We have paddled from Elanda Point to the Upper Noosa River in fog, by a full moon, new moon, in torrential rain but we were yet to take the wrong turn. That was until tonight. We made reasonable time in the long weekend traffic and arrived to find the beach had shrunk. With recent rains Lake Cootharaba was over metre higher than usual. The boats were packed by the time darkness fell. Accompanied by an unsuspecting and trusting Carol we headed off at 60⁰ across a silent lake punctuated by the unpredictable splash or thud of friendly mullet. Turning to 30⁰ the direction was was affirmed by guiding loo light at Kinaba.

By now the stars were settling in the still water and it was like paddling in the fourth dimension as we headed to Figtree Point. Well not quite, it was a recce up Kin Kin Creek with Carol happily gliding along in the depths of the milky way. That was until a grumpy call pulled the trackless leader up. It all seemed wrong, even to one who could not navigate out of a paper bag, a suspicion confirmed by an unfamiliar sentry of dead branches leaning out from the right hand bank. With Carol spaced out in the heavens we completed a 1Km detour before heading onto Figtree.

Just before Harrys Hut the moon rose through the trees illuminating the paperbarks with a strong silvery light. It was cool enough for the river mist to be rising and breath to huff. At camp the hot soup was a welcome warmer and it was not long before Carol was happily asleep. She did not stir when a creature with a fetish for banana skins managed to get its way into a plastic bag hanging from a tree, eat one, wrestle its way back out, to return several hours later for seconds. All accomplished without damaging the bag.

We woke to a cool fine morning, a great day to go and find this Wandi Waterhole. After paddling 150m downstream the kayaks were hauled out at an informal landing marked by logs and placed out of sight of both river traffic and people walking from Harrys Hut. On reviewing the track, according to the GPS we were a mere 50m from the turnoff before calling it quits last time. The camping area was cleared of regrowth and large trunks encircled the place where a fire had been. Further down the track was the waterhole. Carol and Mark were soon in and swimming declaring the water to be great. Liars. It was freezing. After basking like lizards and lunch it was back along the track which at many times was very wet and mildly muddy. Along the way swamp banksias had exquisite dark green flowers, small shrubs were smothered with seed nuts and the grass trees sprouted fresh growth.

Back at the log entry we came across Noel and Murray on their way to Camp 1 where Chris and Ray had already set up. It was not long before it was time to celebrate sundowners on the jetty under a softening sky with pink clouds drifting in the water.