Sunday 16 October 2022 – Thursday 20 October 2022
Reprt by Ian, and photos supplied by Mary, Max and Sharon
It is almost 8 years since the Club enjoyed the waters of the Bermagui area. On this occasion, we were lucky to score four days of fine weather. It stopped raining as we set up camp on the Sunday and began raining again the Thursday afternoon we left. Seven Club members, Nancy & Dennis, Mary, Sharon, Max, and Lin & Ian, camped at the Regatta Point Caravan Park on the eastern shore of Wallaga Lake, just north of Bermagui.
Under a grey sky, our first day paddle was 18 km, westward across Wallaga Lake to the estuary of Dignams Creek and we then entered the much narrower Dignams Creek channel. Our passage was eventually halted when we came to a freshwater stoney crossing, possibly the original south coast track. We were within 400 metres of the Princes Highway. As the sun occasionally burst from behind the cloud cover, we enjoyed lunch on a sandy bank before launching homeward.
On the way home a large sea eagle nest was spotted on the bank before we cut across the lake and whizzed past Merrimans Island with a challenging sea breeze in our faces. The afternoon soon settled to windless conditions as we settled in around the campfire, sipped calming refreshments, admired the view of Gulaga across the glassy water and planned the next sojourn. A slice of heaven!
First day’s paddle on the Dignams Creek estuary with Gulaga looming in the background
Returning to camp across Wallaga Lake
Lunch at the head of Dignams Creek
Our second day paddle headed north across the lake to the estuary of Narira Creek. It was in these shallow waters, where our paddles bumped the sandy bottom, that Mary conjured up a quaint description – “lumpy water”. We passed the aptly named Black Lagoon and the creek quickly narrowed to a low banked channel with moo cows and sheep either side. As soon as someone mentioned there was little other wildlife, a wombat nonchalantly wandered past us, oblivious to us in its intent on reaching better pasture.
As on the previous day, our return again encountered a stiff breeze on the 2km of lake crossing so we hugged the shoreline and arrived at camp without drama. We had clocked up 12km.
The northerly wind persisted that afternoon and into the night, so we all retired to the Nancy & Dennis’ sheltered verandah of which offered magnificent views across a windswept lake to the distant Biamana (Mumbulla Mountain).
Lin and Sharon launching from camp on the second day
Nancy and Lin on Narira Creek
On a beautiful sunny third day, the tide was not favourable for a Bermagui River exploration, so we went to Cuttagee Lake. Surprisingly, it was open to the sea and draining lots of water. Nevertheless, having not paddled this waterway before, we ventured off and picked our way through some of the “lumpy water”, sticking to the deeper channels and exploring the shoreline of the bays.
Again, as soon as someone mentioned wildlife, we caught up with a busy echidna. It was snuffling its way along the weed beds of the shoreline. The lake also held a healthy population of black swans.
This was only a 6km paddle so, on our return, some lunched under the sun on the sands of Cuttagee Beach while others “fish ’n’ chipped” at Bermagui harbour. The afternoon allowed for some local sight-seeing and whale counting.
Launching at Cuttagee Lake bridge
Negotiating the channel into Cuttagee Lake
On that final late afternoon and night, we again gathered around the campfire, admired Gulaga across a peaceful mirrored lake broken only by a patrolling pelican, reflected on the last four days, and planned our future adventures amidst the clatter of jaffle irons. It was a most enjoyable camp – a very quiet and relaxed campground, agreeable weather, great scenery, lots of exercise, and, of course, auspicious company. What more could we want?
Ian
