Monday 29 March 2021 The Murrah

The severe rain event that hit the far south coast on the 23rd March dropped 150mm (or thereabouts) on our local area and all the lakes and lagoons along this stretch of coast had their entrances blown out big time. Therefore our paddle options will be limited for the foreseeable future. (Just for interest - if I am counting correctly Cuttagee Lake has shut and opened three times in the past two months!

There was still a distinct flow still coming down the Murrah so we opted to start paddling an hour before high tide at the entrance, usually we start this paddle anywhere between 1-2 hours after high tide.

The Murrah flood, at its peak, topped the bridge. 

We took to the water at 8.15am, 15 mins ahead of schedule,

surprised there had not been more damage to the waterway.

The sun was shining, the air was still and the water glassy - what more could a paddler desire?

Exiting the backwater. The white blob is a silage bail which had some down in the flood and been left stranded on the wet land.

They were to become a feature on our paddle down to the mouth.

At 9.12am we arrived at the entrance to find the long barrier dune almost completely gone and waves coming right into the lagoon.

With high tide still 15minutes away L settles down for some morning tea.

Only to find his sojourn threatened by water and rolling logs a few minutes later.

V finds some flotsam among the debris on what is left of the barrier dune.

Can anyone identify this little bird - I'm guessing between 10 -15cm tall?

V, having returned with her trophies, the birds reclaim the spit.

12 minutes after high tide we resume our paddle,

firstly pushing through the scum line,

 

before crossing the lagoon to the northern shore up which we poddled, closely watched by a young Sea Eagle.

Weaving our way through a mangrove swamp

and out through a reed bed,

a little heaving required to return

 to the lagoon.

Another lead to be explored.

With two kingfishers keeping us company along its length the lead didn't go very far but was very pretty, running beside a grassy glade speckled with sunlight before reaching this blockage. 

Returning down the lead

About 10.20 we stopped for a 10min leg stretch on the wetland between the lagoon and the river.  The white blobs are more silage bails brought down by the flood. 

Setting off again

back to the river

It's not often on the Murrah we have glassy water for our return paddle - usually it's a head wind - thankfully absent today as the now outgoing tide and downstream flow already meant for steady and constant paddling.

About 11.30 we stopped at sandy beach before the 2nd last bend to regroup. S&V decided to continue on whilst R, L&I having no pressing engagements opted to stop for an early lunch and enjoy the clement weather.  

At 12.10 we set off again for the short paddle back to the bridge. Rounding the corner we inspected the damage to the bank -

and here you can clearly see where the the bank erosion works, put in place some years ago ends and the erosion caused by last weeks flood begins.

We reached the bridge at 12.25pm.

Not much talk of politics today. I think we have been rendered speechless by the revelations of the past couple of weeks. Not that you can call them revelations when the members of parliament and their employees have known about the so called revelations and behaviour for years.  Then hearing about the cover ups and listening to the excuses and obfuscation made me, for one, so very angry. Does anyone really believe some empathy training is going to change the basic personalities of the members of the federal government and the staff those members choose to employ?

  Having demonstrated their incompetence in dealing with crises and along with everything else (click the link below if you don't know what I'm talking about)

https://chaser.com.au/national/an-exhaustive-list-of-the-liberal-partys-corruption-over-the-last-7-years/?s=03

have any other members of a Federal Government so clearly proved themselves not fit for purpose?

Vent over. No wonder we didn't talk politics today; who would want to stain such a lovely and tranquil day.

7.5kms.

High Tide at Entrance: 9.30am 1.8m

Saturday 13 March 2021 Rose & Jaggers Bay, Bermagui River

 This morning L&I took ourselves off for a quiet and short paddle up the Bermi River; today being about the only day since we got back from Tamboon Inlet with only a light breeze forecast.

We got onto the water at 8.30am, before the crowds appeared and headed up the river passing a Nankeen Night Heron in the Mangroves opposite the bridge boat ramp.

Cutting the corner across the oyster lease, there was plenty of water underneath us so the oyster bommes did not post a threat.

Heading up the river we

decided to explore Rose and Jaggers Bays  - something we haven't done before and what a joy they proved to be. Just as we arrived at the intersection we were lucky to see a Sea Eagle take off from its perch, glide down, snatch a fish out of water, return to another perch and start on its snack. Sticking between the shoreline and the oyster beds we poddled first around Jaggers Bay 

Looking back toward Gulaga from the head of the first bay/arm of Jaggers.

