Keeping to El Capitano's schedule we were on the water by 9.00am. Unlike the last time we paddled here, there was no chop and it was easy to board our kayaks.
We started paddling an hour before high tide and we were carried up the river 'poddling' along.
(the word poddling was invented by L during our morning tea break to describe our style of paddling when under tidal assistance or when just maintaining forward momentum whilst taking in the surrounds or discussing affairs of state)
The water was beautiful
After crossing the lake the 'tubbies' heading up river - still poddling - we've done 5kms in just under an hour; going with the tide makes kayaking sooo easy.
Pulling in for morning tea at 10.15am at the junction of the Yowaka River where there is a conveniently placed picnic table.
While stopped the 'tubby' paddlers tried out Bluey . R&V were converts and S found it a bit heavy for her. It now remains to be seen whether other members of the CKC have caught the kayak collecting bug off their captain (who it must be said, purchased yet another kayak - this time a sit in sea kayak, last Sunday)
At 10.55am we took to the water again, still with the tide, the decision having been made to head further up the Pambula River and into the wetlands
The water was still crystal clear
Shortly after turning left around in the point in the photo above a sea eagle flew over us and landed in a mangrove ahead of us. L got very excited and pulled out his camera - to find - no memory card. Last paddle it was a flat battery - he really needs to lift his game!
Taking off, after he allowed us to get really close
Heading into the mangrove 'forest'
After exploring the three 'arms' of open water that make up the southern end of the wetlands, at 11.50am we turned around to start our paddle back to the Oyster Shed.
El Capitano inspecting the mangroves - is he going to lose another pair of shoes?
Popping out from another path through the mangroves
With a mixture of poddling and paddling it took 40 minutes to return to the Oyster shed, where before disembarking, much discussion was held whether to end our paddle here or to paddle down to the river mouth. R decided the matter when she announced her stomach was growling and if we continued paddling we would miss out on lunch.
L & S did the car shuffle while the rest of us got the boats ready for loading and waited in the warm sun (it must have been close to 20oc) for the return of the cars. R was right, by the time we had loaded the boats, packed the cars and executed the tricky business of trying to change discretely it was 1.30pm and well and truly time to find somewhere for lunch.
After lunch at Oaklands, we headed home, with a quick stop at the kayak shop in Merimbula to look at waterproof socks - soon it will be too warm to need them, we arrived home at 4.30.
Another glorious paddle
Trip notes
Put In: Pambula River Mouth
Take out: Oyster Shed, Broadwater
Time: 3 1/2 hours
Distance: 11kms
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