Thread: Adelaide regions - where to float your boat and what to use?

With the new dam nearly finished at Clayton the Goolwa - Clayton stretch could fill up to reasonable levels relatively quickly if we get a bit more rain. Apparently the Finniss has quite a large catchment area. Will have to wait and see over the next few months.

Don't know why people are so derogatory about the Onkapastinka - I've done capsize drill there and it never hurt me. And now that I glow in the dark I don't get lost so often. The upper reaches are fairly deep on all tides but below Perry's Bend there are shallow areas in all stretches and larger tides have a marked effect. Still, as Daddles said it's good for paddling/rowing.

Went out paddling from Garden Island boat ramp a few weeks back. Angas Inlet and out toward the mangroves on the eastern side of Torrens Reach is a decent stretch of water on the right tide. At the big tide times though it can be mostly mud flats with tiny channels on the low. The Eastern Passaage / North Arm is just around the corner from this ramp and would probably be more consistent. Might need to go about 2km to find an area wide enough for comfortable sailing - Eastern Passage looks a bit narrow.

I sailed a Sabre at West Lakes (Northern end) a couple of times a while back (25 years ago) and thought it was an excellent spot for that size boat when the weather is a bit harsh. Access was OK back then too but don't know about these days.

As for beaches, I plan on using my kayak on the sea after perfecting the self rescue drill and this gives me a lot of options but there are limited launching spots for heavier sail boats.

As for this weekend, the forecast is for "windy" both days so unless you like wind surfing it's probably going to be better for boat maintenance!

G'day Bob
The Onk isn't bad, but I imagine it might be better a week or so after a decent rain flush.
Was pleasantly surprised at the water quality & range of bird-life when last I paddled
it, back in about March or April. Unfortunately, the poo farm really doesn't add to the
ambience in a constructive way.

Are there any non-muddy put-in points upstream of Port Noa at all ?

The upstream park where River Road touches it looked pretty uninviting to me.
(Is that Perry's Bend? I see a Perrys Rd nearby)
The end of Sauerbiers Rd not much better.
Only ever seen the Old Noa parks at low tide, with lashings of black, smelly ooze.

Must go now. Need to empty some bottles of rum to get at Rob's sekrit skwirrell
perfect boat, so I can delete his posting.

cheers
AJ

AJ,

Yes that park is at Perry's Bend but no there are no sandy put in points above Pt Noarlunga. The best is probably Old Noarlunga on the downstream side of Market Square (the park in the middle of Old Noarlunga). I have also put in at the carpark next to the old railway bridge - it's muddy but you don't sink too far in it.

There is another reasonable one behind the bowls club at Pt Noarlunga. This is in the area that used to be the dump back in the 60s and now has the scout hall, lifesavers boat shed, tennis and bowls clubs. It is a kind of muddy sand or sandy mud area so isn't bad at all.

As you said the bird life is good but I also saw a large brown snake swimming across the Onk last year so beware of unwanted passengers in spring and summer!

The intriguing thing about the Onk is the current - you row against the current for half an hour and return in under ten minutes. I never quite got the hang of predicting it either (it runs about an hour behind the tides from memory).

Anyone know how long it is from the Pt Noarlunga canoe club to the top?

Any thoughts on how long a sensible, aging gentleman in his wee rowboat (or me in Redback ) should allow to row from the canoe club to the township then return? It's something I keep intending to do. Anyone like to join me for a row/paddle on saturday or sunday - no kids this weekend and no soccer match so I've got the whole weekend free to do it. Hang on, isn't the weather going to be horrid this weekend?

It'd be nice to do the trip once in Redback and then do it again when I get the Little Black Dog finished and compare the two. Mik'd like me to believe that his rowboat is a better design than Redback but he also made the same claim about Redback and the PDR and I seem to remember Redback sailing rings around the PRD (though I may be mistaken in that memory )

Seriously though, a trip up the Onk is always a good option for me so if anyone wants to share a trip, give a yell.

Richard

Pt Noarlunga to Old Noarlunga is about 7km.

Time could vary enormously depending on tide and wind. theoretically if you started at the top and went down with the ebb then had lunch and returned with the flow it should be easy. It may not be so simple though due to tidal lag in the river as already mentioned, available paddling time and the fact the wind always blows downstream from old noarlunga in the late afternoon (seems to anyway).

I may be a young bloke (not 53 until October ) but am unfit and inexperienced so 2 1/2 hours each way could be possible - although I'd hope to do better than that.

What exactly is Redback? Have seen many references but am too lazy to do a search.

Anyhow, I'd be interested in coming along so let me know if you plan a trip. It's only 5 minutes away for me.

Gawd, another lazy barsteward like me

Redback on launch day ... in the Onk. Yes, I have to row that cramped because the standard position for the Rowlocks is miles out, it only works if you have a passenger on the back seat or an outboard clamped to the transom, nor can I easily fit new rowlocks because the correct position lands ring in one of the gaps in the inwales. I'll do something about it one day ... maybe.


She's also got a lug sail.

Richard

As far as working in Onk goes, I was thinking along the lines of rowing against the current one way and then coming back with it rather than have a huge break in the middle.

If you're only 5 mins from it, and you seem to mainly start at the top end, I'm guessing that's where you live?

How about a trip along the Onk tomorrow? Anyone else interested? AJ?
Bob, you know the river best (it seems), like to suggest a time and place?

Richard

Originally Posted by Daddles

How about a trip along the Onk tomorrow? Anyone else interested?

Tomorrow!?

Have to make sure the other half gets to meet her new niece tomorrow PM but AM is a "remote" possibility. Would need to be off the river by 11 though so it wouldn't be a liesurely day.

A few weeks back I struggled against a north wind on the stretch from the Pt Noarlunga oval to the bridge so this will be a bad section again tomorrow (strong northerly predicted). A better run in the morning would probably be from the top end - but of course anything can happen.

How much room do you need to launch Redback and how heavy is she?

I can carry Redback to the water and launch her on my own, but she weighs over the magical 40kg mark by quite a bit and it's easier with two. On the Onk, I usually put her in at the ramp by the canoe club - she doesn't need much room and floats on next to nothing.

Morning's good. We can start higher in the river if you like, I only launch at the bottom end because it's sand, not much but that first bit of river is a bit treacherous at low water.

Sunday also works for me this week because the lad doesn't have a soccer game, so if you'd prefer to go then ...

Richard

Daddles

OnkaBob just phoned me to advise
a) his computer is dead and
b) he can't make to go paddling tomorrow

He offers his apologies, but will be more-or-less incommunicado until he arranges a replacement.

cheers
AJ

Originally Posted by b.o.a.t.

Daddles

OnkaBob just phoned me to advise
a) his computer is dead and
b) he can't make to go paddling tomorrow

He offers his apologies, but will be more-or-less incommunicado until he arranges a replacement.

cheers
AJ

Dammit, I hate it when people have a good excuse.

How about you AJ? Interested in a paddle somewhere?

Richard

Originally Posted by Daddles

Dammit, I hate it when people have a good excuse.

How about you AJ? Interested in a paddle somewhere?

Richard

Would love to, but alas, my employer is expecting me to be at my treadmill from 0700 - 1600.
My prepareness to disappoint is overruled by my desire to be paid in coin of the realm.
(Or electronic equivalents thereof.)

Wed or Thur next week might be a goer.

Originally Posted by b.o.a.t.

Wed or Thur next week might be a goer.

Sad as it might be, a midweek float is currently possible for me or is that

Richard

Do we wait with baited breath (pardon the pun) to see what the weather will do ?
Or just pick a day (wed is probably better for me) & go, be it sleeting or 45degC ?
AJ