Another Trip to the Gippsland Lakes - October 3rd to 5th 2015

Simon and I took another trip down to the Gippsland Lakes as training for the next leg of the Murray River.  We were gratefully using the public holiday provided by the State Government for celebrating the the AFL Grand Final.

I stopped by Simon's house to pick him up on the way from Mebourne so we only needed 1 car for the weekend. We drove to Paynesville and arrived about 11.00 am. We purchased sandwiches from the bakery and then launched the kayaks across Lake Victoria and headed to Point Wilson jetty on Sperm Whale Head.

A pair of Black Swans flying in sync over Bunga Arm.

 On a sunny day with little wind it didn't take us long to cover the 4 km from Paynesville. We pulled up on the eastern side of the sandy spit that runs out from the shore not far from the jetty and ate some sandwiches while enjoying the view back to Paynesville and Raymond Island.

A Black Swan family passing by with the tower of Ocean Grange House in the background

After lunch we headed around to Rotamah Island just 1.5 km around the corner in the entrance to Lake Reeve. Arriving at Rotamah we landed the kayaks and tramped for 30 minutes to the 90 Mile Beach. Although it was a lovely sunny day we were not tempted to have swim. Even at the height of summer the water here is very cold and it was still early Spring so no chance!

Back at the kayaks we ate more sandwiches while chatting to some boaties who were visiting the island. From there we paddled around to Ocean Grange through the shallows around Rotamah Island and Little Rotamah Island. This area has been a favourite of mine for a long time. It was always a destination when sailing with Barry Styles and John Dyrac in the 80s & 90s.

Pelicans on a sandy point in Bunga Arm

We had a quick look around and set off down Bunga Arm in search of the campsite I had booked. Although we didn't find the the actual campsite we found others and happily pulled up. There was young couple camped right on the edge of the lake not in an official campsite. They seemed unaware and unconcerned about the requirement to book sites.

The 90 Mile Beach at Sunrise near Gannet Campsite on Bunga Arm

The next morning we headed out down Bunga Arm. For me this was a journey of discovery because I had never been down to the end when we sailed here. Bunga Arm is 14 km long and finishes very close to Lakes Entrance although it does not connect at that end.

Simon with a Pelican ahead!!

Just as we reached the end Simon spotted a large bird on the nearby shore eating a fish. Unfortunately I wasn't able to zoom my camera focus enough for a good shot of a mature White Bellied Eagle however you can see it was a majestic bird. You will need to zoom in on the next 2 photos!

White Bellied Eagle eating on the shoreline

The eagle took off as we got closer

As we had reached the end of Bunga Arm we decided to get out for walk.

I tried to sneak up on the eagle which was now perched high in a tree. I didn't succeed in getting closer, much to Simon's amusement. 

 Simon on the 90 Mile Beach

Our kayaks pulled up on the beach at the end of Bunga Arm.

White Bellied Eagle in tree overlooking Bunga Arm.

On our way back to the boats we examined the remains of the fish the eagle had been eating. It had been a big fish judging from the size of the head that remained. After this we  paddled back down Bunga Arm to our campsite. The wind picked up and it was long paddle. After  28 km of paddling we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.

Sunset over Bunga Arm

The next morning we packed up our tents and headed back to Paynesville the long way around Raymond Island. We stopped at Resides Jetty for morning tea after crossing Lake Victoria. From here you can look across Lake King toward Metung in the East and and towards the mountains in the North.

Jetty near Point King with Crested Terns

Finally we paddled around past Point King and headed into to Paynesville. Another adventure on the lakes completed. There is so much more still to explore!

Cape Horn Winery to Echuca - 10th November 2015

With only 24 km left to paddle there was no rush however we packed up, had breakfast and were on the river pretty much as usual.

We passed Horseshoe Bend and pulled up on a beach for a muesli bar break where we chatted with a Western Australian lady with a South African accent who was camped there with her husband.  They were on 5 weeks holiday and had crossed the Nullabor. As she said, if you live in the West you have to drive long distances.

From there we passed a primary school group visting an historic punt site. I was hoping they would give us a wave but alas they were actually listening to their teachers.

