Port of Sale to Latrobe River Levee Bank. Tuesday 24th September 2024
Leader: Pat Williams. Participants from South Gippsland, Strzelecki and Ben Cruachan BWC: Roz Spratt, Graham Talmadge, Don Creed, Michael Haynes, Julie Parker, Rhonda Scarlett, John Scarlett.
The Weather Gods have not smiled on Gippsland lately, but rain and incessant wind gave way on this morning to a fine and warm spring day. The Pool at the Sale Rowing Club was as smooth as the proverbial millpond.
The car shuttle took 45 minutes to set up, then we were launched and away, nine kayaks in most of the colours of the rainbow, a bright contrast to the still brown water. The boats slipped quietly out into the Thomson River, and we were soon approaching the old Swing Bridge. We were there just ahead of the old Rubeena and watched her u-turn in the stream and chug back to Sale. Where the Thomson joined the Latrobe, there was a discernible increase in the current, although it did not persist very far.
The river here is very peaceful, flowing between magnificent redgums, and birdlife was plentiful: duck and teal, coots, cormorants, darters, grebes, whistling kites, harriers, a pair of sea eagles, as well as many feathered fowl calling from the riverbank foliage. Three people saw a swimming snake. After a few degrees of climate warming, this will be perfect croc habitat.
We landed in the Heart Wildlife Reserve for lunch. A whistling kite observed our doings from the top of a tree, then gave its odd whistling call and flapped lazily away. It was in tune with the mood of the day, and we continued downstream, enjoying the warm afternoon. The riverbanks now had few redgums and were lined by reeds and clumps of melaleuca. A few shoulders and backs were aching a bit, as we pushed on through a mild headwind to the boat ramp at Levee Bank Road. Ashore, we were treated to an alfresco afternoon tea and coffee, with home-made chocolate brownies, before we loaded the boats onto our cars and headed home.
Thanks to Pat for organizing a very enjoyable day (and for the tasty dehydrated fruit snacks, chocolate brownies and afternoon tea).
Distance travelled: 17.5km. Altitude gain: 0.
John Scarlett.
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