Taking your dog everywhere

As you can see from so many of my pictures, I like taking my labradoodle, Calca (Aboriginal for Star), everywhere I can. But the cutest example I have seen of taking your dog with you wherever you go, is when my friend took her little Dachshund (Sausage dog), aptly named Bangers, with us on a 35km kayak on the Nepean River yesterday.

Bangers just loves the ride and sits quite comfortably, sometimes pulling her head right into the little life jacket like a tortoise to snooze in the gently swaying of the kayak on the water.

The  perrenial Nepean River runs from its source in the Mittagong range near Robertson for 178km to its confluence with the Grose River to the Hawkesbury River and thus virtually encircles the metropolitan Sydney area. 

Apparently, in 1788 a Lieutenant Watkin Tench (the park and street where we kayak from is named after him) set off inland west of Sydney when he discovered the large river at the foot of the Blue Mountains and named it after a friend of the then Governor, Sir Arthur Phillip's close friend, Evan Nepean, some important dude in the State of the Home Office. 

It's interesting that we actually have such a 'young' Western country - to think that it was only just over 220 years ago that this river was discovered and named by European settlers. However, Australian Aboriginal history controversially dates this area back 40,000 years ago with the discovery of an axe found in the Cranebrook Terraces. The Aboriginal people used the river to fish with traps, lines and nets, and they were even mentioned by Charles Darwin for their skill with spears.

One of the reasons why this is such a great river to kayak is there are 11 weirs that regulate the natural flow, and its more like a series of 'weir lakes' rather than a freely flowing wild river. 

It was such a peaceful way to spend a full Saturday, starting early in the morning with a coffee from the Coffee Club at the Tench Reserve, kayaking about 18km to then stop for a barbie picnic on the rocks of the steep sandstone cliffs, and then back before sunset. 

We discussed everything from relationships, world peace, and global warming, to our favourite chocolates while admiring the Sea Eagles soaring above and listening to the chiming of the Bellbirds in the Eucalypt and Pine trees, and the lapping of the water on the paddles. On the banks Darters or Snake birds with their impressive long necks, and Cormorants perched holding their wings out to dry - their plumage is not water-repellant.

This was a calm and contemplative way to get a substantial workout, spend time with great friends and appreciate this hidden gem of Sydney. Loved it!