Last Event
Dinghy Dawdle: Lindsay River 22-25 September 2023
The weather for this event was undoubtedly the best we have had for a long time, with warm sunny days and little wind and modest overnight temperatures. Seventeen people with 10 boats camped near Higgin's Cutting on the Murray River. The campsite itself was on Lindsay River in Murray Sunset National Park, facing Reedy Island, about 5km from Lindsay Point and 30km east of Renmark, just over the SA-Victoria border. This is a beautiful and remote location, with few people visiting this time of the year. The Murray River flow rate had dropped from a peak of over 50GL a day in the last month to 23GL and via Mullaroo Creek from 3.9GL to 1.5GL. The river level had dropped by at least 1m. from the recent high and most of the mud had dried out to make the campsite and water's edge quite manageable. The campsite was set up on Wednesday and Thursday, with the amenities trailer delivered by Graham Rainbow before the majority of the campers arrived. On Friday more people arrived, camps were set up and boats launched from the excellent adjacent ramp. A short circumnavigation of Reedy Island took place late in the day and then it was down to campfire cooking and yarning. The fun was augmented by the first of a series of raffles, with prizes donated by the campers and funds raised to support the Club. The firewood Jenga challenge was also initiated by David Jones with a stunning end-to-end block building exercise, with Will Mowbray the final winner on Sunday night. Saturday we motored up the Lindsay and into Mullaroo Creek, with a total of about 40km covered out and back. There had been a number of newly fallen trees in the last month, especially around the Mullaroo-Lindsay River junction. Tugboat Terry was again called upon to tow out a crippled boat. However our in-house experts set the recalcitrant engine to rights over the next day and it was operating better than ever for more cruising the next day. On Sunday we had a short leisurely run up the Murray to Wompinni Station and a pizza lunch provided by the owners Kerry and Eric, with help from Jasmine Rose. After lunch Jasmine provided us with a tour of her art gallery and installations in the garden. Wompinni is great place to drop into whilst in this relatively remote area. The afternoon was finished with more sparkling wine and beers, consumed on a sandbar at the back of Reedy Island and then it was back to the campfire for more food, drinks and raffles. As always, the hot showers and flushing toilets provided in the amenities trailer were greatly appreciated by all and our thanks go to those who took the trouble to move the trailers in and out, cleaned and operated the facilities. Monday was pack-up time and all had left the site by mid-afternoon for their respective drives back to the Riverland and Adelaide. A great time was had by all. Thanks to the organizers and all participants, including new members Penny and Brian Moon and their boat Taaffe.
Event Organizers: Terry Mowbray, Lynne Griffiths and Lindsay Dent
Photos by Will Mowbray