Thursday 23 March 2023 Lake Yarrunga Day 2: Hideaway to Yarrunga Creek limit return.

 Emerging wearily from our tents in the morning we were soon regaling each other with stories of our sleepless night and the reasons why. L derided our tales as gross exaggeration until he discovered the rats had got into his boat and gnawed his Contigo lid and a hole in the bottom of his water bottle.

Plans for the day were discussed as we ate breakfast. With more rain imminent it was decided that if we were going to get wet it may as well be while paddling.Slow to get going after our noisy night we made it onto the water around 11.30am and paddled on down the lake heading for Yarrunga Creek.

Just before Beehive Point and the turn into the creek thunder rolled overhead and the heavens opened. Long before we paddled the remaining two hundred metres to where we could get out we were soaked to the skin. We donned the now wet wet weather gear to guard against the sudden temperature drop and continued on our way. 

Due to the thunder and occasional lightening we hugged the shoreline. Half a kilometre up the creek we entered the remains of the drowned forest and progress slowed dramatically as we cautiously paddled over the many remains of tree trunks and branches lurking just under the surface of the water, hidden by the rain and gloom - and eager to flip the unwary paddler. L called them growlers, but we each had a involuntary sound whenever contact was made. Our party of 5 contained a yelper, a gasper, a groaner, a grunter and a squeaking oh f--ker.

Before long we started to encounter the remains of the amazing stone retaining walls of the Old Meryla Road. We followed its course until it disappeared below the water and found it had emerged further on for a bit, only to disappear into the water again. The road is historically significant for two reasons. In 1818 an Indigenous man known as 'Timelong' led Charles Throsby, a white man, down an Aboriginal trail into the Kangaroo Valley. It thus became the route of the first entry into Kangaroo Valley by a white bloke.  In 1896 a road was constructed by hand along the same trail and was the first road into the Valley from the Southern Highlands.  When Tallowa Dam was constructed in 1976 the lower portion of the road was flooded.

As we finished examining the remains of the old road there was a break in the weather and we looked for somewhere to haul out for a break. Spotting a sandy bank at a creek mouth across from a portion of the road we paddled over and by 12.30 we were digging out our snacks.

If you look over the rock in the foreground to the far side of the creek you can see the some of retaining wall of the Old Meryla Road.

After the break we continued cautiously up the creek until entering the original watercourse where, for awhile, the growlers disappeared until the they took a new form - rocks. As the creek narrowed the surrounds developed an ancient and mystical feel - it was wonderful.

Having reached the paddlable limit

we start to turn and head back to camp.

After cautiously returning through the drowned forest and associated growlers we opened the throttle and paddled steadily back to camp through the rain. Whilst in growler territory L got way ahead of us and then stopped and patiently waited for us to catch up. As we approached he called us over - he wasn't patiently waiting for us to catch up - a growler and caught him and was holding him fast! Using my boat for leverage he managed to move his boat enough so I could paddle to the front to lift the nose and shove - and with a slight wobble or two he slid free.

Arriving back at camp  around 4.00pm we discovered the tarp had sagged alarmingly however L, using his paddle as a prop soon had it to rights again.  Unfortunately the cheap tents had leaked, however R's little beauty was snug and dry. Luckily for us the rain had eased just before got back as we each only had one change of dry clothes remaining and an ever growing mound of sodden ones.

After the exertions of the last three days dinner that evening was eagerly anticipated. R had the ready to eat All Day Breakfast from On Track Meals recommended by Daniel our canoe guide. With each mouthful she pronounced it delicious. L&I had a dehydrated (only 13 months past it's best by date), edible but tasteless Honey Soy Chicken and V&S a supermarket coleslaw salad (half of which they shared with us) and tuna. It is worth noting that the coleslaw was in A1 condition at the end of two days without refrigeration with the air temperature around 22-24oC. This was followed up, as on the previous night, by R's plum pudding - worth it's hefty weight in satisfaction.

Again it was early to bed and once more the rats rampaged through our belongings all night long.

15kms