I spent a very enjoyable day in Royal National Park with Digi Dave paddling up the South West Arm of Port Hacking.
We started from Warumbul Picnic Area, which is reached from a side road from the road between Audley and Bundeena. Using this road you can drive down very close to the water.
We then set off up the South West Arm. I was in my packraft and Digi Dave was in his sea kayak.
It was a beautiful day, and we made good progress as we headed up the arm. On the way, we spotted a few cormorants, herons and kingfishers.
In a few places, the arm was very shallow and sandy. In one spot we both had to get out of our craft and drag the boats over sand. But this section was short.
We arrived at a beautiful basin that marks the limit of navigation up the arm. Above this was a rock shelf – a good place to stop for lunch. The creek – Flatrock Creek was too low to make it worthwhile walking upstream the short distance to Winifred Falls.
The way back was a bit slower. Fighting both the tide and a headwind. I was grateful to be bale to get assist from Digi Dave using a tow rope for the last bit back to Warumbul. The wind had made the water quite choppy.
