incoming tide.  

In what seemed no time at all we reach the campground 5kms or so up the river and decided to push on before taking a break.  Too busy chatting L grounded out and broke his paddle apart and with a section in each hand poled himself over the large sand plug.

Once back into deeper water it was time to relax and contemplate our surrounds.

Having caught up with the news it was onto our favourite topic - politics - a never ending choice of subjects - which occupied the rest of the paddle to our lunch spot at the confluence of Coolagolite Creek. Upon reaching out destination we found the beach greatly diminished; only about a third remains - the rest, one presumes, washed away when the river was swollen with the rain. 

We landed at 11.35am and

spent a pleasurable hour munching our lunch and exercising our minds. 

Taking to the water again, we passed the Coolagolite confluence and continued upstream into Nutley's Creek.

About to go under the power lines for the first time,

then it was around the corner and under the powerlines for the 2nd time - the warning sign looking a bit worse for wear.

This kingfisher enticed us up the shallow straight flitting along from perch to perch in front of us.

A little beyond this point L noticed the tide had changed so it was time to turn and 

head back downstream,

espying another couple of kingfishers as we poddled quietly along.

This is why the second powerline warning sign was looking worse for wear!

At 1.45 we pulled in at the campground for a leg stretch . Taking to the water again at 2.10 we

we paddled steadily back, this time assisted by the outgoing tide and less than an hour later we paddled under the bridge to discover two large catamarans had come in an anchored in our absence. I didn't think to take a picture until I had passed them.

By 3.10pm, paddle therapy completed, we were unloading the boats, feeling, temporarily, that all was well in the world.

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out: Slipway Beach

High Tide River Entrance: 11.23am 1.6m

17.35kms