Tuesday 25 July 2023 Pambula River and Lake

 Pambula river was today's destination. A high tide of 1.4m was due at the entrance at 1.36pm, reaching Tea Tree Point in the lake at 2.46pm.  After noting the forecast change in wind speed and direction, calculation of paddling speed, when the troops would want a break etc etc and the ensuing straining of the brain, the plan was laid. Meet at the end of Coraki Drive at 11.30am, unload the boats, do a car shuffle round to the Pambula Lake Boat Ramp and get onto the water by 12.30pm - this would mean tidal assist up the river to the top of the lake and the breeze assist back down the lake to the boat ramp - perfecto!

But of course, as they say, the best laid plans.... Although we launched ahead of schedule onto the smallest of slops,

 the water was so beautiful we floated instead of paddling. Upon reaching Severs Beach L declared a stop to fly the drone. The troops declared it was time for lunch and the plan went down the plug hole.

We threaded our way through the small oyster bommes to Severs Beach and exiting the boats was delayed by a bird none of us had seen before.

R suggest a Curlew and was poo pooed by the rest of us.

She was indeed partially right.

It is a Beach Thick-knee, formerly called a Beach Stone Curlew;

on the east coast, normally found north of Manning River, NSW!

After two drone flights and a leisurely lunch we continued on our way. Turning the corner at the Shark Hole we found the wind direction had changed (as forecast) and the breeze was now in our face. After another stop as R spotted a Sea Eagle catch a fish we paddled on into the lake.

We haven't paddled the lake in a long time and were disappointed to find the oyster beds have spread and there are very few places where you can paddle the shoreline so we truncated our circumnavigation and had some fun trying to surf the tiny swells as we headed back down the lake to our take out point at the boat ramp, reaching there sometime after 3.30pm.

Trip Notes:

High Tide at entrance: 1.36pm 1.4m

High Tide at Tea Tree Point: 2.46pm

Put In: Pambula River Beach

Take Out: Pambula Lake/Broadwater Boat Ramp

8.52kms