AVOCA LAGOON KAYAK - 18 FEBRUARY 2018

An early morning paddle around Avoca Lagoon.



The highlight today was the birds as there was a  number of species.

 Black-winged Stilt with chicks and a nest with three eggs. :)

Royal Spoonbill

Swamphen

Cockatoos

Duck - too high to guess species

Pied Cormorant

Great Egret

Australian White Ibis

Welcome Swallow

Australian Pelican

PELICAN ISLAND KAYAK - 2 MARCH 2016

It is officially Autumn but the weather is still hot and will remain so for a while. A beautiful sunny day again. Sometimes, it becomes a worry when there are so many days without rain.


I drove to the Woy Woy channel and launched the kayak off a small sandy beach into clear calm water.

It was only a short paddle across the channel to Pelican Island but it was a world apart from the manicured urban other side of the channel. With in a short time, I came across an ibis foraging in the mangrove shallows for food.

A little further along the island is spilt in two by a narrow channel which enters into a shallow and wide bay. I paddled through and across the bay with pelicans, cormorants and ducks on the water and large flocks of sulphur cockatoos flying overhead.

I paddled around the island close to shore where there was water deep enough to navigate. In addition, a short distance from the shore the island is surrounded by oyster farms.

Towards the end, There was a small beach on the channel apex of the island. there were a number of birds here and the water was very clear. A speed boat passing by caused waves which broke on the shallow sand banks of the beach giving off a nice surfing wave type effect.

Back to the van and feeling good though a little sore on the rump from the 3.44 km paddle.

Afterwards, I drove to Terrigal Haven for a swim and a paddle on my new surfboard.

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - RILEYS ISLAND - KAYAK/HIKE - 7 DECEMBER 2014

I parked at the pubic wharf at Davistown. It is a pretty area with Rileys Island opposite and sandy beaches on either side of the wharf at low tide.



The paddle was enjoyable and I was able to keep close to the island as the tide become fuller. The island shore was mainly mangroves and surrounded at parts by oyster leases.

There was a lot of activity in the area - fishing boats and other kayakers. Some of the fishing boats caused a wake that oscillated in the still morning.

The birds were abundant - ibis, cormorants, lapwing, oystercatcher, silver gull, egret and I think a whimbrel. They were roosting on signs and trees or foraging in the mangroves, shallows or deeper water.

I landed on the island in two places but there were no real paths to follow. At one point, where there were a lot of grasses where spiders had made webs that were sheet like between the blades.

A pleasant kayak with mirrorr reflections, birds and an island.

3.60 km

CENTRAL COAST - TUGGERAH LAKE - TERILBAH ISLAND - KAYAK - 30 november 2014

A beautiful, morning with a hint of a wind.



I drove to The Entrance North and parked in the car park just after the bridge.

There was no wind, the water was reflecting mirror images and a number of birds lined the channel which was opposite Teribah Island.

While getting ready to launch a couple of pelicans stood on the edge of the shoreline and preened themselves. Shortly, a number of starlings appeared and hopped across the grass with their heads darting quickly in various directions while pecking at the ground for food.

I launched the kayak in glassy conditions. I caused a wake with the kayak just to watch the ripples. I paddled across the channel to Teribah Island and followed the shoreline to circumnavigate the island.

The paddling was fun as the water became very shallow due to the outgoing tide. I sat close to the front of the kayak to lift the back so I could paddle over shallow sections. Just near the end of the ride the water became too shallow and I was forced to abandon ship and wade through the shallows until I reached deeper water.

The birds were out and about in large numbers. I counted at least seven different species of birds.

Cormorants were in flight, roosting on trees and boating signs drying their feathers or diving under the water foraging for food. Stilts were standing on one legged watching the world. Black Swans flowed regally over the water in large groups. Spotted Doves sat in the trees looking like they were trying to make a decision to where they would go next. Ibises preened themselves amongst the pelicans. Dollarbirds roosted in the trees just watching - they have such pretty, shiny, subtle colours.

A great kayak of 2.22 km!