Monday 11 April 2022 The Murrah

 The tide times were not in our favour - low tide at the entrance being at 10.46am and 0.6m high.  However there was still quite a flow coming down the river. After lots of calculations and counting on fingers a plan was made: put in at the bridge around 11.15am, go with the flow downstream, stop for a leisurely lunch then paddle back up against the flow with the aid of the incoming tide.

Monday arrived with a deteriorating forecast (winds now predicted to be in the very high 20's with gusts in the 50's). With the dismal outcome of our most recent attempt at a paddle still in the fore of our minds, some members of our little troop suggested cancelling. I started to waver, however L, being made of sterner stuff said 'let's do it, we can always turn back".  Relaying this information either stiffened backbones or caused cases of FOMO and the five of us met down at the Murrah bridge about 10.45am.

By 11.10 we were taking to the still muddy water

Before heading downstream, L took advantage of the flow and had us ferry glide across the river and then ferry glide back and forth between the eddies below each of the bridge pylons. It was a lot of fun and we were still smiling long after we had headed off down the river. 

As we floated downstream L had us practise breaking in and out of eddies, as always generous with advice to help us improve our technique, or in truth, gain any technique at all!

The gang sheltering at the entrance to the back lagoons waiting for my arrival.

Lots of chat going on.

We decided to attempt the channel and all was going well until about 30 metres from the end where a big sand bank slowed and in some cases halted our progess.  R&S managed to heave their way over. V was the first to exit her boat, followed closely by L. I was just about to exit my boat when L walked past, handed me his tow rope, grabbed mine and hauled me over the rest of the sand bar - my hero :)

We rejoined the others to find them deep in chat - it was R's first paddle for 2022 so there was lots of catching up to do. 

Paddling through the lower back lagoon we came back out on the river to find the wind had sprung up

so we paddled down the lagoon and stopped at a sheltered spot with a convenient log (L's chair having finally given up the ghost on our last paddle) on the south eastern shore about 12.20pm for lunch.

With rain threatening we donned our rain coats before embarking once more around 1.10pm. We continued down toward the mouth hugging the shore.

L paddled to the point of sand in the pic below and contrary to what we had planned the current was still flowing strongly out even tho' it was within the period of the strongest of the incoming tide. Warning us to proceed no further we tucked into the little bay and

looked around. That lump in the distance is the only reminder that the dune on the right used to extend along this part of the entrance.

S was the only one to brave the elements to check out the entrance while

the rest of us huddled in the little bay and contemplated the enormous amount of sand that had been blown in and

the miniature of life as in this tiny tube wave rolling in.

Tough as she is, S didn't linger on the sands and at 1.20 we started back.

For the first bit we had the wind coming at us side on but once we had turned the corner it was at our backs, which was a help since our idea of a tidal assist was a bust. Paddling slowly but steadily against the current, eddy hopping where we could, we arrived back the bridge at 2.10pm chuffed with the success of the paddle and that we had beaten the weather coming in.

Lots more sand has been moved down the river and under the bridge.

 

Trip Notes:

See previous Murrah entries for best times to paddle.