Finally after 11 days of paddling (for Simon and I) we reached the Port of Echuca which was busy with paddle steamers catering for tourists.

Once off the water we booked into the caravan park and Tony and I caught a taxi to Yarrawonga. At $281.50 it cost us almost $2 a kilometre to get to Tony's car. He then drove me to Albury to get my car and then we returned to Echuca. 

In the evening we went to the Shamrock Hotel and met up with Pam and Geoff and Peter Philips. Peter has paddled to the whole of the Murray as well as the Goulburn. His blog is excellent echuca-murraymouthkayakjourney.blogspot.com.au

Dinner was very good and it was a lovely evening with fellow paddlers. Can't wait to to start paddling the next leg Echuca to Swan Hill or perhaps Mildura. 

Picnic Point to Cape Horn Winery - 9th November 2015

With only 87 kms left until Echuca we took the decsion to have a big day and leave a shorter distance to cover tomorrow. Setting off early we were anticipating an exciting paddle through "The Narrows". This is an area where the river exits the Barmah forest and turns North-South. As the name suggests the river is narrower here and Pam and Geoff recalled many paddlers being tipped out when they did the Murray Marathon in 2009.

Given Tony's experience last year there was some anxiety however when we reached "The Narrows" we were underwhelmed. It was a very tame paddle perhaps due the the water level being higher at this time of year. The area was quite lush and green compared to other parts of the river.

This picture gives you an idea how low the river banks were through the Barmah forest

On the river where the Broken Creek runs into the Murray. Broken Creek is an arm of the Goulburn River near Barmah Lake.

We were all impressed with the area around Barmah Lake. It looked like a super camping area and certainly worth a visit. After this we reached the township of Barmah. Just after the road bridge there was boat ramp so we pulled up there. This seemed to be the closest spot to access the town although there wasn't much there just a pub and a general store. We wandered up to the general store to get some lunch. Unfortunately the pies hadn't been in the warmer very long. I was hungry so even though the pasty I bought was cold in the middle I ate it very quickly.

Back on the river the landscape had changed significantly. The river banks were much higher and the surrounding country was quite dry.  At the afternoon break we pulled over to a muddy ramp on a cattle farm. From the bank opposite an old bloke ranted at us that "the bloke over there has a gun". Fortunately we didn't see anyone with or without a gun.

After the break we were aiming for Cape Horn Winery which had Tony and Geoff salivating however we arrived there after a long hot paddle to find it wasn't open on Mondays. 

Tony approaching our campsite near Cape Horn. The fallen trees are typical of much of the river banks through this stretch of the river.

From there we paddled a short way to a lovely spot where we set up our final camp before Echuca. From my tent I had a magnificent view and when I woke during the nght there was a beautiful star-strewn sky. I fell back asleep instantly, it had been a long day and we were all tired. 

The view from my tent

Sandy Beach to Picnic Point - 8th November 2015

Following our usual schedule we were back on the river around 7.00 am and continued paddling throurh the Barmah forest. Although there wasn't much variety in the landscape I really enjoyed paddling among the Red Gums. This area is among my favourite parts of the river so far.

Another picture from Sandy Beach

At the end of the day we arrived at Picnic Point where there was a caravan park. As we arrived there was a young dickhead showing off his Jetski skills near the boat ramp. He was doing donuts and figures of 8 creating waves and generally making a lot of noise. The last thing you want when you are trying to land a kayak is this sort of idiot playing around. The inconsiderate fool paid no attention to our presence despite speed restrictions and warnings about creating wash on the river banks.

Fortunately we all landed without drama. The caravan park was nice and we were able to get fish and chips for dinner from the kiosk. The cook heated up his cookers just for us. Completely different attitude here to the people running the Yarrawonga Holiday Park where "anything was too much trouble". Unfortunately the noise from the jetski persisted until dark.

Just near the boat ramp a huge eucalypt had fallen over 2 cabins. Apparently it had only been checked by an arborist the week before. This should reinforce that you should never camp under these trees along the Murray. They fall over and drop limbs and there have been many fatalities over the years from these "widow-makers".

Tocumwal to Sandy Beach near Lugmans Camp - 7th November 2015

The previous night we decided we would paddle across the river to town to get fresh water and have breakfast in the bakery cafe. It was lovely sunny morning and I was able to photograph Simon as he approached the landing spot.

