Wednesday 28 October 2020 Wonboyn River

 Whilst sojourning at Green Cape for six days for a spot of R&R and whale watching ...

... we planned to paddle the Wonboyn River if there was a break in the wild, wet and woolly weather.  Wednesday dawned - no rain and only the slightest of breezes and after a quick breakfast, pack up and hour long drive round to Wonboyn we launched from the boat ramp at 8.40am to take advantage of the last of the incoming tide (7.18am at the entrance). 

View from the boat ramp bay

In some places the fires had burnt down to the waters edge

 We had an easy paddle, on mainly glassy water, across the top of the lake. Looking down toward the entrance.

Passing some oyster beds where a tern, gull or cormorant sat on nearly every post

We pulled into the jetty of Wonboyn House to find the fire, possibly spot fires had got much closer than can be seen on Google Earth. The water tank and flat area behind the beach had burnt, as had the treed area on the slope leading up to the house. However the little of the buildings we could see from the water looked unharmed. Hats off to whoever fought to save such a venerable and vunerable complex. Beyond Wonboyn House the bush along the foreshore seemed unburnt or approx 1km.

After paddling 1.6kms to the mouth of the river we cruised past Wonboyn Resort on the northern (?) side of the river.

The ravages of the fire were soon apparent once more

The loos at the boat ramp having been destroyed in the fires we were on the look out for a secluded spot on which to land for a break. After 2.8kms we found one, a skinny little beach dividing the river from a small lagoon.  

Heading on up the river - sadly the incoming tide, after all the rain, was no match for the water coming downstream. Both sides of the river now impacted by the fires. 

About 5.9kms and one hour and forty minutes into the paddle on river right we spotted the end of a rough track coming down to the water and pulled in for a leg, hip and back dekink - oh, the vagaries of growing old - disturbing as we did so these two Sea Eagles.

After a 20 minute break we continued on upstream, the burnt bush having an unusual beauty

At the 8.00km mark, the sun came out and illuminated a sand spit with an island beyond. We paddled past the badly burnt island and stopped for a confab and look at the map.  There was another 1.6km to the tidal limit and the river narrowed dramatically soon after the island which meant paddling against a greatly increased current. We are not very paddle fit and besides the sand spit in the sun looked extremely inviting, especially as it was the first sun we had seen in 5 days. It was an easy decision and feeling only a little wimpish we rounded the island and paddled back down to the spit, landing at 11.20am.

Having spent 50 minutes eating our sangas and basking in the sun we took to the water once more to retrace our steps.

Orange moss like stuff growing above the high water mark along the bank provided an attractive contrast to the vivid green and black and grey

After another quick leg stretch at the same place as our first, we threaded the oyster beds leading to the river mouth and

headed out into the lake. There a breeze made for a choppy return across the head of the lake and constant paddling was required. L, whose boat has a much lower profile had to contend with an occasional wave slopping into the cockpit and by the time we got back to the boat ramp at 1.50pm he was wet from the waist down.

Taking out the time for the second stop, the trip up the river took us 2 hours and 20 minutes and the return trip only 1 hour 50 minutes despite the slow choppy return across the lake. So, even allowing for extra 'gongoozling' on the outward journey, we were greatly assisted by the current flowing down the river on the way back.

On the drive out to the highway we noted that all the creeks which feed into the river were running full.

Trip Notes:

 Put In/Take Out: Wonboyn Boat Ramp

16kms

Back at Green Cape we settled down for more whale watching and spending time with good friends,

Thursday, the weather took a turn for the worse once more - which didn't stop the whales putting on a show :) :)

Friday morning packing up was frequently interrupted by shouts of 'whale'.

 A final wave goodbye as we departed.

Monday 19 October 2020 Bermagui River

 Not having paddled for a couple of weeks a gentle float up the Bermagui River on the incoming tide seemed like a good idea.  With a high, high tide of 1.9m due at 10.50am at the entrance (11.42am at the bridge) we set of from the Slipway beach at 9.55am.

When we started out, like life living with Covid, things looked pretty grey

However as we paddled under the bridge colour began to seep into our senses and by the second bend 

the river was showing us all her beauty and for us, at least, all was well with the world once more - for a while.

It is only on a high high tide such as today that the wetlands flood

We poddled on up the river

Ably assisted by the tide - note the post.

We drifted quietly along drinking in the peace and quiet.

 

L certainly couldn't make the 'too much chattering going on' claim today.  It was so quiet we could hear the jumping and plopping of fish just around the next bend.

Of course when we got there they stopped. R & I sat still and they started again, but sadly I couldn't catch it on film and only managed the rings in the water they left behind.

We cruised on

L looking to see if the high high tide gave us another lead into the mangrove forest.

We stopped for morning tea at the camping spot just before 11.00am and hauled out for 40ish minutes until the tide started to slacken. 

Taking to the water again, R spotted a beautiful looking jelly fish, the type of which we had never seen before; then she spotted another and another. I paddled over her way thinking "I'm going to do a V for sure", however I did get a good sighting of one.  And it looked like the one in the pic below (which was taken at night), except the body was only tinged blue around the bottom edge. Size wise, I'm guessing, the body was 80-90mm long and about 60mm wide.  

If my research is correct it is a Southern Jimble (Carybdea Rastoni) a member of the Box Jellyfish family :( :( :(.  However, be alert not alarmed - the article says that while is has a nasty sting, unlike their tropical relations they are not deadly!!!  Now I really want a pair of those knee high wet boots!

 Blissfully ignorant we headed back down river and for the first time explored the little mangrove forest just downstream of the campsite.

It was fun wending our separate ways through the trees.

Back out on the river we paddled on down to the large mangrove forest and ventured in to the hidden little lagoon and thence one more wended our way back out.

Having come approx 1.5kms downstream and whiling away some time in the mangroves, when we came back out into the river the tide was going out and we had an easy poddle/float back down the river. 

Leaving L to a nature break R&I paddled down to the bend where the fish had been jumping. The fish were still jumping and as we rounded the bend a sea eagle dove on a fish - and missed. Perhaps our sudden appearance ruined his aim. He climbed steeply up into the tree overhanging the corner and took up his perch once more. The fish resumed their jumping so we sat in the eddy, waiting for L, hoping to see the eagle hunt again. However it just fluffed up its feathers and hunkered down to stare us out so as soon as L appeared we continued on.

After a quick stop at the bridge boat ramp we road the current under the bridge, always fun, and ended our paddle at 1.15pm. After packing up, we didn't linger, as is our usual wont, and instead headed straight home and in the case of L&I after washing out the boats and gear we retired for a what was supposed to be a nanna nap but which turned into a dead to the world deep sleep.

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out: Slipway Beach

High tide:    Entrance 10.50am, 1.9metres

                    Bermagui Bridge 11.42am

10.9kms