Waterfall Bay – Wednesday 29 July 2020
Participants: Rebecca Gleeson, Alice de Gruchy, Val Walker, Jennifer North, Peter Walker, Debra Ardern, Sandi Eyles, Berenice Chattan, Peter Renkert, Trish Treagus, Cheryl Hogan, Janele Purvis, Eddie Gove, Sean Ronning, Glen Sturgess, Colin North
After days of downpour the weather today was truly spectacular and what a perfect destination after all that rain: Waterfall Bay!! We launched from Lions Park at Woy Woy and paddled up the ferry channel, past a couple of pied oyster catchers and the ferry wharf and under Spike Milligan bridge. We waved to the cyclists who had paused on the bridge to take in the view to Pelican Island and the sea eagle circling overhead. I’m sure they were wondering why the heck were they cycling on that noisy cycle way when they could be kayaking in the glorious Brisbane Waters with such a friendly bunch of paddlers??
A cormorant watching us go past Spike Milligan Bridge
It wasn’t long before we spotted our second sea eagle (I counted four in total today) hanging out in a tree along the shoreline. Berenice was pretty sure it was a juvenile. Paddling along the shoreline we passed beautiful sandstone boulders, some pretty little beaches and in a couple of spots we could hear, and then see, some little ephemeral waterfalls. A recently installed rope swing and launch platform (no it wasn’t a book exchange box for the bush hermits) was eyed off but the oyster covered rocks in the water underneath put us off, and in any case we were keen to get to that waterfall.
Sea eagle sitting on tree. Well spotted.
The waterfall was spectacular today, really flowing fast and full on after all the recent rain. Jen was the only paddler brave enough to disembark onto the slippery rocks and clamber around the bottom of the waterfall like a little slightly soggy mountain goat. She did her community service deed for the day by rescuing the (graffiti covered) National Parks sign and reinstating it against a rock ledge. Little did we know, her best was yet to come…
Up close to the waterfall on Waterfall Bay
In full flow
After we all had some fun paddling up to the bottom of the waterfall and mucking about a bit like little kids we headed back. Colin spotted a lovely little sandy beach on the way back, giving us the chance to get out and stretch our legs. Another swing rope and Trish, Jen and Bec couldn’t resist the temptation!! Jen did it properly, climbing up the tree ladder and WOOOHOOOO with Olympic gymnast style rope dismount of a mid-air somersault: spectacular and definitely a 9/10!! I’m sure Roy and HG would have thought up an appropriate name for the manoeuvre if they’d been there today, like ‘the crazy date’ or ‘the party date’ or ‘the single corkscrew’. Expect we’ll soon be seeing that mid-air upside down shot of Jen on the KCC group website’s home page…
Testing the rope on Waterfall Bay
Watching the fun on Waterfall Bay
Spoonbill lifting over us on our return trip through the channel on Pelican Island
More entertainment on the trip back across Parks Bay from a tern wheeling around and dive bombing for fish, and another sea eagle spotted heading over to Phegans Bay. We paddled back through that little gap in Pelican Island (hello spoonbills) down the ferry channel past all the pelicans and back to the beach next to the boat ramp at Lions Park.
Pelicans with their own spot at Woy Woy channel
Thank you Colin for arranging another fantastic Wednesday paddle and for sorting out the weather (how does he do it?!?).
Thanks
Words: Rebecca Gleeson
Pics: Eddie Gove, Sandra Eyles, Cheryl Hogan, Trish Treagus