Tuesday 1 September 2026 Nelson Lagoon

 The gossip is true - the new carpark at Nelson's is something of an eye popper, used to, as we are down here, NP's car parks being of a more rustic nature - incorporating a variety of potholes, bumps and tree roots! However, once all the plantings have grown it won't look so bad.

Having strapped on the carts and unloaded the boats and loaded them with our gear we began the approx 340m haul to the lagoon - not an easy one - along a dirt track with a few soft sand sections, the rest bisected with tree roots ready to trip the unwary or tip the cart. Then a quick breather before removing the carts and carrying the kayaks down some very steep rough steps down to the lagoon.

Having made it unscathed we stood for a moment to take in the beauty of Nelson Lagoon, and then launched onto pristine water.

We first paddled to the entrance and then began a gentle float on the incoming tide around the northern edge of the lagoon, passing over underwater gardens, rocky outcrops and the like.  Schools of fish darted hither and thither and birdsong seranaded us from the nearby forest. It was spectacular.

Hugging the shoreline and the shade we paddled slowly up to the first junction and decided to head up the creek for about 1km before stopping for morning tea.

We then returned back down the creek and poddled along the southern edge of the lagoon dipping in and out of the mangroves passing over a most obliging skate along the way.

Upon pulling up to the take out we spied three people supine upon the sand. Not wishing to startle them I announced our presence and one of the bodies stirred to life and sat up. Much to our surprise and hers it was L's great niece. 

After a chat we unloaded the boats and did two trips up the steep track, not the steps this time, with all our gear. Then another two carrying up the boats by which time we were both out of breath and weak legged. After attaching the carts we loaded all the gear in the boats then we both hauled them one by one through the worst of the soft sand.  Another rest was necessary before hauling them the rest of the way back to the carpark - it was heaven to reach the flat bitumen for the last 15ms to the car!

Handy hint if you are using a kayak cart: Take a spare tie down strap. Thread it through or otherwise attach it to the front handle of the kayak. Make a loop with the strap. Put the loop over your head and across your body, adjust the loop so you can hold the kayak handle by your side while standing up straight. It makes the haul so much easier upon ones body.  We only had one spare strap and L insisted I use it and he was seriously knackered by the time we got back to the car.

Enjoy the video, you'll see why its worth the pain :)

Trip notes:

High tide at the entrance: 10.52am 1.6m

Put In/Take Out: Nelson Lagoon carpark

Note: 340 m haul/carry to the lagoon.

5.53km

Sunday 30 August 2026 Cuttagee Lake

 The last of our winter outings was a short paddle with S&V. Having not seen much of each other for a number of months it was more chat than paddling which suited all of us on such a sunny, laze inducing day. Having met up down at the lake around 9.20am we launched before 10.00 and headed down the lake. 

Out in the main lake L paused to give the Spry a fly - the results, compared to the DJI proved to be disappointing. Meanwhile the rest of us poddled on and L found us about to start morning tea further up the lake.

We talked for too long and the breeze had sprung up when we started back; thankfully not very chill this day. Not much bird life about but in the straight we did spot a Sea Eagle, perched in a dead tree eating something. 

5.63km

Friday 15 August 2026 Brou Lake

 After collecting R we headed off to Brou Lake, arriving about 9.30am

As we unloaded the boats and got ready to paddle we were serenaded by a Sea Eagle pair.

After launching I paddled a little way up the shoreline and spotted them high in a tree,

and wondered if they were a breeding pair and if so, had the eggs hatched yet. The Sydney Sea Eagles Live Cam had shown the second of their eggs hatching about 4.00am this morning - the first chick having made its way into the world about 25 hours earlier.

As I paddled back L was launching, perfect timing, and we headed up the lake toward Whittaker's Creek and turned into the narrow entrance to the first bay. Sidling quietly past a pelican we entered the bay for a paddle around.

Upon returning to the narrow entrance we discovered the pelican had departed and L decided to send the drone up for a look see at this intricate water way. While we waited R and I rafted up for a cosy chat out in the creek.

Once L was back on the water we headed back down the creek and round a pelican sandspit and 

crossed to the north side of the lake, seeing, in the distance large flocks of swans and cormorants. We paddled into a bay, sheltered from the breeze and at 12.00pm pulled in for lunch with the sun warming our backs as we looked across the lake to the closed entrance.

L flew the drone again and discovered the crash landing at the end of the previous session had done some damage and affected its flight :( :(   ( R&I, when rafted up, had heard a loud expletive float across that water but have learned when it involves the drone, its better not to ask!)  

Having taken to the water again we continued along the northern shore heading east.  Nearing the entrance to the north eastern lagoons we were followed by a drone for a bit and wondered where it had come from.  Unfortunately the entrance to the N.E lagoons was, at this water level, too shallow to navigate so we gave them a miss and continued along the eastern shore line where we spotted this Eastern Curlew. Presumably a recent arrival from Siberia or Manchuria unless it was one of the few that overwinter in Northern Australia.

The Curlew in flight.

Next were what L identified as a small flock of Bar Tailed Godwits also recently arrived from Siberia.

