NB Aqualife: Saturday 25 June 2023 Wallaga Lake: Couria Bay & Merriwinga Creek

An outstandingly glorious day on which to paddle - and only two days after the Winter Solstice.

After getting home from our paddle last week and discovering we had missed the middle, and longest, lead of Merriwinga Creek we decided to revisit Wallaga Lake and paddle Couria Bay and creek and savour the exploration of Merriwinga Creek upon our return.

Back from their culture fix, we met S&V at Payne's Island a little before 10.00am and set to unloading the boats and

getting ready to paddle. At 10.15 we launched and although the entrance looked inviting we resisted its allure and

headed under the bridge as planned, paddling across the lake to Couria Bay. Once there we hugged the northern shoreline exploring all the little bays as we poddled and chatted our way up the arm.

Before reaching the top of the arm and with everybody's tummies rumbling we crossed to the southern shore which was bathed in sunshine and headed back up the bay looking for somewhere sheltered to pull in for some morning tea. At 11.50 we found such a spot.

As we sat basking in the sun, morning tea morphed into lunch.

Taking to the water again at 12.55 we headed back up toward the top of the bay and after a couple of false starts on my behalf we found the entrance to Couria Creek. Although shallow the water was crystal clear; sadly the banks were soon clear of any vegetation other than kikuyu and it wasn't long before we were halted by a fence crossing the creek.

Once back in the bay we headed straight back to the bridge and the entrance to Merriwinga Creek. As we entered we met a couple an their dog in a canoe exiting the creek. A little further on we met someone inflating paddle boards at Serendip.

As we paddled on, looking for the lead, kanga's kept popping up their heads from the tussocks to check us out which accounts for the myriad of tracks through the tussocks you can see at the end of the video.

Having found the lead we wanted we entered and were soon in single file, negotiating the tight turns. Large schools of fingerlings and small schools of 20-30cm fish darted all around us. At one point I caught a glimpse of a large bird I couldn't identify - if you can, please let me know.

The first real obstacle we encountered was the walkway across the creek. However with some repositiioning and some hoicking and shoving L and I got across and of course, S&V just cautiously floated over.

As the creek narrowed the obstructions grew in number; the reflections were mesmerising and the sense of adventure high. Eventually, for the gals, caution won out and at 2.37pm we called a halt here, as seen in the pic below.

However, L in a 16'6" boat threw caution to the wind and paddled on for another 70m or so. The last half of which, he said, were somewhat anxiety ridden - the choice being continue on and hope to find a widening in which to turn or back paddle negotiating tight bends and obstacles. Luckily he found a widening and with a lot of difficulty managed to turn his long boat and make his way back to us.

As we paddled back we heard voices and as we approached the last bend before the creek crossing we had the slightly disconcerting sight of the heads and shoulders of three seemingly disembodied people floating across the top of the reeds. Merriwinga Creek was proving to be a popular spot this fine winter's day.

Back at the crossing I picked a better line and managed to get across the walkway with a minimum of hoiking, likewise L. S once more floated across and V having missed the sweet spot required just a little shove.

As we poddled back a I managed a snap of one of the several kangaroos we saw. As per usual the GoPro battery had died well before we had got back to the crossing. Speaking of which, there was so much chatting, nattering and gossiping going on for the first half of the paddle that L, had to, with a great deal of time and effort, (he repeatedly tells me) replace the sound track.