The Local Adventures of Worleybird

Ok. I’m gonna finally put a totally kayak based post up. It’s taken a while but I’ve linked to this from an online guide (Sandys creek into the Little Murray) so I guess this needs to be here in case someone actually clicks the link!!

New years day is one of the few days we are garuanteed to have off, so I took the opportunity to organise a trip with a few guides and friends. Ended up with 6 of us and we decided to do a trip that Tom and I did earlier in 2009, down Sandys creek into the Little Murray to Deervale rd. Tom and I had hoped it would be slightly higher than when we did it as we spent most of the day quoting that ever so often, paddling trip uttered phrase “If only there was 1′ more water!”. It turned out that our trip down Sandys creek was probably a first descent. Not an epic, but I’m willing to chalk that up as our first first descent! And now I’m chalking up our first second descent!!

Tom, Chloe, Dis and I headed up the mountain. We took a while getting breakfast at Dorrigo as the place was swarming with Crime Scene Investigation cops after a serious incident the previous night (new years eve)!! The entire main street was blocked off and there were guys in overalls and shoe covers walking around taking pictures and measuring stuff as well as yelling at the locals that were completely ignoring the signs telling them the footpath was closed!! After meeting two more of Tom’s friends and getting some breakfast, and watching some entertaining breakfast making at ‘juan’s cafe’, we set off for Sandys creek.

It was hard to tell at the take out but it looked like it was the same or less water than our trip in 2009. Oh well, it’ll still be fun!! (and it was!) Up to the put in and we were off and ready. After some fence climbing, scrambling down banks, around trees and some seal launching we were all in the creek keen to get paddling!!

Everyone found there own way in. As always Tom found a spot to seal launch!!

Sandys creek was interesting for me as we’d forgotten most of the creek other than the 18ft waterfall (quite a memorable rapid on a grade II creek!!). On our first descent a farmer we talked to had actually warned us not to go on the creek cause of this 18ft waterfall! It only served to get us more keen to try this creek so we asked if it was possible to get around it and whether the pool was deep and everything ticked the right boxes so we went for it. After scratching some plastic of all of our boats for about 1km we reached the falls, which we had named ‘platypus plunge’ after there was a platypus in the pool when we ran it on our first trip.

The whole crew cruising upper Sandys!

We came across some trees in annoying places.

After scouting the falls we confirmed that it was probably slightly lower than our first trip which meant we had to do the same seal launch off the bar on the left of the falls. The entry is very straight but at low levels there is a shallow scrapy section which could turn you into a little undercut ledge that looks a bit hurty, so the call was made and I set up on the rock. On the first trip this was the biggest waterfall I’d ever run and for a few people on this trip it was also the biggest that they’d run. The great thing about the drop is it sort of does most of the work for you. You slide in off the rock and it’s just a nice drop until the rooster tail automatically boofs you out into the pool. Everyone who ran had a great run and kyle even went back for another drop.

Seal slide off platypus plunge.

Straighten up a prepare to be boofed.

Kyle on his way down.

Dis sliding down his biggest drop!!

Chloe sets off down the plunge. Also her first waterfall!!

Almost felt crowded with this many. Last time it was just Tom and I.

From here it’s about 1km till we entered the Little Murray and the major portage of the day. This is a huge chasm drop of about 85ft. The portage is across part of the chasm on an elevated foot walk next to a pipe running from the weir above the falls. Then following the pipe down the ridge and back to the water.

Tom, Chloe and Dis on there way below platypus plunge.

Chloe walking the paddles across the walk way. Don't look down!!

The signs of a hard portage. (on the boats that is!!!).Dis left this Liquid Logic plastic all over the place. If we ever have to find Dis lost on a trip we'll be able to just follow the blue trail of gouged plastic!!

The rest of this trip is mostly read and run grade III rapids which were great fun with a big group, watching all the different lines with differing successes and the occasional swim!!

Tom at the top of the mini chute!

Read and run amongst the scenery.

The trip is capped off with a nice grade IV rapid about 1km before the finish. It’s a nice drop and slide rapid but with a bit of an undercut and boulder on the right side to be avoided. On the first trip Tom and I decided not to run this rapid but this time we were pretty keen. Tom ran first followed by Kyle and I. All had a good run, with Kyle even putting in a reverse entry down the slide and into the pool!

Tom leading the way on the dropandslide!

Tom over the drop getting ready to slide!

Kyle on his reverse manouvre down the drop and slide.

Me entering a bit far right on the dropandslide.

Already trying to back away from the boulder on the right of the coming slide.

We then continued down the last km with a couple of grade II-III rapids and a couple of longer pools an we reached the bridge.

Dis rescuing his paddle.

I was again impressed with this run. Perfect run that doesn’t stretch your whole day, easy shuttle, and a great continuous standard with easy portages for anyone not wanting to run some of the bigger rapids. I’ll definitely get back on this section when there’s some more water as I think it’ll be even more fun!!

The salto basking in the sun after another trip!