Friday 5 December 2025 Wapengo

 

At last, weather suitable for a paddle plus another 2.00m high tide - bliss.

As high tide was due at 8.52am at the entrance we met up at the oyster sheds at 8.00am. Having launched we decided to head up and across the lake and a little way up the creek.  The oyster farmers were busy tending their produce and preparing for the Christmas holiday rush.

 Up the creek we turned at the old oyster shed and headed for the mouth. A little past our launch spot the tide turned and we had a lovely float down to where we pulled in for morning tea. Having not seen each other since we last paddled in early October, the sun obligingly came out and we settled down in a patch of it and for the next hour or so caught up on each others news.

Back on the water the incoming swell aided our paddle for the first 100ms or so but when it fell away we found ourselves struggling to make progress against the outgoing tide. Forward momentum fell to a crawl as we approached and rounded the first corner and I for one was very relieved to reach the eddy in the little bay.

Resting in the eddy for a moment we realised our mistake.  We should have paddled down to the entrance first off, and then returned on the slack. For the rest of the trip we stuck to the edge, paddling from eddy to eddy and further on sneaking behind the oyster beds where the flow of the outgoing tide was barely felt.  

Not much filming today, we were too busy chatting.

9.9km

Monday 15 September 2025 Wallaga Lake Entrance

 Yesterday's paddle was erroneously planned around high tide. So, despite glassy water beckoning all morning we did not set out until 1.30pm by which time the forecast breeze was making itself felt.

Setting off from Payne's Island we headed round the northern end of Honeysuckle Island - the combination of wind and shallow water making it hard going. Seeking out the leads and channels through the shallow waters we wended our way toward the entrance - to find it closed! We could have paddled on glassy water in the morning; bummer.

Still, there was plenty of bird life, wheeling overhead, flying past, perched and hunting along the shoreline to take our mind off the wind.

About halfway along the eastern shore we paddled into sheltered water and started to look for somewhere suitable for a leg stretch.

After our snack and chat - the wind earlier having precluded much talk -  and watching a stingray glide slowly by, we set off into the maze of reed beds.  Here it was completely sheltered and quiet except for the chatter of small birds unseen in the reeds and the occasional noise of startled kangaroos bounding away as we approached. 

Exiting the reed lined labyrinth we discovered the wind had largely died away and headed down toward the beautiful Wallaga Bridge to get around the sand bar that lay between us and Payne's Island.

Reaching our take out at about 10 past 4, we unpacked the kayaks and then sat on the bench, warmed by the last of the sun on our backs and enjoyed the view for awhile before loading the boats and heading home.

6.35kms

Note: You can check the BOM NSW river heights for Wallaga Lake at Regatta Point (as I should have done):

https://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDN60234/IDN60234.569032.plt.shtml

This will indicate if the lake is closed or open.