Tuesday 22 August 2017 Narira Creek

Well, the skiiers having deserted us for the mountains, only V&S and I took to the water. L had just finished building the new kayak rack for the trailer and this was it's first trial run and it worked brilliantly.

 You may remember that on the return journey of our last kayak trip to Lake Tuross, the electrics packed it on the car. So it was with some trepidation that I hitched up the trailer, telling myself 'well its engine, gears and brakes still work - what more do we need'. V followed me in her car to act as my brake lights and indicators. S, who came with me for moral support and I made a pact of no farting as we realised the windows didn't work either. I must say it was somewhat disconcerting driving along not knowing what speed we were going, how much petrol was in the tank etc.

But all went well and we made it the Fairhaven launch site undetected by Mr Plod and to my relief found no one else there - I could drive straight in, around, unload, out and around to park - no reversing required!

Boats unloaded, we were just about ready to hit the water when we were visited by a Fisheries and Wildlife Inspector. That's him in the tinny zooming toward us.

Upon closer inspection he decided we were harmless, as in not fishing and was quite chatty. From him we learnt that indeed Council had got the green light to open the entrance to Wallaga Lake and they were just waiting for the right combination of tides and weather to do so. It seems that we got this paddle in just in the nick of time.

We took to the water at 10.25am, in near perfect conditions.

 The water level was so high I was temporarily discombobulated as to where we should go as the channels were barely discernible from one another. This is looking from Narira Creek, across Meads Creek to the lagoon beyond.

S, who was in charge of the map, led us on the correct path and we were on our way up Narira Creek

Just before we reached the bend the Fisheries tinny overtook us and snuck into Black Lagoon, no doubt trying to spring illegal fishers

Rounding the bend

 A couple of different landscapes from our journey upstream

Opposite the dunny on the big bend we picked our way up a small channel into what I'm calling the Secret Lagoon as I can't find a name for it and its not accessible at normal water levels. Swans taking flight

Paddling north to the head of Secret Lagoon

We disturbed more swans on our return down the Lagoon

Paddling back out the entrance to return to Narira Creek

 After paddling up the creek for another 45mins, during which a farmer warned us of an electric fence across the creek, which he didn't 'think' was on,  we decided to turn around a guestimated 200 metres short of Riley's something Rd ford/bridge.

Heading back down

Back under the fence, which fortunately turned out not to be on. Negotiating it was a bit of a tricky manoeuvre for S&V in the double; S having to get under it and then back paddle so V would have time to grab the wire and lift it before she got garroted. V holding up the wire. There was a further fence the farmer had neglected to mention but we managed to slide over that.

Back down the creek

with wattles in bloom

To our lunch spot, arriving about 12.40pm

After a 50min break we took to the water again and proceeded upon our return paddle

As ever on the Wallaga system, Gulaga is waiting. The breeze is starting to make an impact

Sheltered from the breeze for awhile

We detoured down Meads Creek. (if you compare this photo another pic from a similiar spot from  our other Narira Ck paddle, earlier this year, the difference in the water level is about three feet)

And into the lagoon to avoid the stiffening breeze

Where were were lovely and sheltered

However when at last we had to return to Wallaga lake, the wind was straight in our faces and the water the choppiest we've been on. I had ocassional waves breaking over the bow of my boat - I do love my scupper holes and when we had to turn sideways to the wind we had to contend with the roll of the waves. It was quite a hard and relentless paddle back to the launch site. But we made it safe and sound  just after 3.00pm.

Quick as we could, we loaded the boats which is a bit trickier with the new rack system, and headed for Jim's to drop of the car to be serviced and the electrics to be fixed. Whilst I was handing in the keys V&R swapped the trailer onto their car for the last part of our journey home.

While not the most attractive of paddles, tho we did get to see lots of varying country, I'm really pleased we did this paddle as it will be a long time before we get such high water levels again. We encountered lots of birdlife and in addition to the usual suspects we saw Sacred and Strawnecked Ibis, a Little Pied Cormorant, a pair of courting Mallards, Maned and Black duck, an Egret and two Bitterns.

Trip Notes:
Put In/Pull Out: Fairhaven Point
13.2kms
4hrs.40mins

Sunday 13 August 2017 Lake Tuross

S&V decided to do this paddle in Big Red and our aim was to depart home at 9.30am, collecting R and her boat enroute.  All went according to plan until it was time to add R's tubby to the load. After quite a bit of experimentation by G and L the tubby was strapped on and we were off - but not very far. The tubby proved to be a slippery little sucker and she made a bid for freedom just as we reached Fairhaven. L managed to pull up just before she hit the road and some time was spent lashing her back on.

