Thursday 14 August 2025 Lake Durras entrance

 Our last day in South Durass and time for a quick paddle before heading home (lucky KT&G, with no other commitments chose to stay another night).  Only five of us took to the water; J had some work to do and R's crook shoulder was making itself felt.

After checking out we headed down to the boat ramp to meet up with KT&G and J. We were soon on the water and paddling against the incoming tide toward the mouth. Finding a way over the sand bars proved tricky but fun as we wended our way toward the entrance. 

Enjoying the clear water

Pulling in to check out the entrance and beach

Looking upstream as we returned to the kayaks.

Floating back up the inlet on the imcoming tide,

we continued on past the boat ramp and on up the lake, leaving the clear water behind us, heading toward to arm J had wanted to explore on our first day.

Three days of paddling and there is still plenty of chat.

There were more shallows, unseen in the murky water, to negotiate at the entrance to the arm. Once through the waters deepened and we were at leisure to enjoy the scenery and birdlife.

Around 11.45m we stopped for some morning tea and L sent up the drone.

All was quite and peaceful until KT suddenly let out a yelp and demanded I light a ciggarette - only the second time KT has done this in our long history (usually it is disapproving looks and long sighs), the last time being some 50 years ago when on a walk to Mt Feathertop and for the same reason. Yes you've guessed it, a leech had latched on for a feast! Fag rolled, lit and leech unlatched peace returned as we enjoyed our surrounds a while longer, albiet keeping a somewhat anxious eye on our feet :)

We then set off to explore the remainder of the arm before heading back. Back through the narrow opening J and G chose wrong lines and had to walk their boats for short distances, just as I had done down near the mouth.

Back at the boat ramp we unpacked and loaded the boats for the last time. J&J invited us back to their place for a cup of tea and a chance to change before heading south. In addition to the tea, there was pea and ham soup, toast, cheese and J's bread and butter pickles - A lovely ending to 3 days paddling in great company. Thank you everyone.

Photos courtesy of KT&G and J.

Trip Notes:

Lake: Open

High Tide at Entrance: 11.56am 1.5m

Water level at gauge downstream of boat ramp: 0.329m

Put In/Take Out: Boat ramp on Lakeside Drive

8.77km

Note: In our limited experience Lake Durras is best paddled when closed and full - then all the nooks and crannies can be explored.

Wednesday 13 August 2025 Burrill Lake

 As a colder day was forecast with a south west breeze kicking in around midday (which when it arrived came from the south east) we chose a circumnavigation of the more sheltered south east arm of Burrill Lake for todays outing.

Wanting to be off the water around 2.00pm it was an early rise and

departure for the 40min drive to Burrill Lake.

By 9.30 the last of us had launched and

we paddled across the water to begin our circumnavigation.  As the water was shallow in parts it was impossible to edge creep. Still we managed to see a Azure Kingfisher, some White Faced Herons, a bunch of Greater Egrets and a whole lot of Little Black Cormorants.

As we approached the end of the arm we paused at the Western Arm Picnic area - complete with picnic table. However as it was partially shaded L suggested we paddle back 500m to the little sunny beach we had recently passed.

This we all somewhat reluctantly did, the picnic table having looked so inviting, but it was very pleasant to bask in the full sun for 20 minutes or so. Soon after settling down we were joined by this very tame kookaburra (the largest of the kingfisher family don't you know). 

When no titbits were forthcoming - no one having packed any worms, mice, small reptiles or insects for their morning tea - he shat on L's chair cover, narrowily missing G's shiny red kayak. Either optmistic or just enjoying some company he stayed with us until we packed up and departed.

Revived, we took to the water once more and crossed the arm to continue our circumnavigation.

Approaching the narrow opening to the arm a brief confab was held and it was decided that as we still had plenty of time we would paddle a little way up the main lake and look for somewhere to have lunch. After a little over a kilometre we found a sunny bit of grass, sheltered from the cold breeze in a little bay on the northern side of Lakeshore Lodge. 

After lots more chat we set off once more and once we had turned into the main body of the lake we found ourselves facing a cold head breeze and so mostly in silence we steadidly paddled the 2kms back to Barker Reserve, ending our paddle a little before 2.00pm.

