Due to other commitments and otherwise rainy, windy or both, weather we haven't paddled for a few weeks so we were keen to take advantage of today's small break in the weather. With all the rain the water level has risen considerably and when we reached the lake we found the track under water and had to launch through the trees.
By 8.20am we were on the water and meeting up with S&V.
We had beautiful glassy water for the first half of the paddle and
the reflections were mesmerising.
if that horizontal branch wasn't there we could explore further.
Round the back of the island at the entrance of the creek we saw a group of Topknot Pigeons, according to Pizzey, an occasional Spring/Summer visitor to the area. A first sighting for us.
We pushed on up the creek against a now discernible current
and over former shallows and pebble beaches.
At 10.00am we were stopped by a narrowing of the creek and potential strainers so hauled out on the adjacent pebble beach for morning tea.
These branches usually mark the edge of the shoreline.
A new bay to explore;
Heading up the creek we found the silt jetty in some parts underwater.
To watch R's video below, click play then click the full screen icon and then press play again.
Looking back downstream.
If we had carried the boats over the beach we could have continued our way upstream. However, conscious of the rising wind forecast and our luncheon date - K&A had kindly invited us to lunch after our paddle, at 10.30am we decided to head back.
L helped each of us eddy out into flow and he was left to manoeuvre his 17' boat all on his own.
L joins the 'gels' who had rafted in an eddy downstream to await our arrival.
That bit of excitement over, we paddled on downstream.
L and me in an eddy watching the others
go by
The last time we paddled up the creek we had to do a 3 or 4 point turn to get past this rock outcrop and we only got another 50-100metres upstream.
Besides stopping to talk to Anne who was down checking the depth of her ford - way too deep at the present - we made good time back to the big bend.
Paddling down the big straight R & I floated over the silt jetty into the ephemeral lagoon on river right
and L took a route over part of the submerged silt jetty on river left out into the main lake. After meeting up again and with a stiffish breeze at our backs L asked for his sail only to find he hadn't put it back in my boat - the one and only time we've ever had a back breeze for the return paddle on Cuttagee!
Back up toward the bridge we encountered a number of Paddle boards and kayaks and were grateful we'd had the magic of the creek to ourselves. Once back in Little Cuttagee we were sheltered from the wind and reached out launch site just after 12.00.
After packing up and loading the boats we headed back up the hill and after a quick stop at home we all met up again at K&A's who had pizza and salad waiting for us, followed by G's berry fruit salad and Toblerone . Bliss . A perfect end to a lovely day.
11.2kms
3hrs 40 mins.
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