King Ash Bay 5-09-11

 

John is able to get his tyre mended, Peter C and Tony have lent Peter D a tyre each.  Peter D has decided at least to travel on with us to Adel’s grove and make further decisions there.  Peter D does research on tyres (it has been decided that he has the wrong tyres for the roads – he has now had 5 punctures. This can’t be unlucky coincidence).  He contacts a family member and is having new tyres shipped to Normanton.  Phew.  I guess he will see what happens now.

The word has travelled by grapevine and many people in the camp now know about the man who has blown 5 tyres.  Peter would rather not have this reputation.

There is a helicopter flight out from here and Tony goes down to wheel and deal a better price for us.  Full price is $150 for 15 minutes.  Tony gets him down to $130 and 11 of us decide to fly.  (Karen and Lanlan being the only ones not going).

Interesting trip, you could see large tracts of sand where the water usually runs (this is the dry season) and a very large number of rivers, people are camped in quite remote spots along the McArthur River (where King Ash Bay is situated).

Again, the people we have met here have been wonderful and helpful, the people who chatted to us last night to build up our spirits and to tell us the best places to fish, the mechanic (John could believe the price he was charged and gave him $20 extra, the people in the store who sold Michael a rod tip, then gave him sandpaper and glue to fix it, then lent him a net to catch bait fish (and gave him a lesson).  HEHE, after one hour he caught 2 small catfish and spiked himself on their spines.  I can’t imagine what fish would want to eat them.

One of the women in the camp is renowned for her fishing skills and has caught another big barra, it was weighed in the restaurant and was 7.0+ kg.  We were all allowed to have our photos taken with it.  The disappointing think is though:  she set the rod up with bait, put it into a pipe in the ground and went to watch a movie, when the bells on her rod went off, she ran out and there it was!  Our guys have tried here with no success and they were only 50 or so metres from her.

The picture left is Peter D on the ‘Telstra rock’.  This is reputedly the only place one can get phone reception (and only if you have Telstra)  Peter had no luck, but it was funny to watch.

Cane toad count tonight 59

Cane toad count todate: 184