HighTide at the Moruya Hospital was at 8.36am this morning. Therefore L suggested a departure from home of 6.30am to start paddling at 7.30am! I amended this to 6.00am and for once we left on time. However 7.30am came and found us still enroute to the Araluen Rd bridge to drop of a car. When we dropped of the car we checked the boat egress - tricky but doable reckoned L. Then it was back to Moruya and the hospital were we couldn't find a launch site - did I dream it up!! So off we went to the boat ramp beside the park. After we unloaded the kayaks we had to wait for a big boat to be loaded.
Under a louring sky we eventually took to the water at 8.30am (remember high tide at the hospital was at 8.36am and the hospital was 1.3km upstream from our amended start point).
About to go under the Princes Highway
Did I mention the day was looking rather grim and grey? We wondered what we might be paddling into
but the water was glassy and surprisingly warm
About 25mins after the previous pic S and I had a good sighting of a Sacred Kingfisher. R & I have seen one once before, on the Tuross River.
Getting some good reflections
We paddled on and the further upstream we went the more fish we saw
Mogendoura Creek coming in from the right up ahead.
When we reached the mouth of the Creek L called for a confab. All well laid plans need adjustment now and then, and due to our altered launch site and late start we were now paddling against an outgoing tide and we had 6.5km more paddling ahead of us to get to the Araluen Rd Bridge and S&V's car, it was time for a rethink. After L had talked us through our options it was decided we would explore Mogendoura Creek, find somewhere for morning tea and then paddle back down, with the outgoing tide, to Moruya.
Five minutes or so after entering the creek, about 9.55am, we found a spot to get out of the boats, hardly muddy at all - a breeze compared to the Glenelg! There was a nice solid log beside this old boat and we settled down ate what we had brought for lunch.
By the time we had finished lunch the water level had dropped considerably
50 mins later we took to the water once more and continued our way upstream with lots of fish of different shapes darting out of our way as we went.
After reaching the limit of where we could paddle we turned around and headed back downstream
It was noticeably warmer and more muggy up the creek, giving us something of a primeval feel
Once back onto the Moruya River we headed downstream over large areas of sea grass, now clearly visible in the shallower water with fish of all shapes and sizes going every which way.
On the way up, just after high tide we had spotted only one sandy bank on which to have a leg stretch. Now on the way back, there were plenty to choose from and about 11.40ish (where is R, our trusty time keeper? Missing her again) we pulled in on one such sandy stretch. 10 minutes later we were taking to our boats again
and paddled on down the river, now having to watch out for the sandbanks. I nearly ran aground in the middle of the river and L did and the outgoing tide compounded his problem by pushing his boat sideways onto the sandbank, however with a lot of heaving and using his paddle like a punt pole he managed to free himself.
The Princes Highway bridge, denoting the end of our paddle, looms into site.
As ever, we are reluctant to end the paddle
However as we neared the bridge, an eagle eye for sandbanks (which meant we saw lots of stingrays) and some steady paddling was called for to get us across the current to the boat ramp. Once in the eddy caused by the jetty we could relax.
Our paddle ended at 12.35pm, and we hadn't been rained upon.
The faithful and much abused Bluey, patiently waiting to be retrieved and loaded.
By the time we had finished loading the boats and retrieving S&V's car the sun was peaking fitfully out from the clouds and we were ready for a coffee. We decided to meet in Bodalla for one. However as we were travelling down the highway, L&I remembered the Pickled Octopus in Tuross Heads - Thai food, and good Thai food at that, not something to be passed up on in these parts. They close at 2.00pm and at 1.30 I rang them to see if they would feed us if we got there by 1.45. The wondrous and lovely lady said they would stay open for us - heaven. So a quick call to S&V who were somewhere behind us and our plans for the day changed once again. And propitious it was too. We had a fantastic multi course lunch looking out over Tuross Lake. What better way to end a paddle :)
Trip Notes:
Put in/Take out: Moruya Boat Ramp
High Tide Moruya Hospital: 8.36am 1.72m
11.76km
4hrs 05mins
To get to the Araluen Rd Bridge and beyond with tidal assist we really should have been paddling by no later than 7.00am
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