Wednesday 29 May 2024 Brou Lake

 With another sunny and windless day forecast - perfect conditions for a lake paddle, Brou Lake was our chosen destination.

Upon reaching the launch we found the water level to be higher than on previous paddles which boded well for our forthcoming exploration.

Launching at 11.05am and paddling along the shoreline we headed for the closed entrance.

Here we discovered more of those LBB's which are so hard to identify without the aid of binoculars (even with them as the lbb's scuttle about so fast).

Having edged in as close as possible we sat still and waited until some of them came closer.

Is the one on the right an immature or a different LLB to the two on the right? So hard to tell from this distance.

Oh, okay - this one must be a Red Capped Plover

We continued mooching along the shoreline until we reached the north eastern lagoon and here we found, at its eastern most tip a lovely landing spot at which to lunch.

 Whilst munching our sangas we watched, high over the lagoon, a long aerial battle  - two adult Sea Eagles trying to see off, either two young sea eagles or a pair of Wedge Tail Eagles. It was impossible to tell as they looked very dark against the sunlight.

After lunch as we continued our circumnavigation of the lagoon we spotted one of the darker Eagles perching in a dead tree. Too far away to tell for certain, we think it might be an immature Sea Eagle.

Maybe the two darker birds were last year's offspring and, as Sea Eagle breeding season is starting it is time for the young birds to depart the home territory?

Having indulged in lots of bird watching - pelicans, crested terns, ducks, swans, egrets, herons, pied cormorants, grebe etc,  upon returning to the main lake and finding it like a mill pond, L suggested we take advantage of such perfect conditions and straight back across the lake.

Here is the GoPro and Drone edit

6.3kms

Lake closed

Friday 24 May 2024 Wallagoot Lake and Moncks Creek

 Once again we decided to visit Wallagoot Lake to take advantage of the high water, this to paddle the Western end of the lake and explore Moncks Creek and environs.

It was a latish start (more of that at end of the blog) however with a perfect kaying forecast all day it didn't matter.

Launching at 11.10am

The start was delayed somewhat when I launched backward. Pushing off the boat ramp into deeper water as I gracefully lowered the derriere into the boat I suddenly found my self sitting on the folded down backrest. So still stradling the boat and half akimber it was a wobbly and tippy paddle back to the ramp until I could stand enough to flip the seat back up. I pushed off to repeat the process, this time to find as I plunked down into the seat the cushion horribly askew so it was back to the boat ramp once more - this time at least I was in the boat.

By the time I was sorted the rest of the gang, unlike me, we a little chilly as it was nippy in the shade so we set off up the lake at a steady pace to warm up and take in the sights.

After we explored Moncks Creek and it various leads we headed down the lake to Scotts Bay Picnic Area where we sat for over an hour at a picnic table, basking in the sun like lizards, eating our lunch and chewing the fat. Having availed ourselves of the very clean loos (thanks National Parks) we headed back to the boats and launched at 2.15pm.

After a bit of discussion it was decided to paddle to the next headland and then go straight across the lake to the boat club.  However, as you can see from the map and video, the water was so glassy and enticing and the paddling so easy we just continued on, shore creeping around the lake.

Back at the boat ramp about 3.10pm, another salubrious and most pleasant paddle over we packed up and headed home. Last look at the lake as we depart. 

To top off a perfect day when we got home we found that Karen had posted a great blog about their new adventure in life. Two loves in our lives catered for in one day - kayaking and narrowboating.  Happy Happy.

Now a quick explanation of the late start.  It all goes back to the bushfire in October last year. Asbestos was discovered during the first attempt at clean up (by subcontractors no.3) of one of the destroyed sheds.  This led to a long delay for testing and a report. Finally subcontractors no.4 were appointed to remove the asbestos, the shed in question and its slab. They arrived from Canberra at 3.30pm on the 23rd and started work around 4.00pm. They being 1 truck and large excavator, another truck with a huge skip towing a dog with a smaller skip and two utes with more men. They worked until dark and then returned at 7.00am this morning and by 10.00am the men and machinery were disappearing up our track, job done.  It is just a pity they weren't contracted to clean up the second smaller shed and slab as it would taken them only an hour. Instead we have to wait for the return of subcontractors no.3 who use hand held concrete cutter to cut up the slab - a long, tedious and undoubtedly more expensive process.

An observation: In our case. The insurance company appointed an assessing company, the assessor appointed a building company to quote and do the necessary removal, rebuilds and repairs. The building company then appointed a subcontractor to carry out the works. Then when asbestos was found a 4th subcontractor was appointed.  That is 4 different companies (so far) making a profit from the Insurance Company. Besides the profit the upside for them is that when something goes wrong/is not done - its one of the other business' fault!

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out: Wallagoot Boat Ramp

11kms

Lake closed

Tuesday 21 May 2024 The Tammie Norrie Goes Sailing at Wallagoot Lake

 After our glorious kayak on Wallagoot last Thursday L was keen to get out in the Tammie Norrie so we set off for Wallagoot once more.

Walking TM from where we launched to the beach to get her ready for sailing,

It took awhile to set her up and then, once on the water, quite a bit more foofing and guddling about to sort things out. After that L had a hour or so sailing  around the lake and came back a very happy lad.

Here is L's edit of the Go Pro footage I shot.

