Hoping to beat the Easter Sunday hordes and the rising breeze we left home a tad before 7.00am and headed for Paynes Island, our launch site into Wallaga Lake. As we carried our boats to the waters edge there were only two fishing tinnies on this part of the lake and the breeze largely non existent; so it seemed our plan was working :).
With the lake currently closed and the water level quite high we decided to head across and cruise along the edge of Honeysuckle island seeing Ibis, Swans, Egrets, and Masked Lapwings along the way.
Then crossing to the western shoreline we paddled up to Wallaga Lake Reserve seeing a Common Greenshank/Sandpiper type bird (if you can identify it, please let me know), and a little further on another one missing a foot.
Having paused for a moment at the closed entrance we picked our way along the eastern shoreline passing a mixed group of Pelicans, Terns and Seagulls before pausing again to wait for a tiny immature, I think, Red Capped Plover to approach our boats.
We continued on and by the time we reached the entrance to Merriwinga Creek 5 tinnies and 4 fishing kayaks had joined us on this side of the bridge - hardly a crowd.
200 metres up the creek, other than the sound of wrens warbling in the reeds, fish jumping, plopping and swirling the hush of the red beds descended and we were transported into another world.
With the high water level we glided over the footbridge and on up the creek, further and further until it was so narrow L called a halt. I managed to back paddle around obstacles for 30 or so metres to where with 5 minutes or so of back and forth I eventually turned and then back paddled back to L in order to retrieve a phone, pinpoint our location and change the GoPro battery. Then it was L's turn to reverse paddle, under my directions, around obstacles and bends the 100 metres or so until we found somewhere we thought it possible to turn his longer boat. We were a little optimistic and his kayak got jammed. Pondering for a bit L instructed me to ram the bow of his boat which, other than nearly tipping him out of the boat, did the trick and managed to free him.
Chuffed with our success we paddled back to explore the remainder of the reed bed. At the eastern reach L stopped to fly the drone. Unfortunately it was not a success, he having inadvertently toggled on the zoom, so he was discombulated and the resultant footage is blurry. However, if you are keen, check out the blog entry of 24.6.2023 where there is some great drone footage.
Once back at the entrance to Merriwinga Ck we turned east and paddled to the little beach. However when we reached it we decided, with the sun gone and the breeze bordering on cold, to forego morning tea and head straight back to Payne's Island.
At 11.30am we were loaded up, in the car, ready to head for home. And the icing on the cake - as we turned out of Payne's Island there in front of us was a Sea Eagle perched on the crossbar of the power pole unconcerned by the traffic passing below.
A short but fun paddle.
Put In/Take Out: Payne's Island
7.08kms
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