We were nearly ready, when lo and behold S&V paddled around the corner at 9.05am - had they heard us rattling down the paddock?
R&I were ready at 10 past and caught up with them half way up Little Cuttagee.
Spoonbills at the start of the straight
We paddled right up the straight and around the bottom of Snake Island. The others made it through the shallows but I got stuck and while I extracted myself the others paddled up under the bridge to the beach to go and look at the twin cab ute that had been driven off Cuttagee Headland coming to earth upside down on the rocks below.
Taking to the water after the wreck inspection
View up Cuttagee Lake coming out from under the bridge
Northern shoreline
Swans taking flight
Pelican on the way to the ephemeral lagoon
Showing us his rear end
Swan taking flight from the ephemeral lagoon
We pulled in for morning tea just after 11.30am
and managed to while away an hour and 10 minutes before we hit the water again.
As we made the turn into the creek we encountered a head wind and this redbelly blacksnake swimming across the creek.
He was a bit close for comfort, but thanks to S for spotting him we all managed to avoid getting up to close and personal!
At the mouth of the river we turned left having decided to explore the top of the lake and all the bays on the northern side of the lake on our way back.
More swans taking flight
At the top of the lake we explored the bay leading to the Sunnyside causeway.
The next two pics show the remains of a tea tree? island that was in the bay
The last time we came this way (27/12/2017), we circumnavigated what was a thriving and dense island. The consistent high water for the last four years has decimated the tea tree/melaleuca? along the low lying areas of the shoreline.
Paddling into the next bay down the lake
A plank fence marks the head of it
Nearly to the head of the next bay, where I got out for a quick leg stretch
We next explored 'Wooleybutts' bay and came back out into the main body of the lake to find the wind had swung to the south east and we slogged our way into a head wind; the neck flap of R's blowing in the wind!
Once back at the end of the straight we found the Spoonbills and one lone Ibis had swapped sides
Paddling back down Little Cuttagee we called farewell to S&V as they paddled on down to their launch site.
We finished our paddle -a mixture of poddling and slogging - at 1.30pm. A good time was had by all, tho' V was anxious to get back to assembling the new chook pen. R&I took our time, first finishing our coffee and R's yummo cookies before loading the boats and heading home.
Trip notes:
12kms
4hrs 20 mins (incls approx 1 1/2 of breaks)
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