Friday 17 May 2024 Wallagoot Lake

 Sadly D'd, for whom this paddle had been planned, had to cry off at the last minute. As the boats were already loaded and the morning being so fine L and I decided we would still head out for a jaunt upon the water.

Driving out we discussed changing destination and decided to stick with the original plan.  We were so happy we did; upon reaching Wallagoot we discovered the lake to be the fullest we have ever seen it. At last we would be able to explore in full the lagoons at the mouth of the lake.

Whilst unloading the boats our eyes were continually drawn to the pretty sight of this little wooden sailing dingy

Setting off from beside the submerged boat ramp at 10.45am we

headed down the lake to

an opening on the spit with plenty of water for the kayaks.

The lagoons ahead were packed with swans,

in every direction.

Heading left 

we soon caused more swans to take flight.

The lagoon was teeming with fingerlings - from schools of teeny 1cm ones to schools 10cm fish interspersed with small groups of larger fish. We hugged the northern shoreline and

poked about among the reeds.

The way opened up and invited us onward.

Are we nearing the end of this arm? We pause; with the water now glassy

it was time to lose oneself in reflections.....

Approaching the end

a way is discovered.

Through an old fence line and close to the seaward dune.

Appreciating the autumnal colours we paddled on

until we reached the limit a stone's throw from Wallagoot Gap. We could hear the slap of the waves and see hikers looking down into the Gap.

Retracing our step back through the fenceline

and then following the southern shoreline of this lagoon

'til we found a gap and headed east, landing on a little beach opposite the closed mouth at 12 noon, disturbing a Sooty Oyster Catcher as we made landfall.

An hour later, after a leisurely lunch and a quick up and down with the drone we continued on our circumnavigation.

Crossing the shallow waters at the mouth

we spied a small group of little birds of which this was the closest. Having spent hours trying to identify it since arriving home have I had any success?

NO.  At first I thought a Little Ringed Plover until I read further and discovered it migrates from Eurasia and is a rare visitor to Aus and then mainly to the Top End.  More study ... was it a Ringed Plover, an equally rare visitor to Aus and from even further away - at least it has been spotted on the far south coast. Last choice is a Double Banded Plover but the colours don't seem quite right and it seems a bit large. The Little Ringed Plover is about the right size :( :( :(   I would be very grateful to be enlightened..... Anyone?

Continuing to hug the shore

Now under blue sky it was quite toasty.

Poddling along we

turned into the narrow back water that is usually too shallow for exploration. Reaching the end.

New growth springs forth

Finding a crossing in the spit we returned to the main lake and continued south for awhile before

turning and heading back across the lake to the boat ramp. Out in the lake there were masses, a profusion, a plague of jelly fish from tiny ones the size of a 5cent piece to ones with heads of 20cm or more. In the dark water they showed up white and clear with pretty markings.

This delightful and interesting outing ended at 2.05pm when we pulled up on the submerged beach at the picnic ground. There ensued a lengthy chat with an old gentleman - 78. He is battling cancer and now finds his plastic sit on top to heavy to lift and carry on his own and spotting some fellow oldies he came over to enquire about our kayaks.

And now what you've all been waiting for - the drone footage. With the lake so full I very much regretted not taking the GoPro.

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out:  Wallagoot Lake Boat Club

7.48kms

Lake closed and very full.

Thursday 9 May 2024 Bermagui River

 It was way overdue for a paddle and yesterday provided a window of opportunity between wet weather, continued clean up after the bushfire, building bonfires, burning them and dealing with tradespeople.

We set off 9.05am on slack water. The first thing we noticed was a flock of swans - we don't seem them below the bridge very often.

Next was a group of pelicans busily preening,

some terns and 

another flock of swans - all before heading under the bridge!

Heading up the inside of the Oyster lease.

More birds - Little Egrets.

With a high tide of only 1.5m (9.15am) we had to back track and hunt for passage between the oyster bommes to get back to the river (L discovered a couple too late and shredded some more plastic from his boat).

Nearing Rose Bay we could hear lots of splashing. Rounding the corner we came upon a large mixed flock of Cormorants hunting a school of approx 12cm silvery fish, chasing them across the river in front of us and pinning their quarry along the far bank. There upon a feeding frenzy took place. Fascinated, we sat and watched. The hunting took two forms - there were cormorants that hunted the fish and cormorants that waited and hunted the cormorant that caught the fish. Flashing silvery fish were disappearing down gullets faster than we could count.

The not so successful cormorants still chasing the school as we continued on.  It was turning out to be a more of a bird watching than paddling outing.

Yet more birds.

The last of the hunting cormorants, now sated, overtake us as they returned to their resting spot;

the oyster bed poles making a perfect perch.

Pulling into the campground for morning tea.  The only thing that marred this most soothing and restorative paddle was discovering the yobs had been back to the campground leaving the usual - broken bottles, drink cans and toilet paper. 

As we sat enjoying the sunshine a Blue Wren family kept us company foraging around our feet and in the nearby shrubbery. We spent a happy 40 mins, basking in the sunshine before returning to the water to catch a lazy ride back on the now outgoing tide.

An Australasian Darter spotted on the way back.

The cormorants were still on the oyster pole perches, wings dried, most of them were snoozing. Further on we spotted the Sea Eagles flying high overhead.

Feeling relaxed and peaceful we mooched slowly back, letting the current do most of the work. 

Being all packed up at 1.15pm we debated whether to have lunch in town or go straight home. Settling for neither we stopped for a gelati instead :) :)