Sunday 28 February 2021 Tamboon Inlet

 9.00am was the start time for our paddle down the Inlet with the SGWAAC. L&I were a little late taking to the water at 9.05am,

we were relieved to find that by the time we had got ourselves sorted and paddled the 120 metres down to the Club's launch site people were still launching.

After receiving instruction re direction to take we set off down and across the lake - L, KT and me soon trailing the group!

We caught up when two of the group landed to check out remote campsite no.5 and I took the opportunity for a leg stretch.  Summoned back onto the water by Avenel we continued on down the shoreline for just under a kilometre until we reached the first of the houses at Tamboon South; which was thoroughly checked out:)

Rounding the corner we came upon a bunch of private jetties and got our first proper glimpse of  the narrow section and the small sand dune barrier between us and the ocean.

We then crossed back across the lake,

 stopping at the west Cardinal Marker for a SGWAAC group pic.

Having been told by some fishermen that the closed entrance was near to breaking open with water flowing over the sand, Avenel stressed caution as we paddled down the eastern side of the narrows. Inspection of the sand dune to the west would have to wait.

Turning left at the end of the narrow section we could see the eastern entrance was still closed (with some relief on my part!) we paddled on.

and made landfall on the barrier dune about 10.40am .  Looking back from whence we had come.

Looking east,

toward Point Hicks.

Relaunching around 11.15am, we headed west along the barrier for a short (approx.1.5km) paddle to our proposed lunch site ("this sounds more like us" I can imagine members of the CKC thinking).

As you can see from the following photographs KT and I were soon trailing again :)

Going past the entrance to the narrow section

Avenel coming out of a little bay, having picked it as a second site for lunch if water was oozing out of the inlet.

 

Poddling on we came up on a fisherman

and beyond him some pelicans

By the time I was done photographing the pelicans I straggled in just before noon,

well after the rest of the group.

This person was with the fisherman and while he fished she spent her time walking the beach collecting rubbish.

Looking to the east

Turns out the fishermen who spoke to Avenel forgot to mention the water flowing over the barrier wasn't flowing out but was the spring tide washing in!

After a most leisurely lunch - even by CKC standards - and a SGWAAC swim we launched again about 1.25pm and headed back up the Inlet.  Rounding the sand dune into the narrows.

About a kilometre from home I espied Jan and John in the distance; they had spent the day fishing. Jan seemed to be just letting herself be pushed gently along by the breeze that had sprung up. Even so, it took me nearly half that distance to catch her up. Turns out Jan was pedalling along very gently listening to a podcast. Consequently when our boats bumped she nearly jumped out of her lovely new hobie. Once forgiven, we rafted up and chattered as Jan pedalled us back to camp which we reached at 2.30pm.

Thanks to KT for organising our reunion and a big thanks to the South Gippsland Walking and Adventure Club for allowing us to join them on their paddles.

Last of the sunlight from our camp and

 

last of the evening light

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out: Peach Tree Campground

11.4kms

5hrs 15mins

Saturday 27 February 2021 Cann River: Furnell Landing upstream

 Last Thursday L&I set off on a jaunt down to Tamboon Inlet to join our friends KT, GT, Jan and John (with whom we paddled the Glenelg a couple of years ago) and other members of the South Gippsland Walking and Adventure Club for a get together and a couple of days paddling. Jan and John have a very slick camper trailer and  KT & GT have recently purchased one. Fearing I would have a serious case of camper trailer envy, especially if the weather turned bad, I arranged to hire something similar from the conveniently situated Far South Coast Camper Hire in Bermagui.

Our hybrid camper was a bit of a beast and at 2.5tonne empty a hefty weight to tow. However when we reached Peach Tree Camping Ground at Tamboon and located our site, we had camp set up in no time. Site no.4 was a bit lumpy and sloped but it had the best water view.

For those who are interested, the hybrid came with all the bells and whistles, including a king size bed (which, after we added a thin foam mattress and a topper, proved very comfortable), indoor shower and loo (of which we didn't avail ourselves) and an outdoor shower (which we did).

We had been planning a Glenelg reunion paddle on Friday however the day dawned windy and stayed that way, so we spent the day, as we had the night before, with more catching up, telling of tall tales and of course the inevitable political discussions interspersed with knitting, fishing knot tying, reading, sleeping and eating. A fun time was had by all.

Avenel, the SSWAAC paddling El Capitano had arranged a long return paddle up the Cann River for Saturday.   L&I decided to start at Furnell Landing thus saving approx 5km of paddling. Even with lots of motor boats launching and leaving there was plenty of room for us to launch safely. 

 

We hit the water at 9.10am and scooted out of the launching area to clear the way for the next boat coming in.

Our first look up river

We slipped through the water with ease and

in no time at all the entrance to Lake Furnell appeared on the left.

Enticing as it was, we gave it a miss and headed on upstream.

At 9.50am I pulled in for a seat readjustment and a leg stretch.

Setting off 10mins later we paddled on.

Till we came to an area hard hit by the fires;

the reflections mesmerising.

L found the entrance to the anabranch - begging to be explored

If we can find a way in

With the sound of some Cajun classics 

twanging away in my head we penetrated a few hundred metres before being stopped by fallen branches as far as the eye could see.

Retracing our steps

back to the last obstacle;

weaving our way through

we returned to the river and nearly opposite was a sandy bank upon which we stopped at 10.55am for morning tea.

We resumed our journey at 11.30am

and paddled on up through the ever shallowing water. Noting as we went that this beach would be a good site for lunch on our return.

Looking good so far. However beyond the next bend

sand plugs appeared and we had to search for deeper water, now paddling against a discernible current.

At this point L is floating - just - in the deepest part of the river. I ground out and after a walk out into the river to look round the bend I returned with the news that sand plugs abounded as far as I could see and no detectable route through. 

Somewhat doleful that we wouldn't reach Reedy Creek (the upper limit of the flat water) we turned around and floated downstream on the slight current.

One last look back upstream :(

Having run out of current we paddled on past this inviting looking sandbank,

the water gradually getting deeper

back to the sand bank we had picked to be our lunch spot on the way up. There to find the SGWAC midway through their lunch. We joined them and whilst we ate some of the more intrepid paddlers pushed a little further upstream. Upon their return we took to the water at 1.45pm 

and paddled straight back to Furnell landing, reaching it about 3.30pm. The club members pulled in for a break and regroup whilst L&I disembarked. 

The paddle back from lunch took about 1 3/4hours.  I made it without a leg stretch - yippee - thanks to the modifications L has made to my seat.

Trip Notes:

Put In/Take Out:  Furnell Landing

17.6 kms

6hrs 20mins