After breakfast we launched down the river. The railway bridge at Tocumwal has a central span that could be raised to allow paddle steamers through although the more recent road bridge prevents them proceeding up river. There was another example of this sort of bridge at Cobram. At Tintaldra and Jingellic only the distinctive pylons remain of their rail bridges.  

Most of the day we spent catching and then being overtaken by Pam and Geoff as they and then we took rest breaks. The Barmah National Park that we were paddling through is beautiful and we marvelled had how low the banks were. It would have only taken a minor rise in river height for water to be flooding through the forest. 

We also saw lots of birdlife including lots of Nankeen (Rufous) Night Herons in the trees along the river. Tony and I last saw these at Tumbling Waters  near Berry Springs  N.T feeding on scraps of chicken being fed to Johnson River crocodiles. Other birds we have seen on this trip, Kookaburras, Cormorants, Pelicans, and Kingfishers (both Azure and Sacred varieties).

 View from the lunchspot

The lunchspot was on a bend in the river and when we got out we could see some water on 50 metres away. At first I thought it was a billabong  however it was the river turning back onitself. We had to paadle 2 kms to reach that point on 50 metres from the lunchspot.

Tony had some difficulty getting back into his kayak after lunch. Note the dirty shorts!!

In the afternoon the wind sprang up as we paddled toward the campsite we had agreed with Pam and Geoff. We paddled past some good spots and were disappointed to find there was nowhere to pull up at Lugmans. Pam and Geoff were already there and decided to continue downstream to find another site. There wasn't anything obvious on the map so we decided to backtrack 500 metres to a sandy beach we had come past. It was exposed to the wind but it was a nice spot and on the map it was shown as "Sandy Beach".

View from Sandy Beach campsite

Tom's Beach to Tocumwal - 6th November 2015

Not long after launching we caught up with Pam and Geoff who had stopped to have breakfast. Usually they paddle for an hour before breakfast. They had camped only a couple of bends in the river downstream of us. In their Pacific Raider fiberglass kayak they paddle faster than us. They seemed to take more rest breaks so we were passing them and then they would pass us.

A couple of kangaroos came down to see what we were up to when we took a break at Dick's Island. They seemed unfussed by our presence.

It was a long day paddling. At lunch Geoff and I had consulted our maps and agreed to camp at Pebbly Beach just opposite Tocumwal however we couldn't see Pam and Geoff when we finally hit the beach. They had stopped at the Town Camp on the NSW side of river. They had called out to us as we paddled past but we hadn't heard. In the end I think we were happier at Pebbly Beach as it was closer to town.

After setting up camp and having a quick swim we went to the pub for dinner. I had herb crumbed barramundi with salad and chips.  After a few beers we headed back to camp and a good sleep. Another 50 km completed.

Yarrawonga to Tom's Beach - 5th November 2015

It was raining when we awoke so we decided to head into town for breakfast. Pam and Geoff had decided they just wanted to get on with it so we helped them launch from the ramp just below the weir.

After toasties and coffee for breakfast we decide to launch. The current was good near the weir and we made good progress although it was windy and wet at times.

I pulled out a plastic poncho to keep the rain off, it made me look like a late participant in Halloween!

The weather improved and we had a good day of paddling. Along the way there were some high banks and in many places there were trees just waiting to topple in the water. 

These days the snags are left in the river to provide habitat for native fish whereas in the past they were removed to improve navigation. The result is that the mighty Murray Cod is making a comeback. All the way from Albury we have seen many thousands of fallen trees at the waters edge. In some narrow places we have had to paddle through very carefully although below Yarrawonga the river is wider.

At the end of the day we found a nice campsite near the 1936 marker. The map shows this to be Toms Beach. Tony and I were amused that Simon decided to put his kayak on its trolley and drag it up to where we were setting up our tents rather than unload and and carry gear back and forwards.

We had covered another 50 km and  and we were still on track to reach Echuca on time.

Across Lake Mulwala to Yarrawonga - 4th November 2015I

Some serious navigation was required today to find our way onto the lake and through the fields of dead trees. Early in the morning we passed Bundalong where the Ovens river joins the Murray. It is a pretty spot with some lovely houses lining the banks.

