NB Aqualife: Friday 15 April 2022 Wallaga Lake: Dignams Bay

A high tide of 1.7m at 9.33am at Merriman Island made Wallaga Lake an obvious choice for a paddle. The only drawback, being Good Friday, we would have to share the waterway with power boats. However the plan was simple - look where the speed boats were and don't go there.

As we had only planned for a short paddle we met up at the end of Fairhaven Point Way at 8.30am. Only R was joining us today - the rest of our paddling group being melophiles had deserted us for the auditory delights of the Four Winds Festival.

Taking to the water at 8.50am were pleasantly surprised to see that other than a couple of motor boats in the far distance there were only a few kayak fisherpeople on the water.

Never had we seen such glassy water on the lake.

Paddling down the lake, heading for Dignams Bay.

Paddling through reflections of the clouds and

the sun on the water

we slowly drew closer to Gulaga.

Whilst passing Long Bay a big fat prawn launched out of the water and landed on L's boat just in front of the cockpit and much to L's bemusement, after a momentary pause flipped itself off again.

Having inspected the survey station anchored at the entrance to Dignams Bay; it comes complete with its own garden gnome - this one an owl - we headed into the bay.

There were swans flying past, Sea Eagles soaring overhead, fish (and prawns) jumping and skipping across the water. All was peaceful and serene until

a ski boat came screaming down the bay turned and screamed back past L

It was a relief to paddle past the water shallow signs and leave the noise behind us. Turning into Dignam's Creek we chose the channel around the far side of the island.

After taking a detour through a barbed wire fence up a side channel and finding the water to shallow to proceed up the hidden lagoon we continued the circumnavigation of the island and started to think about having a break.

Finding no suitable site we backtracked up into another lagoon and found a perfect spot - flat, shaded and no mosquitos, ants or worse - sandlflies and to top it off - a magnificent view.

Apart from the sound of nature - fish plopping, small birds twittering, the occasional honking of swans and cry of the Sea Eagle it was quiet, no man made noise intruded. No wonder we lingered so long. Having landed at 10.35am we didn't depart until and hour and 20 minutes later.

As we paddled back down the lagoon on still glassy water

L endeavoured to teach R&I the bow rudder stroke

Getting the forearm across the forehead is a bit tricky at our age!

It was peaceful trip back up the bay, only stopping for a short while at Snapper Point to chat to an elderly gent who said he had gone down the bay for a bit of peace and quiet.

When we reached the lake proper we could understand why. Ski boats, joy riders and jet skis abounded and we paddled back up the lake on waters made choppy by the all the boats and with the constant aural barrage of boat engine noise assaulting our senses (a far cry from what our fellow CKCers would be experiencing at Four Winds).

However one more delight was in store. Rounding a point we espied two seals hauled out on the rocks who did no more than open one eye as we quietly approached.

Having mutually regarded each other

for awhile we quietly paddled off.

After leaving the shelter provided by the point it was a slow, steady and somewhat uncomfortable slog over the choppy water to our take out site, landing at 1.25pm.