Moreton Bay changes at sunset and is a beautiful place by moonlight. Last night was no exception and Graham's first night paddle. Parked close to the ramp was a car labelled
'Victoria Point Ramp Rats'. Four or five ramp groupies were hanging around, maybe they were keeping the place clean and tidy, if so, by day's end they had done a great job. We headed north into a 15Kn NE to circumnavigate Coochie for a couple of extra km and the promise of a fun ride into Potts Point.
While Graham and Mark struck out I plodded along behind and watched the day sink into a beautiful golden haze. Once paddling the wind didn't seem as strong and the water which sloshed over the deck was warm. We had to round the marker at the end of the reef having left at the bottom of a 30cm tide. Heading around the NE
corner of Coochie we were watched closely by a solitary Whistling Kite resting on the red channel marker. Then it was a quick (10km/h) run with a beam to rear quarter sea into Potts Point where the swimming enclosure was dry.
The first thing we noticed was the supremacy of the orange plastic safety barrier. It was cordoning off a large area where a flag pole and Anzac Memorial was close to finished. Graham had bought a gas cooker and a heat and eat style meal. We were onto
outdoor BBQ No. 3. The first had been brilliant, the second a toxic smoker. This one turned out not to flame or smoke, in fact it hardly put out any heat, so little it made the electric BBQ at Potts seem dangerously hot.
During the long wait for our dinner Graham was starting to wonder what had happened to the moon. By now it was dark, the wind had not abated and the portside light of small boats were lurching over the chop. Shaping up for a whoopee return. By Graham's GPS moon rise was 19:30, but a cloud bank was keeping pace. Eventually a big smoky golden moon came out to play. By the time we had eaten the wind had settled and the tide had come up allowing us to float off on the left side of the enclosure.
The Bay is another place in the moonlight. It becomes very peaceful and distances are deceptive. There are only a few boats out and those that are moving are often only drifting with the tide or chugging along quietly. The red and green of the Coochie Ferry gave me some consternation and we bunched up for a more efficient hit or miss. The moonlight is beautiful on the water
and it is easy to be blinded by the kayak lights. No fish strike this time around.
As always people were fishing from the ramp which at night now looks like a place to put down a light plane with LEDs marking the lanes. Graham enjoyed the return journey and I think it would be fair to say that he too is enamoured with Moreton Bay by moonlight.
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