Calendar


Trip Diary

08-2012 Peel Island (An Ekka tradition)
08-2012 Moreton Island
07-2012 Rocky Point
06-2012 Blakesleys
06-2012 The Bedroom
05-2012 Breakfast on Karragarra
05-2012 St Helena
05-2012 Perigee Bedroom
02-2012 Queen Mary II
02-2012 Mud Island
11-2011 St Helena
11-2011 Shorncliffe to Redcliffe
10-2011 Weinam Ck to Dunwich
10-2011 Peel Island
10-2011 Breakfast on Karragarra
10-2011 St Helena and Green Island
09-2011 Wivenhoe Dam
08-2011 Fraser Island
08-2011 Canaipa Passage
08-2011 Karragarra
08-2011 Stradbroke Island
07-2011 St Helena
07-2011 So long, and thanks for all the fish.
05-2011 Green Island
05-2011 Wivenhoe Dam
04-2011 Upper Noosa River Weekend
04-2011 Easter at Woodgate
04-2011 Mud Island
04-2011 Karragarra for Breakfast
02-2011 Bongaree
02-2011 St Helena
01-2011 Weinam Ck to Blakesleys
10-2010 Moore to Blackbutt Rail Trail
10-2010 Whitsundays
09-2010 Mud Island
09-2010 Redcliffe
09-2010 Girraween
08-2010 Upper Noosa River
08-2010 Potts Point
08-2010 Peel Island
08-2010 Gateway to City Bike Ride
08-2010 Mud Island
07-2010 Blakesleys Afternoon Paddle
07-2010 Kedron Brook to Scaborough (and return)
04-2010 Colmslie Beach
04-2010 Brighton Park
01-2010 Nundah Creek
01-2010 Blakesleys
01-2010 Upper Noosa River (with a difference)
01-2010 New Year Paddle
12-2009 Potts Point
08-2009 Raby Bay to Peel Island
08-2009 Wynnum Creek to King Island
07-2009 Sandgate to Redcliffe
05-2009 St Helena
04-2009 Wellington Point to Peel
04-2009 Breakfast on Karragarra
03-2009 King Island
03-2009 Mission Point
03-2009 Mud Island
01-2009 Morning Tea at The Pin
01-2009 Circumnavigate Macleay Island
01-2009 New Year Recovery Paddle
12-2008 Caniapa
12-2008 Pine Rivers
11-2008 Coochie Night Paddle
10-2008 Breakfast at Karragarra
10-2008 Girraween
10-2008 Coomera Falls Circuit
09-2008 Hinchinbrook Island
09-2008 Manly Harbour Festival
09-2008 Linville to Blackbutt Rail Trail
08-2008 Weekend at Blakesleys
08-2008 Old Woman Island
08-2008 Circumnavigate Macleay Island
07-2008 Upper Noosa River
07-2008 Weinam Creek to Dunwich
06-2008 Scarborough to Bongaree
06-2008 Wellington Pt to St Helena
06-2008 North Stradbroke Jazz Weekend
05-2008 Point O'Halloran to Blakesleys
04-2008 Upper Noosa River
04-2008 Aquatic Paradise to St Helena Is
04-2008 Eprapah Creek
03-2008 Paradise Point to Moreton Island
03-2008 Wynnum Ck to Tangalooma Point
03-2008 Amity Point weekend
03-2008 Bremer River
03-2008 Brisbane River - Gregors Ck to Barneys Rocks
02-2008 Play Day - Coochie Mudlo
02-2008 World Wetlands Day Paddle
02-2008 Brisbane River night paddle
01-2008 Australia Day Week
01-2008 Blakesleys 3/4 Moon Paddle
01-2008 Shorncliffe to Nudgee
01-2008 Brisbane River - Barneys Rocks to O'Sheas Crossing
12-2007 Raby Bay to One Mile via Blakesleys and Potts Point
12-2007 Diamond Head to Tipplers
12-2007 Wynnum Ck to Green and St Helena Islands
11-2007 Bike Ride Bay Islands
11-2007 Tingalpa Creek
10-2007 Potts Point Night Paddle
10-2007 Return to Gilligans Island
10-2007 Salt Water Creek and Coomera River
09-2007 Elimbah Creek
09-2007 Scarborough to Caboolture River
09-2007 Fraser Island Whale Watching
09-2007 Circumnavigate Russell Island
08-2007 Pine Rivers Night Paddle
08-2007 Linville to Blackbutt Rail Trail
08-2007 Brisbane River City Reach
08-2007 Peel Island
08-2007 Brisbane River
08-2007 Green Island Day Trip
07-2007 Pine Rivers Night Paddle
07-2007 Mooloolah River
07-2007 USS Kitty Hawk in Brisbane River
06-2007 Black Tie on Peel Island
05-2007 Harrys Hut Camping Weekend
04-2007 Theodolite Creek
04-2007 Upper Burrum River
04-2007 Circumnavigate Big Woody
04-2007 Walkers Point to Toogum
03-2007 Boat Passage to Big Sandhills
12-2006 Woodgate to Mon Repos
10-2006 Fraser Island Whale Watching
04-2005 Keppel Islands
12-2004 Fraser Island
10-2004 Munna Point Camping Weekend
10-2004 Mooloolaba to Maroochydore
09-2004 Coochie Mudlo Island
08-2004 Karragarra Island
07-2004 Wellington Point to St Helena Island
06-2004 Noosa River Camping Weekend
05-2004 Brisbane River Night Paddle
04-2004 Budds Beach to Moreton Island
10-2003 Bulwer to Tangalooma
05-2003 Eatonsville to Harwood Island

