BRENDAN Paterson was wakeboarding on Lake Eildon at Bonnie Doon recently when he came upon what he thought was an upside down turtle.
But as he slowly approached on his board, he realised it was an echidna.
"I know that echidnas can swim, but this was an echidna that could not swim, and was definitely struggling," Paterson told 3AW radio on Ross and Russel's morning Rumour File segment.
After encouraging the echidna onto his board, the spiny little critter appeared relieved.
"As it climbed on it took a big breath of air," said Paterson.
"It probably went a bit further out than it needed to."
Paterson said he was around 70 metres from the shore, and while he's subsequently learned that echidna's can swim, they generally only attempt short passes over creeks and streams.
Host Ross Stevenson then joked that he bet he wouldn't have picked up the echidna if he was on a lilo, or he would have been in a world of trouble.
