Well, tomorrow is now here, and so is the day after. We
elected to stay another 2 nights herein Borroloola as Lorella Springs is too dry
for fishing. This is the worst wet in 40 years…so we have been told! As a
result, we boys will have to do more fishing and the girls can do more washing…everyone
is happy!
Yesterday, we took a drive the Caranbirini Conservation
Reserve> this was just 48kms up the road so we headed off about 8:30am and
very much enjoyed the park. This is a small version of the Bungle Bungles in
WA. Pls see the pics below.
Here in town, there are 2 boat ramps, and a weir. One of the
ramps looks a bit suss, and the weir is basically the fresh water trickling
through 4 large pipes into the salt water. As we are 40kms from the coast, it
takes a while for the tide to change and the difference isn’t enough to get
back up over the weir. As a result, K & I spend most of our time down at
the good ramp. See pics below. It is a beautiful spot to while away the time.
Unfortunately, once again, we caught some fish, but didn’t bring any home. We
were after the biggies! Fishing here is for Barra or Queenies. We were not
after the crocs, so they are safe. Nor were we after the sharks, or the
Sawfish, which are protected – the Sawfish, not the sharks…although some sharks
are protected. Anyway, end result is K & I – zero, fish – lots.
Today being Wed 10 (Day 19) K & I headed early on a 50
kms north west expedition to Bing Bong. Bing Bong is the port where the zinc
mines send their raw material to be processed and shipped out. We were imagining
a little town like Seisha on Cape York, or Weipa on the other side of the gulf,
but no, All Bing Bong had was the zinc plant….and nothing else! There was a new
boat ramp that the public could use, and an old one, and lots and lots of tidal
area. We went to all 3, but still no fish! We headed back to our little ramp in
town about 12, hoping to catch the biggie that had been eluding us. When we got
to the ramp there were 10 boats there, sitting in the water, with at least 20
people cooking up a BBQ on ‘our’ fishing spot! We walked past them, without
even being offered a barbied sausage, and tried to do some fishing. We were
told that one of the girls had just landed a ‘queenie’, which should have been
ours. After a few casts, we decided to head home and go back later after the
crowd had left. They had all come up river from King Ash Bay – 37 kms
downstream – for the day. While we were there, a white breasted sea eagle dived
down and took, from the water, the queenie the girl had accidently dropped
overboard. So it was karma for catching our fish. K got most of that on video.
I will see if I can put it up.
When we went back, luckily they were all gone. We had the
beach to ourselves, all set to catch the big one. I must say, the end result
didn’t spoil our average. We still have no fish! So it was home we went, and
ate some fish that was given to us by other campers.
We set off again tomorrow, headed for Daly Waters, 385 kms
to the west, on the Stuart Hwy – the one that goes up the middle to Darwin. We
probably will not have any reception again for a while, so enjoy the pics. It
would be nice to hear from some of you by way of comments on the blog. Oh, btw,
K also has a blog going. It is:
thesavannahloop.blogspot.com
I have not read it yet.
Welcome to 'our' ramp. This is looking downstream...
and this is upstream. You can see the weir in the distance, with the Savannah Way bridge over the top.
Caranbirini Reserve...well worth the effort
It has a billabong with a bird hide to sit in and watch the birds and things
Double barred finch
Beautiful gum blossoms everywhere
...and the rock formations...
..they are very difficult to climb and most people use ropes...
the blossoms up close and personal
the moon is showing itself...toy
all in a days free-climbing..
no wussie ropes for me!
...from a distance..
a Bustard..
These ants had overtaken the termite mound and were removing all the eggs..
The blue winged kookaburra....different to the ones at home.
a couple of barking owls came a visiting out tent..
The new ramp at Bing Bong looking upstream
...and downstream...the sun was bright this morning
Just to prove my car made it to the old ramp
the old ramp again..
...it has all the amenities you could ask for...
the large tidal flats that soon filled up...lucky we made our escape in time..the zinc loading wharf is in the distance in the left of the photo, and a big fire was in the distance in the right of the photo. Just like us at home, they are planning, and doing, HRs.
the zinc loading plant...
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