Tuesday 20 December 2022 Cuttagee

 The entrance closed last Thursday night locking in enough water to enable us to paddle up the straight.While not ideal paddling conditions we were keen to explore our local waterway once more.

Setting off at 12.45pm we first had to plough our way through a thick blanket of algae/weed.

Thankfully it wasn't very wide and we could then weave our way through the remainder.

Loads of schools of litte fish darting past kept us entertained as we paddled up the straight.

The water level at the bridge was too shallow for us to pass under so we turned and

up the lake.  Near the entrance to the creek we disturbed a huge flock of swans. I lost count at 40 as they began to take off. With the wind blowing my boat around I only managed to capture the leaders as they took flight.

Heading up the creek we disturbed another flock.

Decision time - up the creek or into the backwater?

Up the creek won out. Passing countless schoals of different little fish we oohed and aahed our way up the creek until we came upon this lone swan.  It had a terrible crushed looking kink in its neck and could not fly. Endeavouring to cause it no more stress we pulled into the bank and huddled quietly together to give it room to swim past. 

Once the swan had disappeared from view we paddled on and soon, as the water shallowed, were keeping a sharp eye out for fish and underwater hazards. The low water level preventing us from reaching our usual pull out spot, we stopped at this pleasant little pebble beach for what turned out to be a 45minute quick leg stretch! Here up the creek we were sheltered from the wind, it was warm and there was lots to talk about.

Barely back on the water and the oohing and aahing began again.

In this instance it was two large skates, never seen before this far up the creek.

Whilst trying to get a pic of the second skate my camera battery died. And there is no GoPro footage as we discovered the GoPro, mounted on the front of L's boat refuses to obey voice commands when it is windy.

Paddling back down the creek there was just enough water to detour into the backwater, beautiful as usual. 

At the big bend we left the sheltered water behind and turned into the headwind and it was time to paddle in earnest. Gaining a brief respite behind the island at the mouth of the creek, we eased off for a few minutes and then it was back to head down, steady paddling until we turned back down the straight where we poddled along and let the wind do most of the work. Once back in Little Cuttagee we were sheltered again and poddling and chatting resumed until we reached our pull out around 3.50pm

9.92kms