Another Sunday, another paddle day,
although paddler numbers have dropped severely since the summer and
there is now only three of us. We meet at the small boat ramp at
Bawley Point and strap the Dart on top of the two tugs, only minor
tussling with straps is involved. The boat ramp near the Fishermans
Coop at Ulladulla is the only place we have landed before so we go
there and unload the boats. I am curious about conditions off Warden
Head as last time we paddled past we'd endured what felt like a
kilometre of continuous spin cycle even though the day had been
remarkably calm.
Doug heading out of Ulladulla Harbour
At the entrance to Ulladulla Harbour we
came across two female sea kayakers coming back in. Seeing other sea
kayakers is unusual enough, two women together qualifies as
incredibly rare. We had a bit of a chat and then continued on
inadvertently paddling right over Sullivan Reef where the water
shallows abruptly. One minute it was calm, next a big wave was
rising up and curling at the top. Mark, then Doug, paddled over the
top but I was 30 metres back and wondering if a solid side lean and
brace would get me through safely when the wave inevitably broke.
Somehow only the crest curled into white-water and although I got
soaked I emerged otherwise undamaged and upright.
Passing Stokes Island
Warden Head was bumpy, but not nearly
as bad as last time. Once we turned to the south and started running
with wind and current the waves seemed much smaller. We had a good
following wind and small sea all the way to Crampton Island and the
sailing was going so well that we were a fair distance off-shore. A
lone dolphin swam with us all the way south swimming back and forth
under our bows and surfacing only a metre off our kayaks which was
really cool.
Kayak sailing
Landing on the north side of Crampton
Island was easier than last time and it was nice to stretch the legs.
With all the rain lately, Tabourie Creek was flowing out brown and
we were able to ride out between Crampton Island and the shore on an
out-flowing current. It seemed to take hardly any more time to reach
Bawley Point with a 15 knot tail wind and as the southerly swell had
been falling it was remarkably easy to land at Bawley Point boat
ramp.
Bawley Point
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