Coastal Tripping in a Sea Kayak: Tomakin to Malua Bay

The paddling weather over the past weekend was as good as it gets - sunshine and warm weather, light winds, low sea and low swell. On Saturday, we headed out to paddle from Tomakin up to Jimmies Island near Rosedale and ended up continuing on to Malua Bay. The tide was fairly low when we launched from the far west end of Barlings Beach in Tomakin. A few old surfers were idly standing about talking about surfing but not actually getting out on the water. Admittedly, the swell was pretty small. We toyed with doing a little surfing in the kayaks before starting our paddle, but the conditions were so good, that we just started heading west to Long Nose Point.

Barlings Beach at Tomakin

Barlings Island was dry on the inside so we went around the outside. At higher tides, it looks as if there a couple of small passages you could squeeze through. From Long Nose Point to Burrewarra Point there are many little steep cliff backed coves, tiny islets, and rocky reefs that all make for interesting paddling. 

 

Barlings Island

Burrewarra Point sticks out a kilometre in the north/south tidal current and deep water comes right up to the point so even on calm days, the water is confused and bouncy. I certainly noticed not having my 12 litres of water ballast in the kayak as I was bouncing around a bit more than usual. From Burrewarra Point we headed straight to Jimmies Island but I found out later that you can scramble up a fishermans track to Burrewarra Point from below - next time. 

 

Near Long Nose Point

Paddling around the east side of Jimmies Island schools of small fish jump ahead of the kayaks. It is time to stretch our legs, so we aim for the north end of Rosedale Beach and land in a small dumping surf. At this point, we realise that, if we continue on around Pretty Point to Malua Bay we will be just in time for the regular Saturday bus that runs from Batemans Bay to Moruya.

Landing at Malua Bay

Jumping in the kayaks we paddle quickly north around Pretty Point and into the beach at Malua Bay. I grab my dry bag, sprint for the bus stop all the while thinking, "I should run more" and, arriving at the bus stop (right behind the beach) realize I have ten minutes to spare. Twenty minutes later, I am back with the car.