Trip Reports | Hawkesbury River
Pittwater
McCarrs Creek Reserve to Resolute Beach
23 July 2022
Trip Leader: SIMON WILKES
By JP COLLINS
Pittwater is a true gem amongst the pantheon of great Sydney waterways, a sailing mecca and home to million dollar views, secluded beaches, seal colonies and historic lighthouses. From Scotland Island in the south to Barrenjoey in the north, it’s a great place to develop open water skills within a protected body of water.
Ten Club members met on a squally, wet winter’s morning at McCarrs Creek Reserve, an hour’s drive north of the Clubhouse through some stunning stretches of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. It’s a couple of kilometres down McCarrs Creek to Church Point and its impressive marina, and from here on in we reach Pittwater proper. Passing Scotland Island, we worked our way north, keeping to the western edge of Pittwater and the enjoying some great views of secluded beaches—notably Portuguese Beach.
We continued north, dropping in to The Basin campground, and then continued up past Currawong Beach and Great Mackeral Beach, before stopping in to Resolute Beach for lunch. The cooler weather kept boat traffic to a minimum, and the light south-easterly breeze kept conditions calm on water. Lunch was much appreciated, and it was Cath who won the award for most inspired lunch creation with a Thermos flask of hot water and a range of soups, including a miso.
With a fairly gentle swell breaking as small waves on Resolute Beach, it was a great opportunity to practice beach landings and launches, so we spent a good hour circling about, heading in to the beach, then heading out. Some great comedy moments and a few swamped boats, but a solid learning experience. Don’t forget the golden rule: always get out of a boat on the side facing towards the water, so as it gets pushed up the beach you keep away from it.
We headed back down to McCarrs Creek Reserve with a good headwind and some moderately choppy water and a fair number of sailing boats in training—pro tip: whilst a sailing boat usually gives way to a kayak, in competition a sailing boat has right of way over everything else. We were treated to one of the most spectacular rainbows you’ll ever see, with the afternoon sun from the west illuminating the hazy, misty rain coming from the east. We tracked down the middle of Pittwater, a stunt you probably wouldn’t repeat in summer months with regattas in full tilt. We rounded Scotland Island on its eastern side, then made our way down to the reserve—with a few peeling off for a lovely Church Point coffee—for a total paddle of just under 22km.
A really excellent day out, and definitely a place for the Club to add to its regular itinerary. As you head further north in Pittwater you get a taste of open water conditions so a great area to improve skills. And another pro tip: Joseph-Henri’s Bakery in Terry Hills is on the way home, just up the road from McCarrs Creek, and they do a mean pepper steak pie.