We made it to the highway before next escape attempt. Once more she was tied back on and extra rope employed. The back seat drivers suggested we might paddle Wallaga Lake and Narira Creek instead, but L was not going to let a recalcitrant boat beat him. With the extra rope employed it took the tubby longer to wriggle free and we made it to Narooma before having to stop again. This time she was turned right way up and even more lashing employed and we made it to Lavender Bay, our start point, without further interruption.

Our 11.30am start time was now long past, and high tide nearly upon us. We untied the boats - lots of ropes and tie downs to deal with and got ready to paddle.

At our launch site at Lavender Bay getting Big Red ready for S&V

We got onto the water at 12.20 - only 50minutes later than scheduled. S&V spent the first 10minutes of the trip wondering whether, as they bickered, if they had made a huge mistake in taking out Big Red.  Heading up the lake

We paddled up the main lake for 3kms before making a left hand turn at Brobothalle Point into Brown's Creek . Up the creek and approaching the remains of an old bridge.

S&V still working on their synchronisation

A few hundred metres after the bridge, under directions from El Capitano we took another left turn around Deuaumba Island into a branch of the Tuross River. After paddling past the southern end of the Island we turned right into the main branch of the Tuross River and at yet another junction, one we didn't take, was an egret standing guard

another egret taking flight not long before we stopped for lunch

 

Around 1.40pm we stopped at a sunny beach for our lunch

After a leisurely lunch we set off again at 2.30pm.

Shortly after the previous pic we hung a leftie around the end of Cambathin Island onto another branch of the Tuross. L in Marty, now dubbed 'Precious'

By George, They've got it! And now they are Big Red converts

The Slippery Little Sucker

Taking it all in

Going past an Oyster Shed

A right hand turn into another channel of the river led us under the bridge to Horse Island, around the southern end of the island and to the last channel to be negotiated before crossing the lake to return to our start point.

We ended our paddle, back where we began and were all out of the water at 3.45pm

For our return journey we removed the front gate of the trailer and banished our escape artist to the bottom of the trailer where she remained quiescent for the journey home. BUT our travelling troubles were not over. Just before we hit the highway L realised that the electrics in the car were kaput, which meant, among other things, no indicators or stop lights, so it was a race home before darkness overtook us. G watched us drive past with R still onboard and was left wondering what had happened to her until she rang and explained. Once home we dropped S&V off, got home, got R's stuff out of the cruiser and into the Kia and it was back to pick up S&V and back into town where we met G at the club for a well deserved dinner.

Trip notes:

Put in/Take out: Lavender Bay, Tuross Heads
11 kms
3hrs 30mins

Friday 4 August 2017 Corruna Lake

Due to the increase in the fleet L has spent most of the week constructing a multi kayak rack to he can reclaim some shed floor space. In between he has managed to fix "Marty's" rudder problem and we were looking forward to paddling Corunna Lake.

The plan was to meet at the Corunna boat ramp, ready to paddle by 10.00am.  K&A were last minute non starters due to a late end to the previous evening!  R and I teamed up in Big Red so S&V could give Bluey a decent try out. After collecting R we arrived at the boat ramp just after 9.30 and for, I think, the first time we beat S&V to our meeting place. While waiting for them to arrive we were entertained by a flock of pelicans gliding by

We eventually set off about 10.15 after some adjustments to Marty and paddled northward along the lake heading for Olsons Creek. V nabbed Bluey for the outward journe

We spread out across the lake and enjoyed the sun, which unfortunately made for shitty pics

 Heading up the creek

Uh oh

Scuppered

We turned around and headed back down stream. Due to the rain the previous night the surface of the water in the creek was quite murky.

Heading back down

Once out of the creek we headed south, passing this bay to the west just before we headed left for the for the bridge

R and I having somehow got ahead again - probably too much talking in the rear - turn back to wait for the others, still to come under the bridge

Looking back toward Gulaga

 Paddling on again our luncheon destination hove into sight

 Jeezs, I'm caught not paddling - again!

The colour of the water near the bar was like raspberry cordial

The headland at the entrance

 We lunched under the cliff to shelter from the wind which had sprung up during the last part of the paddle

Lunch was a leisurely affair as no one was keen to head into the wind. However our luck was in and once we had gone back under the bridge and turned right into the main lake the wind dropped away and we had a pleasant and easy paddle back to the boat ramp with S paddling Bluey.

Back at the boat ramp it was time for the new and improved 'dismount'. First back into the shore

 Next, extract one leg

 Then extract the other leg

Stand up

Push boat forward from between the legs

 And voila!

The appreciative audience

Another good day's paddling.

Trip notes
Start/Finish: Corunna Boat Ramp
8kms
3hrs 45mins