Following the course of the old river we found ourselves on Lake Mulwala just as the wind started to rise. It was okay while we were in the river proper but once we were out in the open it was uncomfortable. While working our way through the channels we came across a marker that wasn't on the map.

With the lake chopping up Simon wanted to head closer to shore while I preferred to stay in the channel away from the tree stumps. So we compromised and stayed in the channel until Simon thought it was time for a rest and we headed to shore. I was not happy being bounced around in the waves with tree stumps breaking through the surface every few metres.

Eventually we found a boat ramp and pulled out for a break. While we rested we wandered up the road a short way and saw a black snake crossing the road. I went closer to get a better view. Unfortunately my camera was still in the kayak.

After the break we paddled around the lake's edge to Yarrawonga and pulled up near the Water Park. This time it was Simon who dismounted from his kayak badly and managed to take on a fair bit of water. The onshore wind was pushing waves up against the shoreline. We dragged the kayaks up onto the grass and then went to the main street in search of lunch. We had some toasted sandwiches at a cafe called "Sourdough and Coffee". Both the sandwiches and the coffee were excellent.

After lunch we visited to the Tourist Bureau and found out where the caravan park was. They offered us the use of a ute to help move the boats but we thought it would be easier to use our trailers. Then we went and dragged the fully loaded kayaks on their trolleys the 1.5 km to the caravan park. Tony arrived just after we got there and we booked into a small cabin. We then went to the supermarket to stock up for the next few days.

Back at the cabin our neighbour told us there were some other paddlers in a cabin nearby and shortly after we met Pam and Geoff Roberts who were going to paddle from Yarrawonga to Mildura over the next month.

Fish and Chips for dinner.

Corowa to a bend in the river near marker 2028 - 3rd November 2015

After a good meal and a good nights sleep we seemed to have recovered fully from our weariness and  we paddled out of Corowa around 7.00 am. The water skiers that annoyed us yesterday were still in bed. We admired some of the waterfront houses along the river going out of Corowa.

We decided to have regular rest stops every 2 hours at Simon's suggestion as he felt our tiredness yesterday was due to having having paddled for 4 hours without a break. This was a good idea and we maintained this practice for the rest of the trip.

Today was the 1st time we really had to navigate. As we got closer to Lake Mulwala there were a number of branches to the river. True to form I had printed the wrong page of the map and there was a section missing that was required. I rang Lisa to tell her and she took a photo of the correct page and sent it to me. Luckily it didn't matter because I didn't get the picture until the next day. Typical Vodaphone!

Toward the end of the day we found a campsite on a bend in the river near marker 2028. It was a lovely spot although previous campers had left some rubbish included a broken folding canvas shade shelter. We were to see a few of these left by the river over the rest of the trip. Disappointing that people don't remove their rubbish and a sign that these folding canvas shelters are not robust enough for camping.

We had a 3 course evening meal, Cup-a-soup, savoury rice and chocolate. Later I was able to lie in the tent listening to the birds and seeing the Southern Cross low on the horizon.

Police Paddocks to Corowa - 2nd November 2015

We decided to delay departure to allow our gear to dry out. Simon's gear was quite wet because rain water had pooled under his tent and seeped through the floor during the night. We had breakfast and Nigel offered me a cup of tea. Eventually we thanked our hosts and headed for our kayaks but not before getting a picture of Ross' hot water service.

This was constructed from an old beer keg and had a pipe that ran from the keg through a copper coil in the campfire and back to the keg. It also has a pump that was connected to a car battery to circulate the water.

The hot water service

We launched about 9.30 am and paddled to Corowa about 30 km away. Just as we arrived we passed a bloke we had seen earlier at the campsite paddling in the opposite direction. We couldn't work out how he got there before us without overtaking us. He said he had taken an anabranch. Being younger and very fit and carrying no cargo he was faster than us.

By the time we got to Corowa we were both feeling quite tired probably due to the heat and not having stopped for a break. Pulling up on the beach near the carpark I (Joe) was clumsy getting out of the kayak in front of an audience of parents and kids. How embarrassing!

