We were both half-hearted about a paddle today. However the thought of a 1.8m high tide and some water coming down the river from the recent rains spurred us into action. And oh boy, we were pleased we made the effort.
After an encounter with a Bull Terrier, once a favourite breed of ours, we set off just after 11.00am. The high water allowed for a deep penetration and exploration into and over the wetlands before returning to the main flow by paddling over the top of the beach that normally seperates the wetlands from the river.
Weaving through mangroves and paddling over areas usually too shallow we made our way up the river and turned into Jaggers Bay. Here too, the high water allowed us to spend a delightful hour investigating all the bays and little backwaters hidden behind the mangroves.
At 12.30pm we stopped for lunch at the bottom of the old track used by timber cutters. You will see in the video old timbers laid at right angles to the shore. The story goes that the logs were hauled down the track and then rolled down the timbers into deeper water where the they were then gathered and floated down to the mill in Bermagui.
Launching again at 1.30pm we completed the circumnavigation of Jaggers Bay and cut across the river and paddled our way down the northern side of the river. Rounding the last bend before the bridge we felt the full effect of the headwind and paddled the last 300metres or so over choppy water, reaching our pullout point at 2.20pm.
Before we go; yesterday, during a long overdue draw clean out I discovered this old photo which hints to the reason Bull Terriers have a soft spot in our hearts.
A 'Bullits' preferred bed is.......... their man mattress :)
According to the weather forecast today would be the last chance for a paddle for at least another week. So with the tide against us - 5.53am 1.2m, going down to a low of 0.8m at 11.07am - we opted for a mooch around on Wallaga Lake.
The water was glassy when we arrived at our launch site, however
by 10.15am when we launched the breeze had arrived. We set off across the lake, circumnavigating Green Bay before stopping at Snapper Point for morning tea, landing at 11.30am.
Shortly after setting off again at 12.10pm the GoPro ran out of battery. So here are a couple of pics of our venture up the, at this water level, very shallow left hand lead into Dignam's Creek. A lot of seeking and searching, grounding out, shoving, heaving and back paddling was done to make our way up the creek.
A pair of Chestnut Teal
We could hear the wind picking up and knew we would be paddling into it and so decided to turn at the top of the island and start heading back - this time down the main, deeper channel.
By the time we returned to Snapper Point (1.25pm) the wind had dropped to a breeze, the sun was shining again - it had turned into a lovely day to be out and so we stopped for lunch.
Lunch was really an excuse to spend 50mins in the company of friends, gazing upon Gulaga across the bay and watching the ever changing cloud formations around her peaks.
GoPro rebatteried we set off again at 2.15pm.
Not you lot again!
The final 400ms or so of the paddle was fun as the slight swell pushed us along, in the direction we needed to go and we quickly reached our take out point at 3.05pm
Today was our first opportunity to paddle in a while - we've been away and when we weren't the weather has been horrible. So much so, that Cuttagee, which was filling up nicely, burst open on the 8th - much to L's disappointment as he'd alleviated the tedium of our time away planning another camp out in the Tammie Norrie.
Here are a couple of pics of Cuttagee that V took on 8 October.
Looking up the fast draining lake and east
to the mouth.
And so to today's paddle. High tide at the entrance was 12.30pm (1.6m) and as there is still a reasonable flow coming down river we reasoned that we could start earlier than usual as there would be enough water to float over the shallow sections.
We arrived at 10.50am to find S&V already there and unloading their boats. We quickly followed suit,
only to dilly dally as I hunted for the GoPro head strap - a no show; so L went to attach it to the mount on his boat only to find the bolt has frozen solid more dilly dallying while he tried to remove it - without success. The upshot of all this faffing around being - the GoPro was a NoGo. Eventually we got onto the water at 11.22am and even though the tide was coming up river, the downstream flow floated us gently downriver.
A Sea Eagle soared by as we headed to the upper entrance to the back lagoon.
Once out of the downstream flow of the river we could feel and see the incoming tide flowing over the old roadway.
Oops, a grinding noise and a sudden stop proves this is not the place to cross the old road.
Somehow S made her way over, while
the rest of us found a deeper crossing.
Only the slightest of zephers in this sheltered backwater.
Crossing back over the old road proved a tad tricky. Oyster covered rocks just under the surface required keeping well to the paddler's left whilst avoiding the rocky bank that the tide was pushing one onto. We all managed it, albiet some with more grace and skill than others!
Paddling down the back channel we watched a Wedge Tailed eagle circling overhead,
Heading back onto the river.
As we approached the entrance we could plumes of white water shooting skywards as waves broke on the beach.
The sight pleasing me that I had chosen to paddle instead of going on a whale watching tour. I don't think the Kwells would have cut the mustard!
Other than the eagles, not much birdlife around today. Here a solitary Pied Oystercatcher and in the background a couple of tiny terns, too far away to identify.
Cautiously approaching the entrance. Although it was 12.58pm the tide was still coming in.
Big waves rolling in down Murrah Beach.
Someone is feeling brave today :)
After watching the waves for awhile we let the tide turn our boats and float us back into the lagoon.
We crossed back over to the southern side of the lagoon to the sheltered little beach below the campsite where we stopped to have lunch around 1.15pm. By the time we took to the water again at 2.10pm the tide had well and truly turned and near constant paddling was required.
A few minutes of relief as we went round the top of the island,
after which we paddled slowly and constantly back up to the Murrah bridge to where there was more water than when we launched. I think we finished about 3.00pm. Not having paddled for a few weeks we were all a bit pooped and creaky and so it took awhile to unpack and load the boats. It was worth the effort however. It was bliss to get back out on the water.
And because there was no video footage this week I've cobbled, very badly, together (mainly for Mike and Tim) some footage of our Spring garden babies who are all up to the stage of doing zoomies around the yard and thus keep us endlessly entertained. Unfortunately they are way to fast and erratic to catch on film and it is only when they stop for a drink or want back in for a sleep that I can film them.
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