Not much GoPro footage I'm afraid - nattering away too much.

Courtesy of G&R we had pasta and a delicious beef cheek ragu (in which our friendly kooka would have glady partaken!) for dinner, after which we retired to our cabins and tumbled into bed replete, happy and pleasantly tired after another days paddle.

Again, thanks to J for the photos.

Trip Notes:

Lake: Open

Lake Level at Highway gauge: 0.25m

High tide:    At Inlet 11.07am 1.5m

                    At highway bridge 11.56am 1.5m

Put In/Take Out: Barker Reserve, Lakeview Drive

9.53km 

Tuesday 12 August 2025 Lake Durras

Yesterday a group of us, KT&G and J&J from Victoria, R&G and L&me headed up to South Durras for a few days paddling. After stopping for lunch at the Boatshed in Tuross Heads

 for some of their famed fish and chips we arrived at the NRMA Murramarang Resort where we were to spend the next three nights. And most salubrious it was - the comfy beds an extra bonus.

Opened the curtains this morning and was immediately transfixed by the view and

a while later, looking up the beach whilst having breakfast on the verandah and 

looking forward to paddling under sunny skies.

 By 9.30am J and G were on the water, the rest of us soon to follow.

Heading up the lake on glassy water,

which was, unfortunately, rather murky due to all the recent rain.

As we launched after the break for morning tea we heard two Sea Eagles calling and we watched as they flew down the lake and landed in a tree across the water.

One of them taking flight as we approached.

Up near the top of the lake a group of pelicans studiously ignored our presence.

Returning back down the lake we found a lovely sunny, sheltered little beach at which to stop for lunch.

After lots more chat and laughter we launched again and slowly made our way back to the boat ramp, ending our paddle a little after 3.00pm.

Here is the edited GoPro and drone footage

By 4.15 we had returned to our cabins, changed and joined KT&G for a cuppa and cake on the deck of their cabin where we were soon accosted by a couple of local thugs noisily demanding a share of the repast and

threatening violence when ignored.

Thanks to J, KT&G for the photos.

Trip Notes:

Lake: Open

High tide at entrance: 10.24am 1.5m

Lake level at MHL gauge downstream of boatramp: 0.35m

Put In/Take Out: Boatramp on Lakeside Drive, South Durras.

11.8km

Tuesday 29 July 2025 Baragoot Lake

 Yesterday afternoon I checked the weather forecast as it was time to wash the sheets. Upon doing so I discovered that today was the last day for the rest of the week suitable for drying the sheets and it was also most suitable for a paddle. 

Choosing somewhere to paddle was easy; Baragoot Lake, brimming and the only ICOL in the area that hadn't opened during the last couple of rain events has been looking most inviting.

So it was up early and turfing L out of bed to get the first load of sheets in the washing machine. As we were hanging out the second load S&V drove by on their way to meet us at Baragoot.

When we joined them they had decided to put in on the south side of the lake and we chose to carry our kayaks down the track on the northern side.

Meeting up again on the water we saw,  I think, a Maned Duck  following S&V across the water. They said it had followed them from when they had launched. It only broke off as L & I joined them. Very strange.

We paddled down the northern side of the lake and across the top of the lake and headed up the creek where, at one point, an Azure Kingfisher nearly flew into my face. 

After poking up the creek as far as we could go we stopped for an early lunch and much discussion of the atrocities being committed in Gaza, the Zionist long term plan and our gov'ts appalling lily-livered response and the extremely biased Special Envoy's Plan to Combat Antisemitism.  Where is the Special Envoy's Plan to Combat AntiPalestineism? Remember the Cronulla Riots.  Isn't, after I don't know how many years and how many reports, tackling Aboriginal deaths in custody, or violence against women far more important. We had to leave vivisection of the spectacularly stupid AUKUS deal for our next paddle.

 We then headed back down the creek exploring a couple of side lagoons as we went. After emerging onto the lake we paddled up the southern shoreline disturbing flocks of Eurasion Coots, Grebes and Cormorants. Halfway up the lake a Whistling Kite flew out of the trees just ahead and as it climbed into the sky it was joined by another and they engaged some lazy aerial combat - enchanting only remembering to turn on the GoPro as they ended their display ):.

