Wednesday 2 October 2019 Corunna Lake

After loading S&Vs boats we got underway and after a short stop in Bermagui we headed to the Corunna Lake Picnic Area and Boat Ramp. Unloading the boats was a breeze - just a short hop across some smooth grass to a gentle beach covered in a cushioning weed, no need to carry the boats into the water we just dragged them across the weed.  Anyway, by 10.05am we were all on the water and ready to paddle

The water was wonderfully clear

So clear, we could see the odd tiny jellyfish, these were the size of my thumb nail,

 however a little further out into the water and the lake was thick with them ranging in size from the barely visible up to a 50cent piece. God knows what will happen if most of them mature - maybe Jesus walked on Jellyfish and not on water!

We paddled across the lake to find the water still clear along the western shoreline.

 Turning right we paddled along the shore and around a nob of land

 into the first inlet, which, upon inspection was declared by L to be a good anchor spot for an overnighter in the Tammie Norrie.

At the end of the above inlet, and after only 2.6kms and a little under an hours poddling, I had to pull into the shore for a leg stretch and some work on my seat back. Still haven't got it right. Prototype no.1 might be a bust. After 10 or 15 minutes we set off again, paddling over loads of darting fish and headed down the main western inlet.

Off which was a small and sheltered inlet, declared by L to be a perfect anchorage for an overnighter in the Tammie Norrie.

Back into the main inlet

 and heading down it

A small opening to quite a large lagoon we didn't get to explore

Paddling up the creek that is crossed by the Old Highway

The Old Highway bridge comes into sight

 Under the bridge we go

On the other side of the bridge there was a shallow lagoon to the west while the main waterway continued northward through cleared land. We decided this was a good spot to turn around.

And so we started retracing our path, past an interesting mix of vegetation

S pulled out her camera, charged this time, for her first pic of the day - this obliging kingfisher

Back past the entrance to the unexplored lagoon

pausing momentarily to admire this sea eagle  (Hands up everyone who thinks S  should carry and use her camera more often!!!!)

we continued on down the inlet

The bush looks lovely from a distance, but up close you see it is tinder dry and quite a lot of trees and shrubs look stressed, particularly the banksias.

 About to leave the sheltered water of the inlet and paddle up the main lake into a somewhere between 18.5km and 25.5km head wind. For the last kilometer there will be no more poddling for us!

It was a relief to reach the sheltered bay and return to poddling for the last 100 metres.

And here come the rest of the party at 12.33pm

Feeling all's well with the world even tho' its clearly not, but that is what a good paddle does for you - we packed up, changed and headed back to Bermagui to meet up again just after 1.30pm for lunch at the pub.

Trip notes:

Put In/Take Out:  Corunna Lake Picnic Area
7.25kms
2hrs 10mins