Exiting it we were startled by a fast moving oyster boat, causing us to rock and roll for awhile and worse, lose the reflections.

Just waiting to be admired there are a number of magnificent spreading Spotted Gums on the eastern shore of Jaggers Bay.

As the water settled down after the departure of the oyster boat the reflections returned.

A couple of strange shapes,

this one reminding me of Jen Mollison's sculptures

Jaggers Bay is bigger than I thought and well worth the paddle. We still have a ways to go yet.

On the western shore of Jaggers Bay we stopped for a leg stretch at a spot where old timbers can be seen in the water lying at right angles to the shore.  Apparently this is where timber cutters of old rolled logs into the river to be floated downstream to the mill.

Leaving Jaggers Bay we continued upstream heading to Rose Bay, the bush looking and smelling wonderful after the recent rains.

Looking back down Rose Bay

After circumnavigating Rose Bay we headed back downstream on a slack tide and stopped for morning tea on the edge of the wetlands. We were no longer the only ones on the river and watched a parade of paddle boards and fishing boats go by.

After 40minutes or so we took to the water again heading back downstream on a now outgoing tide.

The Nankeen Night Heron again, this time obligingly out in the open.

Coming out from under the bridge we had to negotiate paddle boarders galore, swimming dogs and a jet ski, ending our paddle at 12.00noon

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out: Slipway Beach

Tide:    Entrance: 9.16am  1.72m

            Bermagui Bridge: 10.11am 1.33m

9kms

3 1/2 hours

Sunday 28 February 2021 Tamboon Inlet

 9.00am was the start time for our paddle down the Inlet with the SGWAAC. L&I were a little late taking to the water at 9.05am,

we were relieved to find that by the time we had got ourselves sorted and paddled the 120 metres down to the Club's launch site people were still launching.

After receiving instruction re direction to take we set off down and across the lake - L, KT and me soon trailing the group!

We caught up when two of the group landed to check out remote campsite no.5 and I took the opportunity for a leg stretch.  Summoned back onto the water by Avenel we continued on down the shoreline for just under a kilometre until we reached the first of the houses at Tamboon South; which was thoroughly checked out:)

Rounding the corner we came upon a bunch of private jetties and got our first proper glimpse of  the narrow section and the small sand dune barrier between us and the ocean.

We then crossed back across the lake,

 stopping at the west Cardinal Marker for a SGWAAC group pic.

Having been told by some fishermen that the closed entrance was near to breaking open with water flowing over the sand, Avenel stressed caution as we paddled down the eastern side of the narrows. Inspection of the sand dune to the west would have to wait.

Turning left at the end of the narrow section we could see the eastern entrance was still closed (with some relief on my part!) we paddled on.

and made landfall on the barrier dune about 10.40am .  Looking back from whence we had come.

Looking east,

toward Point Hicks.

Relaunching around 11.15am, we headed west along the barrier for a short (approx.1.5km) paddle to our proposed lunch site ("this sounds more like us" I can imagine members of the CKC thinking).

As you can see from the following photographs KT and I were soon trailing again :)

Going past the entrance to the narrow section

Avenel coming out of a little bay, having picked it as a second site for lunch if water was oozing out of the inlet.

 

Poddling on we came up on a fisherman

and beyond him some pelicans

By the time I was done photographing the pelicans I straggled in just before noon,

well after the rest of the group.

This person was with the fisherman and while he fished she spent her time walking the beach collecting rubbish.

Looking to the east

Turns out the fishermen who spoke to Avenel forgot to mention the water flowing over the barrier wasn't flowing out but was the spring tide washing in!

After a most leisurely lunch - even by CKC standards - and a SGWAAC swim we launched again about 1.25pm and headed back up the Inlet.  Rounding the sand dune into the narrows.

About a kilometre from home I espied Jan and John in the distance; they had spent the day fishing. Jan seemed to be just letting herself be pushed gently along by the breeze that had sprung up. Even so, it took me nearly half that distance to catch her up. Turns out Jan was pedalling along very gently listening to a podcast. Consequently when our boats bumped she nearly jumped out of her lovely new hobie. Once forgiven, we rafted up and chattered as Jan pedalled us back to camp which we reached at 2.30pm.

Thanks to KT for organising our reunion and a big thanks to the South Gippsland Walking and Adventure Club for allowing us to join them on their paddles.

Last of the sunlight from our camp and

 

last of the evening light

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out: Peach Tree Campground

11.4kms

5hrs 15mins