Together with the aforementioned birds we saw Pelicans, Swans, small flocks of Black Duck, White Faced Herons, Little Pied and Black Cormorants, a few more Kingfishers, Wattlebirds and New Holland Honeyeaters.

Back at S&V's launch spot we parted ways and L&I continued on past the bridge - no way of getting under it now - back to our launch site to end a most pleasurable little paddle.

6kms

Friday 18 July 2025 Bermagui River

 We had planned to paddle on Thursday however the thin and wispy cloud layer covering the sky and the subsequent chill in the air meant we stayed home and by 10.00am the fire was lit.

On Friday the winter weather on the Far South Coast had reverted to type - blue skies, warm sun and largely windless. Around 12.30pm L came in and announced we were going paddling. As high tide at the entrance was 2.14pm (1.6m) it was a bit of a scramble but we made it onto the water around 1.45pm.

 As this was to be L's first paddle after receiving the all clear from the surgeon we intended it to be a short paddle and to be off the water by no later than 3.30pm before it got cold. We had a lovely poddle up river on the last of the incoming tide.

 Around the 4km mark L wanted a break for lunch and to fly the drone.  He managed to find a not so desirable site to pull in. As you will see at the end of the drone footage the spot he picked came with, what I subsequently dubbed, a hole from hell.

Whilst L was mid drone flight I returned to the kayak to retrieve our lunch. Stepping back from the boat one leg went down the hole - all the way, only my left leg splayed out on terra muddy prevented me from going further. It was at this moment, with inner leg muscles stretched to the limit and screaming that I was bitterly reminded why, years ago, the CKC barred L from choosing landing sites. So with L  occupied with droning and totally ignoring my plight it was up to me to extract myself from a situation in which no overweight old woman should find herself. Suffice to say there way much gasping, groaning, having and hauling, getting covered in mud before extraction was successful.

Having taken awhile to recover and clean up a bit we stayed longer than intended. We packed up, carefully avoiding the hole from hell as the warmth was leaching from the air. We launched onto an outgoing tide and paddled on glassy water, back down the river keeping in the golden afternoon sunlight wherever possible. Past some of the egrets we'd seen going upriver, now joined by a large flock of Masked Lapwings. 

Finishing the paddle at 4.30pm it was with some relief we got in the car, still warm from the sun, just after 5.00pm and turned the heater on, very happy to have got back out on the water again.

Trip Notes:

High tide at entrance: 2.14pm 1.6m

Put In/Take Out: Slipway beach

8.16km

Wednesday 18 June 2025 Bermagui River

 Paddling slipped off the priority list for the last couple of months. 

L had a Lumbar Laminectomy booked for the 2nd week of May. There were lots of  'farm' chores to get done before he was sidelined for a couple of months. And there is nothing like the looming arrival of guests to motivate one into finishing major repairs to the spare bedrooms.  A big shout out to G&R for helping us getting all the furniture and beds back into those rooms.

 I was desperate for a paddle and Wednesday obliged with clear sunny skies and only the occasional light zephyr and R was also keen.

We set off from the boat ramp an hour before high tide at the entrance and paddled slowly up the river, soaking up the sun, gazing into the clear blue water and looking for fish in the patches of sea grass.

We passed a couple of Sea Eagles perched in a tree and decided to stop for lunch across the river. As we ate they kept up a continual chatter and were then joined by a third. And at the other end of the scale a young male Superb Fairy Wren, chortled away as it hopped and skittered around us for the length of our stay.

Having finished lunch we launched and found the tide still coming in. We floated up river for 10 mins or so but as it approached 3.00pm the temperature suddenly dropped and we decided to head for home.

As we approached the bend to the long shallow straight we found the tide had turned. We floated down the straight watching fish dart hither and thither and startling small schools of little silver fish into skittering across the surface. After that we paddled steadily back to the boat ramp and by 4.30pm with boats loaded we were in the car.

9.9kms

Saturday 24 May 2025 Sammy Fest

 On Saturday 24th May we attended Sammy Fest; a celebration of the life of a cherished nephew.

From videos and pics taken by friends and relatives staying with us we have cobbled together a short video to help us remember this special occasion.

Memories, reflections and more pics can be found at 

https://bigsam.com.au