Mooney Mooney Creek Group Paddle 24 June 2020
Participants: Alice de Gruchy, Val Walker, Rebecca Gleeson, Sandi Eyles, Christine Wheeler, Tim Wheeler, Mike Guest, Jan Guest, Debra Ardern, Nicola Best, Eddie Gove, Jenny Newland, Peter Walker, Janele Purvis, Peter Renkert, Jennifer North, Colin North
And here’s Christine’s report from yesterday’s paddle (with help from Bec).
It was beanie weather today, our coldest day so far this year. We had another big turnout, with new members joining us for our paddle this morning up Mooney Mooney Creek.
We set off heading under the Mooney Mooney Bridge, officially the Mooney Mooney Creek Bridge, but popularly known as The NSW Big Dipper Bridge. This twin cantilever bridge carries the Pacific Motorway across Mooney Mooney and we paddled to the sound of the roaring trucks and chatting – or was it chattering teeth! What was Colin saying in our last email, something about Summer being on its way.
Pushing off
Through the mist on Mooney Mooney Creek
It was a beautiful sight ahead with the light mist hanging on the surface of the water, a phenomenon caused by small droplets of water suspended in air. We were on our way and we warmed up quickly. Val was trying out her new gloves she purchased from Colin to keep her hands warm and the new Vaikobi cold performance tops were on keeping everyone warm.
Bec spotted a little blue flash of a bird, and most of us saw the eagle fly over the creek low enough to get a good look. We paddled past a cute little waterfall, and then headed up a bit further and turned right into a little branch of the creek. The water was crystal clear and Alice was wondering if those holes in the creek wall might belong to some platypuses. We paddled through this narrow creek, over some pockets of shallow and deep waters, up to a large fallen tree across the creek and had to turn back, joining the main part of the creek again.
We continued up the main part of the creek past beautiful tall stands of eucalypts, lots of casuarinas and paper barks, and massive spiking grass trees. We saw a handmade table on the river bank, probably for gutting fish and a large white plastic pipe – maybe someone’s letter box or a modern-day cannon.
As far as we could go up Mooney Mooney
The paddle was an easy, relaxing, very calm and enjoyable one. No ferry gliding, pockets of Eddie currents, little wind, no swells or waves….
It was great to explore an area we’d normally fly past overhead on the freeway across the Mooney Mooney Bridge. This was just another stunning spot the Central Coast has to offer for kayaking.
Many thanks to Colin and his daughter Jen.
Check out the video!
Thanks to the contributors
Report: Janele Purvis and Bec Gleeson
Video: Mike Guest
Photos: Eddie Gove and Christine Wheeler