The water level in the lake has risen some more since our last paddle and today was our first opportunity to see how much further we could get up the creek.
Having met up with our fellow paddlers in Little Cuttagee we set of on glassy waters. The fish were jumping and the birdlife abundant. In addition to the usual suspects we saw one of the resident Sea Eagles that didn't budge as we paddled quietly passed. In the entrance of the creek we spotted a lone Spoon Bill and a little further on two immature Sea Eagles, presumably last years offspring. It was a delight to see them. We had feared they may not have fledged when the bushfire of October 3 2023 completely destroyed their nesting tree.
We saw a couple of kangaroos bounding along the silt jetty and had to wait while a Swamp Wallaby swam across the creek. We had 3 or 4 Azure Kingfisher sightings and that annoyingly elusive bird that never lets us get quite close enough for identification - I think it's either a Striated Heron or Black Bittern.
On the way back we spotted a Great Egret and, to top off a wonderful paddle, the resident Sea Eagles.
We made it nearly a kilometre further up the creek. It was sobering to see the bushfire damage in this formerly beautiful stretch, and sad to know that we will never again see it as it once was. Only a few of the Pencil Cedars remain. At the end of the blog I've included a few pre fire pics showing this stretch as it once was.
The entrance to Cuttagee closed over in the middle of last week and over the weekend the 1.9 to 2.0m high tides washed over the sand plug not only raising the height of the plug but raising the water level in the lake also. We can paddle Cuttagee again. Yipee.
We last paddled the lake on the 28 October, 3 1/2 weeks after the fire; it was going to be interesting to see the changes at the top of the lake.
R, back from her jaunt OS was able to join us as was our neighbour N, paddling the trusty Bluey.
Getting ready to paddle.
We launched, onto glassy water, a little after 8.00am
The Video is only short - however if you compare this video with that of the 28th October you can see the changes in the flora in only 5 months, due in large part to the unusually regular rainfall we have had since the bushfire.
Enjoy. We certainly did.
for trip notes see earlier entries for Cuttagee Lake.
Little to report. Tho' there is some interesting footage of a male Red Necked Wallaby behaving strangely at the pond. Can he smell a female? Still not many small birds around since the bushfire last October.
A breezy day being forecast we decided to paddle the Pambula and Yowaka Rivers so that other than the crossing of Pambula Lake we would be mostly sheltered from the wind. With high tide at the entrance at 10.18am (Tea Tree Point 11.28am) we planned to be on the water by no later than 9.30.
All went according to plan and after leaving a car up the Yowaka River we met up at the Pambula River Mouth and were launching on calm water at 9.25.
We mooched up the beautiful Pambula River and once round the first bend we paddled on the inside of the oyster beds where the water was calmer. With a 1.7m tide we could take the short route across the lake and in hour we had reached the confluence of the Yowaka and Pambula Rivers.
After a 30min stop for morning tea we headed up the the Yowaka as far as possible and there we stopped for lunch on a little pebble beach overlooking a pool of crystal clear water.
Eventually we lost the shade and the hot sun induced us to pack up and get back on the water.
What a pearler of a day for a paddle; a 2.00m high tide was the icing on the cake.
Nutleys Creek was our destination.
We launched from Slipway Beach at 7.05 am and headed up the river. Once under the bridge we cruised up the inside of the oyster beds into the mangroves, Whilst I took the quick route, L poked through the flooded wetlands. Whilst waiting for L to reappear I startled lone curlew poking along the edge of the wetlands, then a flight of swans flew down the river as a pack of Corella's wheeled, screeching overhead.
Crossing the river we paddled up the inside of the next bunch of oyster beds. Having rounded the Jagger's Bay bend we settled down to some steady paddling, only being momentarily diverted by a Sea Eagle perched high in a eucalypt near the entrance to Rose Bay and pausing to collect floating rubbish along the way.
The early breeze died away as we progressed and we paddled upon largely glassy water. Along this next stretch we saw numerous Pied and Black Cormorants and had a couple of good sightings of Australasian Darters.
