Tuesday 11 September 2018 Clyde River from Shallow Crossing upstream

Due to drought the Clyde is barely flowing so we timed our paddle to coincide with the incoming tide. High tide (king, 1.64m) was at 9.33am at the Clyde River Bridge which meant it would reach Shallow Crossing at approx 12.30pm.

S&V arrived promptly and we set off just after 7.30am collecting R and her boat enroute. We arrived at our destination about 10.10am. When we first arrived the river was flowing upstream with a 6"ish rapid falling on the upstream side of the causeway.  By the time we had all taken to the water, about 10.45am,  the difference is height was negligible.

Looking downstream from the crossing. (Compare with second last pic taken approx 4 hours later)

R backpaddling to give room for the next launch

Last to launch, L waits for the wash from a 4WD to disperse

 

Beautiful

Not only was the flora varied, so was the bed of the river, providing endless fascination

See, what I mean

S did some research, only 25% of the land bordering the length of the Clyde River is cleared, making it the most pristine water on the east coast!

The tide is still coming in as we continue upstream

Occasionally we came across stupendous tree trunks, reminding us of what the forest one was

Rock shelves lined the river bed in places

About to encounter our first obstacle

Mmm, which way

There is the opening

Through the opening then a hard right, and OMG its a little rapid falling upstream! R&I wobbled and scraped our way through. The others came through like old pros.

S, very cool as she puts in a supporting stroke.

Following the leader through the shallows

We continued making our way upstream

And to the sound of running water, hit, for us, the end of the line.

The total flow of the Clyde River!  At least the water was running in the right direction!

At 12.15pm we stopped for lunch in this glorious spot - only marred by the noise of a water pump a little further upstream in the next big pool

The little pool immediately upstream of the tidal limit

Looking back downstream

We took to the water again at 1.05pm to start our return journey

With the tide just beginning to turn

Back up through the teeny rapid which no longer existed and through the rock garden

Looking downstream whilst waiting

for the stragglers to exit the rock garden

L, doing an 'arty'

About 2.15pm we stopped for a leg stretch, snack and V&S tried to teach R how to skim stones - won't say anymore than a lot of practice is required!

Then it was a short paddle downstream to Shallow Crossing where, on the lower side, the tide was well and truly out.

We finished the paddle at 2.45pm. We saw quite a few schools of very large mullet? further upstream and V swears on her grannies grave she paddled over a small bullshark. Loads of bird life in the bush on the banks.  It was unanimous that this paddle should go in the top 10.

On the way home there was much discussion re whether we could handle the 23km paddle from Shallow Crossing down to Nelligen, followed by an early dinner at the Bermi Pub.

Great Day

Trip Notes

Put In/Take Out: Shallow Crossing on the River Road
Upstream paddle of 4.4kms
4 hours