Wednesday, 30th June
Last night we managed to complete a 15 end game of bowls in hot and humid conditions. We were amazed at how slow the greens actually were, having expected our bowls to zoom off the green into the ditch! One of us won well, and the other did his best. By the end of the night, the insects were so thick under the lights that they almost looked like fog. There were all sorts of bugs, big and little, wandering around the green, as well as biting someone on his bum! He even brought this one back to the caravan for a sleep in our bed – but only for a VERY brief sleep.
I don’t think we have ever been so clean – we shower frequently and create heaps of laundry. A local lady told us last night that the climate at the moment is the same as the wet season, except it doesn’t rain. Very unseasonal evidently, with only five actual days of dry season since the beginning of June. Let’s hope the dry returns for July!
We both saw the sunrise this morning, so that we could arrive at Fogg Dam while it was still early, before the birds had all dispersed and it became too hot. After seeing them, I don’t think the birds ever disperse. We were not allowed out of our cars on the dam wall as a large crocodile is living in the area. However, there were a number of places to pull over, look at the birds, lower the window very, very briefly for a photo and read the signs. There are an estimated 800 water pythons for square kilometre in these particular wetlands – another good reason for not getting out of the car. We did alight at the visitors’ lookout (obviously above crocodile line) and immediately became breakfast for every bitey in the region. The Bushmans worked hard, today. We spent some time here watching the different birds and the tarpon (fish) blowing bubbles and tailing. Cat was very twitchy with all the crimson finches and large birds, but very cautious of the pythons.
After Fogg Dam, we called into the Windows on the Wetlands visitors’ centre for a look at the surrounding wetlands from the top of the only hill in sight. Then it was on to the Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise (as opposed to the other four jumping crocodile cruises operating on the Adelaide River) for a look, hopefully, at crocodiles in the wild. Before sailing, we were given the opportunity of having a live snake draped around our necks – we both declined and Cat refused to leave the car. The boat had no sooner left the jetty than we spotted crocodiles just cruising down the river, most of them over three metres in length. The boat would stop while Cissie attempted to feed the crocodiles and make them jump vertically out of the water. One crocodile had lost both front legs, possibly during two different bouts of mating! A couple of large males, about 5 metres, followed the boat in a stalking pattern. People who go any where near the water (fresh or salt) in the north of Australia have to be completely mad. It was incredible the number of crocodiles we actually saw in such a short distance – one can only wonder at the number we didn’t see. A very memorable experience, which should be compulsory for all German tourists!
Last night we managed to complete a 15 end game of bowls in hot and humid conditions. We were amazed at how slow the greens actually were, having expected our bowls to zoom off the green into the ditch! One of us won well, and the other did his best. By the end of the night, the insects were so thick under the lights that they almost looked like fog. There were all sorts of bugs, big and little, wandering around the green, as well as biting someone on his bum! He even brought this one back to the caravan for a sleep in our bed – but only for a VERY brief sleep.
I don’t think we have ever been so clean – we shower frequently and create heaps of laundry. A local lady told us last night that the climate at the moment is the same as the wet season, except it doesn’t rain. Very unseasonal evidently, with only five actual days of dry season since the beginning of June. Let’s hope the dry returns for July!
We both saw the sunrise this morning, so that we could arrive at Fogg Dam while it was still early, before the birds had all dispersed and it became too hot. After seeing them, I don’t think the birds ever disperse. We were not allowed out of our cars on the dam wall as a large crocodile is living in the area. However, there were a number of places to pull over, look at the birds, lower the window very, very briefly for a photo and read the signs. There are an estimated 800 water pythons for square kilometre in these particular wetlands – another good reason for not getting out of the car. We did alight at the visitors’ lookout (obviously above crocodile line) and immediately became breakfast for every bitey in the region. The Bushmans worked hard, today. We spent some time here watching the different birds and the tarpon (fish) blowing bubbles and tailing. Cat was very twitchy with all the crimson finches and large birds, but very cautious of the pythons.
After Fogg Dam, we called into the Windows on the Wetlands visitors’ centre for a look at the surrounding wetlands from the top of the only hill in sight. Then it was on to the Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise (as opposed to the other four jumping crocodile cruises operating on the Adelaide River) for a look, hopefully, at crocodiles in the wild. Before sailing, we were given the opportunity of having a live snake draped around our necks – we both declined and Cat refused to leave the car. The boat had no sooner left the jetty than we spotted crocodiles just cruising down the river, most of them over three metres in length. The boat would stop while Cissie attempted to feed the crocodiles and make them jump vertically out of the water. One crocodile had lost both front legs, possibly during two different bouts of mating! A couple of large males, about 5 metres, followed the boat in a stalking pattern. People who go any where near the water (fresh or salt) in the north of Australia have to be completely mad. It was incredible the number of crocodiles we actually saw in such a short distance – one can only wonder at the number we didn’t see. A very memorable experience, which should be compulsory for all German tourists!
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