Passing by a sadly mangy wombat whose den was close to the waters edge and then a mob of kangaroos we made it to the confluence at 8.35am. Given we started half an hour later than planned, we didn't stop for a break and paddled onto the object of our desire, Nutleys Creek. And it didn't disappoint - it was quiet, calm and peaceful. Dragonflies danced upon the water, Kingfishers flashed across the creek, small schools of fish darted past and the reflections, mesmerising.
With the tide still rising we floated over the 2 shallow sections and made it too The Log. Not quite enough water to get over we squeezed up the side, annoying the hell out of a small water dragon as we did so.
We continued on. The creek narrowed rapidly and after fighting our way over and under quite a few obstacles we made it all the way to the rocky barrier that only L has ever seen. Chuffed we paused for a bit and decided how to retrace our steps. For L in 1.65m boat, reverse was his only option. Not fancying the idea of a long reverse, negotiating numerous obstacles and my boat being 4.4m I opted to get out and drag/lift my boat around. It turned out to be a bad idea - it took ages and I buggered my back in the process and its still giving me gyp two days later.
Our timing, other than missing out on a break at the confluence, could not of been better. When we returned to The Log we floated over and by the time we reached the last shallow section downstream of shady corner the tide was going out.
We stopped at the confluence for an hour of well deserved rest and drone flying. Having set off again we only got as far as the next bend where we stopped to chat to Sam from Cuttagee. After spending 20mins or more chatting and slagging off about the BVS Council's recent decision to vote in favour of a motion put by the Mayor to ignore the communities wishes and to only explore the least favoured option - a 2 lane concrete bridge - to replace the iconic wooden Cuttagee Bridge.
Some of the logic for the motion was entirely spurious. One in particular - there would be no further ongoing maintenance costs being passed onto the rate payers. What bullshit, what about the increased costs of maintaining the local road once heavy vehicles regularly use it? Currently such vehicles use the Princes Highway for which the State Government pays. Then Council will want the one lane wooden bridges to the north and south of Cuttagee bridge to be demolished and rebuilt as 2 lane concrete bridges. Next they'd need to widen and straighten the road to make it safe to travel at 100kms per hour...... and on it goes, so 'no further cost to the ratepayer' is crap. AND none of this would be necessary if Council had started undertaking some repairs after the 2009 bridge report which listed the Cuttagee Bridge as dangerous. Just had to get that off my chest.
Parting from Sam we paddled quietly back down the river, noting the Sea Eagle had been joined by its mate at the Rose Bay bend.
With a good assist from the outgoing tide we had a cruisy ride back down the river, ending our paddle at 1.50pm
The footage is mostly of our journey on Nutleys Creek with a little of the start and paddling through the mangroves. See if you can spot the Skates.
Trip notes:
High Tide at Entrance: 8.25am 2.00m
(NOTE: to allow rest break on the way upriver we should have started 2 hours before high tide)
Taking to the water at 8.30am from the end of Fairhaven Point Way we headed down the lake aiming for Dignam's Creek Bay.
As we were paddling at low tide with a slight breeze ruffling the water we stayed out a little from the shoreline to prevent unexpected encounters with rock shelves and oyster bommes.
Cruising slowly along, enjoying the bird song we took our time exploring Long Bay and then paddled around into Green Bay where we stopped for morning tea. We then headed for Snapper Point, our usual lunch spot. R protested it was too soon to stop so we paddled on and explored the next bay before heading across to a little bay opposite Snapper Point where we had lunch. It was a delightful spot and L decided we should call it Snug Cove from now on.
After lunch we headed back and once out of the sheltered bay we had to deal with a steady easterly breeze and choppy water for the remainder of the paddle.
Early Monday morning L checked the weather forecast then the tidal charts and pronounced Thursday a good day to paddle the Bermagui River. Excited by the thought of a paddle I leapt out of bed and dashed of an email to our fellow kayakers.
A couple of hours later I thought to check the calendar - alas I had a dental appointment mid morning. So while I was being mildly tortured whilst having a molar prepared for a crown, the rest of the crew with the addition of Dd enjoyed a lovely paddle upon glassy waters.
R took some footage of a kangaroo crossing the river up near the confluence.
.JPG)