Links

SEQSK Discussion Group
SEQSK Newsletters
Adventurer Anthony Malloch

Mud Island
Date: 01-03-2009
Launch: 09:20 Boat Passage
Distance: 30.5km
It seemed an age since last on the water and we were in need of a paddle. Swingtime at Shorncliffe promised a convivial afternoon courtesy of the All Stars but it was a 30Km round trip to Lower Moora Park. Probably a tad optimistic should the wind become unfavourable. Also, the prospect of lounging around a park enjoying a jazz trio didn't seem right while others picked up someone else's rubbish. Instead we decided to paddle to one of our favourite places, Mud Island.

It was a couple of hours off the top of tide when we left the Boat Passage for the mangrove channel. Most of the plastic was a long way up the side passages. Any score would have entailed trampling mangrove aerial roots, roots which were covered in slime, something neither of us recalled seeing previously.

Out the other side and straight into a NE. Not much fun so it was an about face to skate along the rock wall all the way to the entrance of the Brisbane River. At the southern end wall where the mangroves are, there was a diverse treasure chest of rubbish. A prized padded chiller bag with a working zip was secured to my back deck for the swelling collection. An unmarked crab pot was reefed out and rolled up onto the bank. At first I thought it had a small turtle, instead it was an enormous muddie. With a nipper to match it was stand back big four. Those kevlar socks would not provide much resistance so a very long stick gave him a respectful hustle back to the water. Moving on we collected a spare boat paddle, rope and plenty more plastic. The further north we progressed the more difficult the rubbish was to access. This was in part due to the NE pushing the boats onto the rocks, but mainly because what was there was wedged very firmly. As we passed the security gates marking the latest land reclamation we were shadowed by the port security in his ute with flashing yellow lights. By the time we had reached the end he had buzzed us three times. Oh what a job.

The reclamation associated with port expansion is immense. By the end of the wall you are in a direct line with Mud so it was turn right and sail as close to the NE as you could. Part way across Dr Who called out from my rear hatch. Sprung. Well who else would be calling aside Tom who had a glass house view of the situation given that he was cruising back into the bay on a yacht.

Arriving on Mud felt like greeting an old friend. We came in against a quickly draining lagoon then settled down for lunch on the coral pile looking back towards the port. Love this area as it is usually quiet, although the one and only runabout had chosen to pull up within cooee. By the time we had packed the tide had dropped too far to leave via the lagoon so it was a port across to the stubbly reef. The NE was starting to lift the bay and it was a fun sail across to St Helena for afternoon tea. Along the way we watched a very low profile barge lumbering and heaving its way towards us through the swell. Before long the persistent drone of a large vessel had look around to see the same barge rendered almost unrecognisable by the amount of freeboard. What was amazing was the speed with which it had dumped its load and turned around.

After St Helena I insisted on making a beeline for the Boat Passage - the NE had created an irresistible sail. As we came in there was the ultimate souvenir for Clean Up Australia Day - a spade. It had clearly been there for some time. Just before yanking it out we saw a series of spades and realised they demarcated the commercial blood worm area. Should you ever see such a spade an on ebb tide turn east and paddle hard. Life is about to be stranded on shell strewn mudflats. We were only one channel marker off the Darcy Light before we could turn and face off the stiff NE on the homeward run. By the time we pulled in at the boat ramp, Mark took a muddy spill and we clocked off what had been over a 30 Km day. A day that would have been great for sailing to Shorncliffe - there and back.
Graceful escort
Morning tranquility
Collecting rubbish in the mangrove channel
Plate size muddie
Skating along the wall
Port security
LJ Hooker you're a mess
Into the lagoon
Lunch stop
Clean Up Australia Day token
Return sail
End in sight
 
Mud Island Map
GPS Trackfile (OziExplorer .plt)