I should let you know that this blog is changing from a journal of our narrowboat journeys to a diary of another type of slow boat adventures; kayaking.
Toward the end of last year L purchased a Tarpon 120 (Bluey) to fulfill a long held desire of paddling all the waterways on the Sapphire Coast (after having discovered the opening in his old white water boat had shrunk in a most alarming way). After much 'encouragement' I went for a paddle and found, to my surprise, that I really enjoyed it. Why surprised? Well, way back in my 20's L took me on a white water paddling trip down the Snowy River. I spent the 3 days so terrified I vowed never to set bum in a kayak again.
So with the white water kayak retired to the shed, for Christmas we acquired a Hobie double (Big Red) and it wasn't long before friends and neighbours decided to join us on L's quest.
Before I begin I would just like to say what fun it was to meet Irene and Ian Jameison of NB Free Spirit when they came down our way in November last year. We were sorry that they didn't come back this way minus caravan so they could make it down our track to come and stay. And as I still have a hankering for another narrowboat adventure and therefore intermittently following NB blogs I was sad to see that NB's Waiouru and Chance on the market - two blogs from which much pleasure and good info was derived.
Our first paddles - Cuttagee Lake (a few times), Wapengo (27/3), Wallaga Lake (17/4) and The Murrah (30/1) unfortunately went undocumented - no way to waterproof a camera or phone, anyway, too nervous to even think of taking photos.
So, the first trip for which we have some pics was our overnight camping trip to Brogo Dam on the 21-22 March this year with G&R, S&V, L and me.
None of us having camped for many years (in our case 20+) this trip was both an adventure and an experiment - would we will still enjoy it and would we, dealing with the decrepitude that comes with age, physically be able to handle it. After a bit of planning and much digging around in the dark corners of shed to unearth the old camping gear we set off for the head of Brogo dam. Once we reached our destination we unloaded the boats down at the water and then, after much discussion, having selected our camping spot we set up camp had some lunch and got ready for our first paddle.
We decided to paddle up the Brogo River which ran along one side of the camping area. Not long after we started up the river we passed some cliffs
About the 2kms mark the water became quite manky, a disgusting tan colour with masses of floating island debris that last for a few hundred metres and then suddenly we were out of it and into crystal clear water and we could see the pebbled bottom of the river - we were beyond the reach of the dam influence. We paddled on for 10 or so mins more, along what was now a beautiful mountain stream before being stumped by the first rapid. We played around in the running water at the bottom of the little rapid for awhile and R found a perfect 'cheese' rock. We reluctantly began our return journey and had the great pleasure of a sea eagle flying over us and landing in a tree leaning out over the river ahead of us and watching us with one beady us as we paddled beneath it. About a km from home a thunderstorm hit us with lots of lightning and thunderclaps. Which, being exposed on the water with tall trees to either side left us a little nonplused (to say the least) and we have never before or since paddled so hard. We made it back unstruck and the rain was kind enough to hold off until we were off the water.
Dinner was green curry chicken courtesy of Rhonda. It rained most of the night but we were snug under a big tarp slung over the 4wd's. By the next morning the rain had stopped and S,V, L and R paddled up to the dam wall and back while G and I cleaned up after breakfast and lounged around.
Some pics of the paddlers return
After lunch we broke camp and headed for home, all keen to do more once the sleeping arrangements had been improved upon.
1st paddle 6.5km
2nd paddle 6.00km
The second trip to be documented was our 1st paddle up the Bermagui River with Tim (of Tim and Mike fame from our NB Aqua Life journeys) who made the long trip to the Antipodes to visit his reprobate relatives.
Joining us were V&S and G&R. G&R hired kayaks and whilst G's was trouble free, R's had an unseen leak and about a km from the end started to wallow like a harpooned whale - just as we were crossing some sharp and nasty oyster beds - much to R's consternation. The 'menfolk' had disappeared from view and so it was left up to us wonder women to effect a rescue and get R and her very unstable and sinking boat to a distant beach and empty out gallons of water - no mean feat - whilst our knights in tarnished armour lazed in the sun, idly wondering what had happened to us.
Trip Notes:
Put in/Takeout: Bermagui Bridge Boat Ramp
Distance Paddled: 7.65kms
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