Tuesday 20 August 2023 Middle Lagoon, Tanja

Our last outing to Middle Lagoon occurred in July 2021 and so it was high time for another visit.

Before we set off, a bit of show and tell....... guess who's finally succumbed and now, along with the rest of us, has dry and toasty feet?

With the lagoon closed the water level was good and it was another warm winter's day.

We set off at 10.00am, firstly heading a little way down the lagoon,

so we could turn up the creek,  where we reached the paddlable limit at 10.46am

Making the turn. 

Bird life was abundant. Along the way we disturbed a couple of large groups of Australasian Coots, some swans, Black and Teal ducks, grebe, cormorants, a couple of Greater Egrets and a lone Spoonbill - all the while a Sea Eagle circled in and out of view, high overhead.

We then headed back down the lake and pulled in for lunch at 11.45am

S&V having launched 5 mins earlier, L&I set off at 12.45 to paddle the short distance to the closed entrance. There we met up with S&V who had disembarked to check out the ocean.

Back on the water we continued our circuit of the lagoon with a short detour up a lead before finding our way blocked by fallen timber. 

Here I saw a huge eel in shallow water. Unlike the ones up Cuttagee Ck it was alive and kicking - disappearing fast with a flick of its body as I paddled past.

Returning down the lead,

we paddled quietly back to our launch site and ending our paddle at 1.40pm.

Regular readers may be wondering about the lack of GoPro footage. Lots was taken, but unfortunately a seniors lapse occurred and once again I forgot to remove the lens cap :( :(  And the designers think they have made them idiot proof!!  However, as I'm sure you will agree, L's growing skill with the drone more than makes up for my increasing lack of skill with the GoPro.

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out: Private Property

Lake Closed

8.65kms

3hrs 40mins

Sunday 21 August 2023 Wapengo and Bithry Inlet

 Having met down at the Oyster Sheds about 8.50am we unloaded the boats and were about to launch as two paddle boarders joined us at the ramp and preceeded us onto the water.

High tide down at the entrance was not due until 10.45am. Paddling against the current, we took it slow and easy on pellucid water, making our way down to the entrance. 

Returning back up the lake after an hours break and gently assisted by the last of the incoming tide, we paddled on past our launch site to circumnavigate the top of the lake.  Once again oyster beds hampered our passage however we  managed to sneak between the beds and the shoreline for the last kilometre or so.

Trip Notes:

High Tide at Entrance: 10.45am 1.4m

Put In/Take Out: Wapengo Oyster Sheds

9.54kms

approx 4 hours

Friday 11 August 2023 Wallaga Lake: Payne's Island to Dignams Creek

 With a north east breeze forecast to arrive at 2.00pm we left home at 8.30pm headed for Payne's Island at Wallaga Lake. 

Launching at 9.35am, 

we paddled under the bridge - a little melancholic as we had heard that at a recent community meeting , people had voted overwhelmingly in favour of replacing the iconic old wooden bridge with an utilitarian two lane concrete job.

Once away from the traffic noise we had the lake to ourselves and settled down to a quiet and meditative paddle.

Once again the lake is teeming with baby/small jellyfish and the occasional larger ones. 

After entering the mouth of Dignam's Creek we looked for somewhere to pull in so L could fly the drone.  At 11.55am we found a suitable spot and there we happily stayed for the next hour or so.

 

Lunch and droning over, we paddled a little further up the creek, startling the odd school of fish - some of which you might spot toward the end of the drone footage.

Rounding the island we noticed a hawk/falcon repeatedly making feinting dives at small flock of grebes on the water.  I can only think it was trying to frighten the grebes into flight.  It hadn't yet worked out  grebes hate to fly and their standard evasion tactic is to dive under the water and pop up 20+ plus metres away.

Back out in Dignam's Bay we discovered the forecast breeze had arrived a little early. Still on largely sheltered water it alerted us to what we would face once back out in the main body of the lake so we pulled into Snapper Point for a 5min rest before tackling the last leg. It was splashy and cold and took a bit of effort - at least R was happy with the workout.

Pulling into Payne's Island at 2.00pm with spirits buoyed we packed up and returned to Bermi and rewarded ourselves with some delicious gelati (the best on the Far South Coast).

Trip notes:

Put In/Take Out: Payne's Island

11.2kms

Lake closed.

Monday 7 August 2023 Cuttagee

 Yet another abnormally warm winter day - good for a paddle, but a bit scary. The last measurable rainfall (3mls) fell on the 22 June.

It was a last minute decision that had us heading down to the lake for a picnic paddle. Upon our arrival we noticed the water level had dropped several inches since our last paddle five weeks ago and the yellow sludge, probably encouraged by the unseasonably warm weather, was starting to bloom.

Launching sometime between 11.30 and 12.00 we poddled up Little Cuttagee watching a pair of Masked Lapwings harassing a circling Sea Eagle, endeavouring to drive it from their territory.

Upon entering the main lake we headed to the northern side and paddled up the lake and turned into Woolybutts Bay.  Three quarters of  the way through our circumnavigation of the bay L noticed the GoPro position was wrong and all I had been recording thus far was the front half of my boat :( :(. After adjustments were made we completed the circumnavigation and headed across the lake and up Cuttagee Creek for a short way before heading into Clearwater lagoon to our lunch destination - a sunny and sheltered little spot overlooking the creek. 

Once L finished droning we relaxed, nearly too warm, in the sun as we munched our lunch.  Finally, fingers of a coolish breeze which had sprung up found our picnic spot and gave us the impetuous we needed to get back on the water and head for home.

Here is the video - L in a creative splurge has added music to the drone footage.

As we turned into the straight we encountered the newest resident of Little Cuttagee and after chatting for 10mins or so we paddled back together to meet up with her other half. After more chat and an invitation to afternoon tea/drinkies on Tuesday - gratefully accepted - we headed off to our launch site, ending our paddle about 3.30pm.  

Lake: closed

8.18kms