Narrung

Narrung is another off the beaten track destination at the entrance of The Narrows between Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert. The best approach is right down the middle of the narrowing funnel into The Narrows, and yes it is shallow. (As of 2020 there are two new red channel markers in this area and the first one can simply be ignored.) Just before the car ferry is a jetty which forms the basis of this destination, however it is not the most boat-friendly jetty ever built and you may choose to nose into the reeds instead. As of late 2015 the jetty has been 'improved' and is now a safe mooring facility - see the photo below. A word of warning if sailing to Narrung from Goolwa - the approach along the shore of Lake Alexandrina is shallow and you are advised to stay off-shore a bit until able to make a starboard turn into Narrung. Also be warned - there are almost always fishing nets out there on the lake on the way to Narrung. Sometimes more than one close together so that you have to thread your way around them. They are hard to see and have a string of small floats with possibly a little flag or a floating 20 litre drum at each end. (As of 2020, I have hardly seen a net for a couple of years, still keep an eye out...)

At Narrung is a grassed area, a toilet, a little beach, the ferry and not much else. (Used to be no-one else as well, but now there is always a bunch of grey nomads and their rigs - they are harmless.) For an afternoon stroll you can cross over on the ferry and climb to the top of the cliffs and visit the abandoned lighthouse. However, to put that all in perspective one of my best cruising experiences was at Narrung spending a balmy evening in front of a fire on the little beach nursing a bottle of something and talking to all the other boaties who were there.

Narrung is the entrance to The Narrows, a winding channel between Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert. This channel is marked by a number of sporadically placed channel markers - just enough so you are unlikely to make a mistake in this area of confusing lagoons, entrances and waterways. Please note the shallowest part of the Narrows is at the very last red channel marker before you pass into Lake Albert. For any deep draft vessel enter and exit the channel close to this marker - it is less than a metre deep within a short distance on the seaward side. (As of 2020 all the channel markers have been replaced. Also most have been moved, and a couple added and they are now lit at night. And the last marker is now green, so much better and safer!!!)

Another word of warning... If sailing to Meningie, take a GPS way point at the last channel marker when leaving the narrows. Meningie can be completely unprotected from certain wind directions, and if you need to make a run for Narrung and it is getting dark you could find yourself in a bit of bother trying to get back into the channel.

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