Hide Tide Discovery: Scotts Creek

Drifting through mangroves, Scotts Creek, Sydney

Drifting through mangroves, Scotts Creek, Sydney

The fantastic thing about paddling in Sydney is that there are so many secrets to be found.  On my usual paddling spot (Middle Harbour) there are all types of areas to be discovered, and one of these secrets is Scotts Creek.

At the end of Sugar Loaf Bay, about midway up Middle Harbour, is a set of mangroves that seem inpenetrable at low to middle tide.  I’d heard about this area from other paddlers but had never had the chance to explore it with the right tide. On this particular day, I’d managed to get there on a very high tide, paddling through the high winds and constant rain that have been buffeting Sydney for the past few weeks.

A meandering creek narrows and passes deep into the mangroves, an enchanting paddle through skeletal trees that seems a million miles from civilisation. Then the creek turns and passes under a huge rock overhang, which on this particular day was a thousand dripping channels caused by the rain.

Rock overhang seen through the mangroves

Rock overhang seen through the mangroves

As you pass the rock the creek narrows further (at times to little more than a kayak width), with the folliage changes suddenly to sub-tropical bamboo and palms along the banks. This is an incredible change in flora as you move deeper and deeper into the creek system.

Scotts Creek - flora changing to sub-tropical

Scotts Creek - flora changing to sub-tropical

At this stage I was starting to scrape both my kayak and my paddles on the rocky bottom and had to turn and head back through the incredible serenity of this secret spot. With the gentle patter of rain falling through the silent ghostly mangrove trees I couldn’t help but feel enchanted by this incredible part of Sydney. Love this city!

The Fat Paddler by Sean Smith