Cloudy Lagoon - Kayak

Cloudy lagoons edge is fringed by eucalyptus, casuarinas, and coastal scrub. There are large patches of sea grass that can be seen through the clear waters, and fish of various sizes can also often be seen. A range of sea birds including white-bellied sea eagles and cormorants will often visit the area.

As the lagoon is a reasonably protected body of water, you can choose to explore in several directions, however, it is worthwhile making your way out towards the mouth of the lagoon for a view of Cloudy Bay and access to Inlet Beach.

From the put-in point, it is around 2km south to the lagoon mouth (4km return), where there is a sandy landing place at the end of Inlet Beach. The clear water of the lagoon means you can often get a great view of the underwater sea life, with large patches of sea grass being clear through the water. There can be a strong current as you head further south through the inlet, growing in strength as you come closer to the mouth of the lagoon. The water will be flowing either inwards or outwards depending on the direction of the tide. It is important to pay close attention to how the water is moving in this area, and to avoid any turbulent sections of water closer to where the lagoon meets the sea. It is not advised to paddle out of the lagoon mouth into the bay as the current is very strong here, and there are regular, large breaking waves, sandbanks, and submerged rocks.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to explore in the more protected, calm areas of the lagoon, you can make your way along the coastline to the north-east of the put-in point. There are also several small islands and sandbanks you can land on in the western section of the lagoon. Although the lagoon is generally quite protected and calm, keep in mind that if you choose to paddle towards the centre of the lagoon, it is around 1km from the centre to the nearest coastline, leaving you exposed to winds from all directions.

The Cloudy Bay Lagoon is relatively sheltered at the edges, however, as you move wards the middle of the lagoon the fetch grows leading to increased wind strength. There is a variable and at times strong tidal current towards the inlet of the lagoon as you approach the mouth of the lagoon. The water can become quite confused in the lagoon mouth as water flows in and out of the lagoon. Outside the lagoon in Cloudy Bay there will often be strong surf swell and potentially very dangerous conditions if you venture beyond the lagoon, making doing so unadvisable.

Potential hazards to be aware of when kayaking include unpredictable wind strengths and directions, capsizing, hypothermia, sun stroke and drowning. To best prevent these incidents from occuring it is crucial that appropriate safety equipment is used and the kayaker should have a sound understanding of the effects of wind, currents and water temperature in the local area. Prior to undertaking this trip, kayakers should review the local safety equipment requirements and other safety information as outlined by MAST, which can be found here: https://mast.tas.gov.au/safe-b...

The mouth of the lagoon can be especially dangerous due to very strong tidal flow effecting the movement of the water and should be approached with caution. Swimming in this area of the lagoon should be avoided as you may be not be able to resist the currents. Swimming at Inlet Beach is also not advised, as there are very strong currents and rips, large waves, and submerged sandbanks and rocks.