Wild Coast Kayaking, Vic New Wales

I’m a dreamer. I lose my concentration a little, and I think about new adventures. Looking at a map is fuel to a fire, and the southeast corner of Australia always catches my eye. Google Maps quickly revealed long, remote stretches of coastline. What is there? What is the best way to access these areas? There must be secret surf breaks. Immediately, our castaway group of three on WhatsApp agreed to a backyard kayaking adventure.

Touring this area by sea kayak sounded hard to beat. Jump on MallacootaVictoria, and exit at Merimbula, on NSW Sapphire coastafter 120 km. It was supposed to be not only an adventure, but also a holiday. No pre-dawn starts, no rush, lots of coffee, leisurely days and hopefully no cell phone connection. With our sea kayaks of at least 180 litres, there will be plenty of room for luxuries (and they will be luxuries: compared to a large 80 liter rucksack – our choice for carrying cargo on our land). – hiking adventures – we will have additional space for various equipment). A few final preparations – including the ingenuity of a local where Patto solved the problem of transporting surfboards – and we’re off. The search continued!

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On unknown waters

Underestimating the faff factor resulted in a delayed departure to Mallacoota on the first day. Checking the gear and arranging it in some logical way into dry bags before packing and repacking those odd shapes into the front and rear hatches burned through time. Where did those 180 liters of storage go? Not being too sure about the availability of fresh water, each rower also carried at least 15 liters of water on board. On land, these loaded vessels are beasts and difficult to maneuver. But after they were launched they rocked slightly and with a SW of 5 knots on our rear, they enjoyed the forward motion, making the 13km to Gabo Island with no effort.

The only landing place on Gabo Island is a small sheltered beach on the west side. Unfortunately, camping is not allowed on the island. Ideally, you would leave Mallacoota early to explore the island for a few hours before moving on. Alternatively, you can stay at the Lantern Assistant Residence, but this is a two-night minimum. Because of our less than perfect start that day, we were compromised. Instead of heading out to sea at sunset, our safest option was to lie down and beg for forgiveness.

In the morning we walked to the south of the island to talk with Parks and see the exquisitely built 159-year-old pink granite lighthouse. A quick snorkel before departure revealed an underwater garden rich with marine life and worthy of the cold Victorian water.

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A mythical land becomes real

Our first challenge was on day two from Gabo Island to Cape Howe. BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) records show difficult conditions with winds increasing to 57km/h from the SW and gusts reaching 81km/h. Rounding Gabo’s northern spit and traversing the rugged gap from Telegraph Point to the mainland, we pointed southwest and held onto the dragon’s back. The ride was fast, reaching the point of exhilaration, with increasing wind and waves. It was also a good time to review our kayak safety plan: stay close together, someone goes over, we raft out and get back together. As the nautical miles progressed, the skills and confidence of my companions grew.

Rounding Cape Howe to a secluded beach brought rest and relief. Set up in a beautifully sheltered campsite on the southern end of the beach, we headed out for a beach break for some fun surfing. A few craft beers and small drams of whiskey were relaxed around the fire that evening, and it was a day to remember. “There is a lot of self-talk going on; I was just telling myself to keep it together!” Patto opened. Wojo muttered something about white knuckles. We were energized. The remoteness was special. The only sign of the presence of other people was only footprints in the sand. (For more secret paddling spots around the world, see here.)

Prevailing winds would remain southwest throughout the trip, which was perfect for our kayak trip. Paddling north for the next four days and 100km meant we were pretty well protected with just a hint of tailwind. There was a festive atmosphere over the four days, judging by the many brews of brekkie coffee and the 11am departure. The 5.5 hour 27km paddle to the Merica River was relaxing and mostly uneventful until we rounded the rocks guarding Calamity Bay. Here the water exploded with marine life. The food chain was on full display, with larger predators snapping at baitfish and terns and gulls bombing from the sky. Seals and dolphins were also on the stern. Then we saw something that was bigger than a normal dolphin but on the small side of a whale. We had no idea what we were seeing. My Google search suggests it may have been a Risso’s dolphin, the largest of the dolphin species, but we’re still not sure. Regardless, we had perfect front row seats to witness the simplicity and beauty of nature.

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The reason is to take your time

Our primary navigation tools were the old school paper chart (Cape Howe to Montague Island) and a compass installed on the deck. Neatly folded into the day section and placed in a waterproof map case, it was a constant reference throughout the day. Nautical charts are not rich in topographic data, which can mean a few surprises when you hit land. The Merica River doesn’t even appear on the map, apart from a small beach surrounded by rocks, so the sense of discovery as we dragged our boats 200 meters upstream to a luxurious sheltered campsite was a real joy.

Breakfast burritos with Aeropress portions set us up for our usual late morning departure from our pristine Merica River campsite on day four. With the whiskey running out, I was keen to top up our luxuries in Womboyne, but a decent beach break convinced us otherwise. We moved to Green Cape, which marks the beginning Beowa National Parkcovering 47 km of coastline all the way to Merimbula. Rounding the headland brought an instant and stunning change to the landscape as the rocks were folded and covered in rich ochre-reds, browns and whites. The kayaking was peaceful as we hugged the jagged edges of these low ancient rocks for 7km to lunch and fresh water supplies at Bittangabi Creek. The perfection of Bittangabi Bay made it difficult to get out, but the hint of waves at Saltwater Creek got us going.

Landing at the north end of Saltwater Creek provided unexpected entertainment. Vojo grabbed one of the bigger waves and cut it like a pro. Maybe there was some howling. A wave crashed onto the shallow shore before her surfer could get off her back. Massacre. Then a yard sale. That night we feasted with ears and laughter. Things weren’t perfect – a break in the launch point would have been perfect – but they were pretty damn good.

On the fifth day of kayaking, we had lunch at Eden, located near the magical Tufold Bay. Australian hamburger with a lot almost hit the spot – a schooner took us there. Loaded with fresh steak, vegetables and cold beer, we set off from Eden north of Twofold Bay, accompanied by about thirty dolphins. Close and prolonged interaction with these wild animals was exhilarating. After a couple of hours we slowly made our way to Terrace Beach for our last night under the stars. Chili corn, baked potato and char-grilled steak washed down with a cold craft beer? It was too good to be true.

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In the real world

During this kayaking trip, I dug out my phone once, in Eden, to reassure loved ones that we were making progress. The digital detox was real; I felt lighter, less burdened, more present. Big holiday reading plans were whittled down to a page or two the night before the eyelids closed; I was tired but energetic. The outdoors binds me; zoom me in, zoom me out, offer perspective and sometimes reason. As we sailed the last few hours to Merimbula on the sixth day, I vowed to take the good stuff; ideas, truths and keep them present. The Far South Coast – The Forgotten Coast is a gem. Next time I will take more time.