Having paddled the length of the closed entrance we found a NP's bloke flying a drone. We stopped to enquire - one of his fellow officers informed us that they were checking the birdlife for signs of the HN bird flu. Their present task is to check, once a week, all the water ways from Wallaga Lake north to I can't remember where, pretty much I full time job I should think.

Another sigthing of a Sea Eagle toward the end of our paddle topped of another excellent outing.

 

Here is the Go Pro and Drone footage.

An Addendum to last weeks paddle.

The weird boat at Bermagui wasn't constructed by 'tank man'.  It was designed and built by Samuel McLennan from Nubeena in southern Tasmania. His boat, Heart, is made from marine debris, mainly from salmon farms. A keen environmentalist, McLennan said "... there are big issues with the salmon farms, lots of plastic, pipes... the salmon farming industry was negligent when clearing up the cutoffs that resulted from maintenance. Fines are issued only for pieces longer than two metres."

The boat having been certified, McLennan embarked on his voyage in February 2024 and has been slowy making his way up Australia's east coast, stopping frequently and for long periods along the way.

Trip Notes:

Brou Lake: Currently closed

8 kms

Tuesday 4 August 2026 Bermagui River

There was yet another change of plans this morning; we seem to have been doing that a lot lately. We had planned to paddle Middle Lagoon with some rellie's from the USA however they rang and cancelled so after a quick check of the tides we decided to paddle the Bermagui River instead. Calls to our paddle pals proved fruitless - at such late notice they all had other engagements so it was just L and me.

As we carried our gear down to Slipway Beach we were met by a strange sight. After launching around 11.30am we went to investigate and the question that came to mind: "is the tank man back and has he gone upmarket?"  Hopefully we will find out in due course.

Having mooched through the mangroves we headed up river and stopped to chat to a friendly young man on a paddle boad. He was from Bali and nearing the end of a two year work visa. Early on he worked in Bermi, at the Oyster Farm, Tilba Dairy and the Club after which he headed inland to work in different places at a variety of jobs. He loved Bermagui so much he has returned for a holiday before heading back to Bali.

We paddled up to the campground and stopped for morning tea and a bit of drone work. We then headed back. For part of the way we listened to the resident Sea Eagle pair serenade each other and we managed to spot them sitting side by side, high in a tree. Fingers crossed they survive the bird flu.

Being under strict instructions to get more footage of the poly boat I didn't take any footage on the way back.

Footage duly taken we landed about 2.30pm, not a moment to soon as by the time we got in the car, just before three, the sun had lost its warmth and we happy but cold.

Trip notes:

High Tide at Entrance: 12.13pm 1.5m

10.2km

Friday 10 July 2026 Wallaga Lake

 Sadly, just us again today, taking advantage of a lovely winter's day. Launching from Payne's Island a tad after 10.00am 

Looking enticing in the distance, we had intended to head to the entrance first up

but once on the water we changed our mind and headed into the reed beds, where it was very quiet. Only two fish spotted and the odd bird. Turning round a little way beyond the foot bridge we explored other leads on the way back to the lake and were suprised to see we still had this section of Wallaga all to ourselves.

Having paddled along the eastern shoreline we stopped for morning tea, sheltered from the light, but chilly breeze at the end of the sand dune.

After morning tea we poddled slowly over the shallows to the still closed entrance before heading back to Payne's Island via Honeysuckle Island. A short and happy paddle ending at 12.30pm.

6.12km

Wednesday 17 June 2026 The Murrah

 A 1.4m high tide down at the entrance at 10.20am meant we should launch from the bridge at around the same time. This we did and managed to scrape down the first part of our journey without resorting to wading.

Sunday 7 June 2026 Cuttagee Reflections

 Woke up to a sublime winter's day: sunny, cloudless blue sky, no hint of a breeze and warmish. The urge to get on the water was irresistable and we shot down to Cuttagee for a quick paddle before leaving to join L's sister, 3 nieces and a great nephew for lunch.

As we arrived at the lake we disturbed a bunch of pelicans and cormorants hunting fish. The pelicans are canny; having fanned out and driven the fish into shallow water they wait for the cormorants to get the fish then they harry the cormorants into surrendering their catch.

Setting off on glassy water we saw the pelicans and cormorants had regrouped in another corner of the lake and were hunting again.

We edge crept up the lake, delighting in the reflections and the bird life we saw. A highlight - a Sea Eagle and Whistling Kite sitting in the same tree.

After a brief stop in 'Rain Forest Cove' where L, upon getting out the drone, realised we were running out of time, so sadly no droning on this beautiful day, we started back.

Paddling back down the lake the water remained glassy - a first we think, usually we paddle home into a head breeze.

As we turned into Little Cuttagee we saw a Sea Eagle pursuing a bird, possibly a grebe. They disappeared behind the tea tree and about 30 or 40 seconds late the Sea Eagle reappeared with something clutched in its talons. It flew across the lake in front of us and landed in a tree. Paddling quietly over I spotted the Eagle on a branch as downy feathers were floating down from its perch. So it had caught the bird.

As I set off again another Sea Eagle flew down the lake and glided into the forest near to where the other Eagle was perched  - what a resplendent end to a superb paddle.

We packed up, hurried home, showered and left again for lunch and a lovely afternoon spent with catching up with some of L's family.