20/2/16 Serpentine River Mandurah

 After a solid week and a half's work !! - Yes work - retaining walls , paving , gates , pad & concrete pavers for a garden shed , move bricks , recycle cardboard , pick up & deliver sleepers , cement & cement slabs , pick up & deliver gates and then we still have to get the garden shed when it arrives !!!
 We decided it was time to have a paddle . The Serpentine River and the Murray River flow into Mandurah , we picked the Serpentine today . Feeling a little dusty this morning after dinner with Dave & Deb last night , it took a little while to get organised , but we finally got there at 10 am .
 Pepper ( Emma's dog ) was quite excited - she hadn't been in the kayak for a few years , but still remembered .
 We got the kayak into the water , Pepper taking pride of place up front , and up the river we paddled .

  There are are few homes that have water at their back gate , and so , many have small jetties . The river is lined with many river oaks & tea trees - there were quite a few dying off .

  It was getting hot , so we found a small beach and pulled up there so Pepper could get out for a run and also get into some shade . She swam & sniffed and raced up & down the beach , having a great time .

 Heading back down the river , we stopped for a selfie on the way - something we don't do a lot of , but here we are .

 There were lots of birds , cormorants , sea eagles , ducks & egrets . They enjoyed the use of the dead trees at the waters edge to dry out , and eye off a meal , as it swam past . There were lots of smaller fish - up to 250mm long , swimming around in the shallows .

   Pepper was enjoying the ride , you could hear the people on the side of the river commenting on "the little white dog " - quite the attention getter !!!

  Several other people were out fishing in kayaks and small boats , the boat ramp is a popular spot for launching boats into the estuary . The river leads into a very large broadwater , before reducing back again near the promenade in Mandurah then flowing out to sea . Mandurah is a very popular place for boaties , whether it be fishing or just pleasure cruising .

 Not a long paddle , but enjoyable none the less , about 6 klms .

  We loaded back up and drove 15mins back to Emma's place for some lunch , as it was 1:30pm . That done , we cleaned up and relaxed for the afternoon . 

 Here's a map link :-https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z1G8gwwxwyYo.kZyOvS_gK3H0&usp=sharing