Nowra Paddle Camp 20-23 November 2023
Photos courtesy of MaryT. Paddle Report courtesy Paddle Leader IanB.
Each year, the Club’s paddle group schedules a camp at the epicenter of a number of waterways not normally accessible from “home”.
This year, six of us camped at Huskisson and paddled a number of lower Shoalhaven valley estuaries – Currambene Creek, Coonemia Creek, and Broughton Creek. A fourth venue, Wandandian Creek, was missed on the last day because of miserable weather. On other days, the weather was near perfect – cloudy, mild and almost windless.
Currambene Creek’s launching was easy – straight behind our camp. We completed the 14 kilometres to almost the Princes Highway in leisurely time. As the creek banks tightened, the scenery varied greatly, from an avenue of pleasure craft to bushland/mangroves to large acreage back yards to farmland. It was always interesting and remarkably devoid of other people and/or boats. A quick car shuffle to get the kayaks home completed the day.
On the second day, we launched in bushland at Coonemia Creek and paddled both directions, out and back, for a distance of less than 12 kilometres. Waterbirds were abundant, principally cormorants and teal ducks but other lesser species were observed. Watching an Eastern Great Egret catch, juggle and eventually swallow a reasonable sized fish had us gagging.
In the downstream direction we emerged in Woollumboola Lake to paddle among hundreds of black swans. Morning tea on the sand/mud bank was a slightly smelly affair, but interesting, different…
The upstream was a quiet, close encounter with bushland banks and submerged logs. As we glided past a huge sea eagle nest in the forks of a large Blackbutt tree, we noted it was guarded from a nearby high branch by its owner.
Broughton Creek was different. Its wider, mud lined channel runs all the way through dairy country with only a narrow strip of stunted casuarina growth and moo cows in grass gracing its banks. Nevertheless, the 14 kilometres was pleasant, especially with a southeasterly up our backs.
Morning tea was eventful. The sticky mud proved a source of hilarity at disembarkment and the scramble up a steep kikuyu covered bank a challenge. A single wire fence is always a warning sign but Sharon was the first to prove it was live, thereby confining us to the narrow bank for our vegemite break. A bovine matron with freshly born calf struggling to its feet watched us with more than a passing interest. The later lunch spot was much more relaxing and rurally pleasant.
Our fourth day paddle was cancelled due to steady rain. Over the next 24 hours we shared a tasty communal dinner in a brewery within the industrial area (trust Barry to snoop out such a venue). Shopping and touring the next day pre-empted various departures in a run for home.
It was quite a successful paddle camp.