Wednesday 15 April 2020 Cuttagee Lake

At long last it was time to christen the new boat. R was keen to paddle and lend support  but thinking it was not a good look, in these times, to drive through town with a boat on top of the car she borrowed the Delta.  L kindly helped us load the boats onto the trailer and off we went down the paddock.

All went well until it came to passing through the gate into K&A's - confession time - I didn't get the angle right and the trailer got stuck in the gate way. We couldn't reverse due to the track at that spot being narrow with a steep drop off. So after a bit of useless heaving and pushing we had a lightbulb moment and unhitched the trailer which enabled us to manoeuvre it through the gateway and hitch it up again; all the while we were wondering if L was watching and laughing his head off. The next obstacle to be faced was a fallen tea tree across the track, R managed to move some of it and I crunched over and scraped through the rest. What should have been a sub 5 minute drive took us twenty minutes or more.

However we arrived at the launch site feeling quite chuffed and set about unloading the boats, donning our gear and setting up the Delta for R. And then it was my big moment - how to approach entering the new kayak, it being much more tippy than the Delta.  Let me just say, while not being graceful or pretty and with R steadying the boat I didn't do a face or bum plant into the mud. Hooray :)

I'm guessing we set off up Little Cuttagee about 10.45am, the water ruffled by the light breeze.
Speaking of the water it was the murkiest I have ever seen it, however a number of baby jellyfish seemed to be enjoying it.

Going up the straight and keeping our 'social distance'! I wasn't finding the paddling easy, the water felt syruppy.  Was it the new boat or just because I'm even less fit than usual, but when R&I closed to talking distance she too had the same feeling.

Once we turned off the straight the water cleared and we could see all the new water grasses that have sprung up in the last month. The paddling through syrup feeling lasted all the way down the main lake, even with the breeze at our backs. We took the route into Clearwaters ephemeral lagoon and stopped for a snack and a good gos.

Here is the interesting thing, as we retraced out steps we paddled into the breeze, but the water felt fine and the paddling was easy - go figure!

One of the problems of taking 'social distancing' to extremes. 'Look at the swans' I yelled, 'What' shouted R as she turned to look at me.

So I pointed instead and R too got to enjoy the spectacle

 Enjoying our outing so much we decided to not head home straight away and to paddle up to the bridge

Here is another pic of the new boat, an Old Town Castine 145. So far so good, no back ache, shooting pain down the leg, cramps or total, from, the knee on down, leg numbness. Oh bliss.
One thing I do miss is the Delta's spacious front hatch. The Castine has a dinky little pull out glove box that's small, awkward and feels very rickety.

As we headed under the bridge, we could see there was something very different about the shape of the rocks on the northern end of the beach. So we had to investigate. Is that a car?

A upside down twin cab ute in fact.

R, all puffed up like a bantam rooster. 'That can't be left there, who'se responsibility is it " she said and then proceeded to list off all the possible authorities.

 As we drew closer there was a distinct smell of petrol/diesel so it can't have been there for very long. But its not nice to think it might be slowly leaking fuel into the water.

Bull Bar anyone?

The view south down Cuttagee Beach was much nicer

By now I'm managing to get into the boat unaided, albeit most ungracefully - so far, I have entered and exited a different way each time.  So the slightly larger cockpit area is allowing me far more options than the Delta.

Yet another pic of Das Boot.  I don't like the black nose, makes her look rather sinister.

We turned into Little Cuttagee and the water was glassy and the fish were rising. Beautiful,

We drifted while I had another fag and we took in the view.  A very different one from two months ago. How green is thy valley?

We had not been long back at the launch site

when we were joined by A who was out surveying his acres.We chatted and caught up on each others news for 20 minutes or so before A left us to load up the boats and make our way home.

A bit more bush bashing was required, but the angle taken through the gate was perfect this time and we got back around 3.20pm.

Having R as a paddling partner meant both boats and all gear had to have a thorough wash down and out BEFORE we could relax. :):)

So a big thank you to R for her support, on my first paddle in the new boat. I'm keen again; I keep looking out at Little Cuttagee as I type this and think ooh I want to be out there!

7.5kms