Also along for the paddle we V&S and R.
We met at the Beauty Point Boat ramp, where we found S&V with boats unloaded and all ready to go. Once again we were the late ones. As this was to be a long paddle and L still convalescing the arrangement was that I would double in Big Red with him on outward leg and D'd and I would swap placed for the homeward leg. Again we had perfect winter paddling weather - nearly windless and cloudless skies.
We hit the water at about 9.50, with D'd once again proving her worth as a BG and reinforcing my desire to keep her forever. To those who desired not to get their feet wet she proved invaluable :)
The first job was to cross the lake.
A little stretching was required after the near continuous paddle across the lake.
After a couple of geographical embarrassments and a bit of toing and froing with the map, we located the correct arm to paddle up and found Snake Island and the entrance to Dignam's Creek. Not far up the creek we found a spot in full sun for morning tea, nearly 2 hours after setting out.
Looking down on the morning tea stop, with Snake Island opposite and Gulaga looming in the background. Note L trying out our new lightweight director's chairs. Because El Capitano was so comfortable morning tea took nearly an hour!
Not our resident ter...'st, just protecting from the morning chill on the water.
Our proposed lunch spot is the cleared patch, up ahead on the left. L and I managed to find a fire trail down to this point on a reconnoiter a couple of months ago. A good spot for an overnight camp, we thought, if we can get permission from the landholder.
Nearing our lunch spot. Once there and only about 3kms from morning tea, discussion was held re whether to continue paddling so see how far we could get. All were in favour of continuing on except L who vetoed the idea, and a good thing too we all realised later.
After another leisurely rest - those directors chairs really do make a difference, even tho' they are a bit awkward to strap onto the back of the kayaks, we began our return journey, D'd now doubling with L. It was lovely to be back in Bluey
Back at Snake Island, the occupants of Big Red and R decided to go left
Whilst S&V and I took the shorter R hand path
But they still beat us back onto the lake
We then had the long paddle back across the lake. D'd & L were well matched in Big Red and had to concentrate on not leaving the rest of us far behind. Crossing the main body of the lake the water was oily with a slight swell and it was easy to become mesmerised by the shifting light play on the water in front of one's kayak. With the temperature starting to plummet, it was a long, steady paddle back to our start point, which we reached around 3.30pm and we were all grateful that L had vetoed paddling further up Dignam's Creek. This time there was no chatter about our next kayak as we neared our exit point and we wearily beached and climbed out of the kayaks and set about the task of unpacking the boats and loading them onto the trailers. As we were all too pooped to worry about dinner, and as it was D'ds last night, it was agreed we would go to our various homes, warm up and meet at Il Passagio for an early dinner.
On the drive home I mentioned that, unlike our usual outings, there had been no talk of our next kayak and we realised that we had been perhaps too ambitious in our choice of paddles and that we had made the mistake of making the return paddle in one go. L opined that in future we should make sure the return paddle be shorter than the outward one; ie for this paddle we should have skipped morning tea, had lunch where we did and then broken the return paddle with afternoon tea or had morning tea and had a late lunch half way on our return journey.
Trip Notes
Put In/Take Out: Beauty Point Boat Ramp
14.4kms
Approx 6 hours 40mins
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