You couldn't have asked for a better
day. For mid-August it was warm and mild. Leaving on an incoming tide the paddle was easy going. Light variable winds rendered sailing defunct. The thick river scum made a grimy water line along the boats. Tom had a wide choice of pickings from the detritus that was making its way upstream amongst the clumps of vegetative flotsam. Bargin decided to do the usual bowsprit impression before plopping off into the scum then sharing the moment with Dave with a great shake.
Despite a punctual request for AM tea at Johnsons Rock, deep shade deferred it until we reached Colleges Crossing. There was enough water to scrape over the water pipe line downstream of the
installation works for the recycled water pipeline. This looked much further from completion than spruiked on about in the media. Morning tea was had in the shade of a tree on the grassy bank in the park. Two fruitcakes materialised. One was quickly slaughtered the other went back in the bag for next time.
Then it was a run to the weir before the tide turned leaving the water pipeline exposed with a potentially tricky portage. There continued to be no shortage of rubbish and flotsam moving slowly inland with the tide. Tennis balls were tossed around with Sal being bonked on the head by a shocking demonstration of chucking skills that was supposed to take the micky out of Dave's efforts.
There was plenty of wild birdlife and domestic water fowl along the way, especially inland of Colleges Crossing. While no bull sharks or lungfish were sighted in the murky water, schools of prawn were later seen near the banks opposite Kookaburra Park.
The water level was too low to push on to the weir and the tide had turned. Lunch was had on a grassy bank on the right hand side near Johnson Rock which was now in full sun. A few paddlers went up Kholo Creek easily clearing the tree that usually blocks the creek around 300m from the entrance. It was only about another 300m before the creek ran low and into a rocky bed.
Tip: To get right up the river leave around the same time but choose a day with a higher tide
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