We booked into the caravan park and then went shopping for a new tent pole for Simon as he had broken his. Sadly there was no joy in the 2 stores with camping gear. I had a metal sleeve so he was able to make a temporary repair using that and some duct tape.

In the evening we went to the pub for dinner. Simon's 1st beer did not touch the sides! So he had another and then a third for good measure. It was a very enjoyable meal.

Richardsons Bend to Police Paddocks - 1st November 2015

We awoke to the sound of birdsong and a clear sky however the rain radar promised rain so we had a muesli bar, packed up and launched around 7.00 am. It started raining and we endured 2 heavy showers before it cleared away.

This picture was taken during a heavy shower and shows a rainbow over the river. 

We pulled over to a sandy bank and made breakfast. I boiled some water for coffee and we ate muesli as we dried out. The rest of the morning was sunny and warm. As we passed Doolans Bend we met a family group who were just setting out in their kayaks. They were paddling to Howlong the next town on the river. We had a nice chat with the parents. They were paddling in a mix of kayaks and I felt a bit sorry for the kid in the "sit on" trying to keep up with the parents in Daggers.

We left them behind and reached Howlong by lunchtime. The riverside park was lovely and my map seemed to indicate that we could camp there. We walked into town to buy some pies and coke at the bakery across the road from the pub in the photo.

When we walked back to the river we discovered that there were "No Camping" signs at entrance to the park. Oh well it too early to stop anyway!

After checking the map we decided to aim for Shaw's Flat. As the afternoon wore on there was lots of lightning and thunder. Just before 4.00 pm I told Simon that I thought we should pull off the river however he thought we could still reach Shaw's Flat. Then it started to rain....heavily.....!!

We pulled off the river at a spot where there were some people camping in caravans and tents. I quickly wandered over and asked if they minded us camping there. Ross and Chris, and Nigel and Joan and the kids and Nelson and Tanner the dogs made us very welcome under the shelter of their canvas awning as it bucketed down for the next 2 and half hours. After that we were able to set up our tents.

Ross and his family camp at this spot regularly and were very gracious even offering us dinner. Their camping was very civilised, cheese and bickies with wine for Joe and beer for Simon before dinner then spaghetti bolognaise. Joe had 2 helpings and some wine.  Later we sat around the fire for a while before heading to bed. 48 km covered for the day and a free meal, an excellent day!! 

Albury to Richardsons Bend - October 31st 2015

Simon and I set out from Melbourne on Saturday morning in order to resume our journey down the Murray River. Tony is joining us from Yarrawonga.

Although the weather was fine as we left home it was raining steadily when we reached Albury 3 hours later. We went to Noruiel Park to see the "put in" point. The river was flowing quite fast and we decided to hold off launching until the rain stopped. We went into the shopping plaza for lunch and kept an eye on the rain radar. By 2.00 pm the rain was clearing away and we went back to the river to unload the kayaks and gear. I took my car to the railway car park and then walked back to the river.

The river seemed to have slowed a little and we launched without drama and quickly passed the 2192 distance marker. These markers show the distance to the river mouth at Goolwa. Unfortunately despite appearing on my map many of these signs have disappeared, occasionally they are in the wrong spot and sometimes they are there but not shown on the map. They are very useful in confirming where you are on the river. The 2192 marker was upside down. I managed to get both Simon and the marker in the picture. The markers gave us an indication of our travelling speed. At this stage we were hurtling down the mighty Murray at about 8 km per hour. It had been 12 months since our last leg. Joe was the only one of us still working fulltime. Tony's kayak had made a remarkable recovery after the incident last year and we are much more experienced paddlers.

Although the weather remained overcast we were able to paddle until 6.00 pm before pulling off the river at Richardsons Bend after 33 km. Richardsons Bend is a Parks Victoria camping ground. We had to scramble up the bank as there was only a narrow spot at river level.

The top of the bank was being revegetated so we had to set up our tents about 30 metres from the river. We could see some other campers nearby but there was no one about. We discovered a boat ramp and more campers a bit further down the river the next day.

We had our evening meal of pasta and sardines in tomato sauce before heading for bed. It was a lovely evening and the sky was full of stars later in the night.