Author: Mr A
Location: Wallaga Lake and Bermagui
“When our memories outweigh our dreams is it then that we become old…”
So said Bill Clinton, perhaps in a post cigar moment 🙂 Anyway I throughly agree with the sentiment, and this “Phase 1” of our Second Big Trip is a sure testament to continuing to dream. We have always imagined spending a chunk of time down the Sapphire Coast, as this area is called from Bermagui to down past Eden. We dreamt of kayaking on the rivers and lakes, eating fresh oysters, and ambling along deserted beaches without worrying about the traffic back to Sydney on a Sunday afternoon.
And we have now made that dream come true. At 6.30 I was up and as usual presenting madam with a freshly brewed pot of T2 tea in bed, and then preparing us to get out on the lake. It was a perfect morning to be out there, not a breath of wind stirring the mirror like surface of this gorgeous expanse of water. One other kayaker was our only human company, and we were surrounded by the melodic cries of bellbirds calling to each other from the dense woods that surround Wallaga Lake and form part of Gulaga National Park.
The area’s traditional custodians are the Yuin Aboriginal people, and evidence of their use of the lakes as a food resource is evident in the piles of shells (middens) that we could see around its edge. Cormorants dived around us, black swans took flight even with our stealth like approach. Catherine spotted a bush wallaby looking apparently surprised to see this a 7 plus metre long boat disturbing his morning constitutional. The lake is so shallow kayaks are the only craft that animals would see on most of the water. Jellyfish were moving along in swarms, quite beautiful the way they just ripple along.
Nine kilometres later and we were back at our caravan, and me racing to turn on the BBQ. Delicious sausages brought from Orange, fresh eggs and of course baked beans resting on home made toasted sourdough. A brunch fit for paddlers!
Next on the “dream list” was a bike ride through stunning country, almost no tarmac, coastal views, fresh oysters at the half way point and a dairy free gelato for her and an ice cream for him. 
We had followed our noses and found ourselves at Bermagui Fishermans Wharf. A $5M development funded by the government to try and support the fishing industry after revoking of licenses to try and create more sustainability.
We turn a corner and come across…. Montreal Goldfield? Montreal? But I’m a Google Maps power user?!
We had ridden almost all of the way on dirt or back roads. What an awesome ride. Oh and just before we arrived back there’s a sign for the Camel Rock Brewery! It was meant to be. I ordered “whatever you’re brewing” and the barman said “we’ve actually run out”. Just as I was picking myself up off the floor the other bartender comes round the corner and says “the new brew is just ready on the tap”. It was just that kind of day. It was delicious. A cold beer and a cycle are a marriage made in heaven.
To end this dream run of a day we gave our lighting to HDMI lead one more try hooking up the iPad to the TV…and..after a 4 month gap and multiple updates from Apple and Netflix…they have it working again! So it was a Spooks movie on the (relatively) big screen, curry and a glass of red. Oh yeah..
I love the 1st world+++ problems you encounter. Keep ‘m coming!