2015 08 29 Saturday

Moon lit night and suddenly we hear what at first sounds like galloping horses but are just one or more kangaroos bolting through the bush near the camper. Sue looked out the other window and saw the dingo that was stirring up the kangaroos - he was not running, just walking along the track following the kangaroos - maybe he will have one for breakfast.

We then looked down to the lagoon, there low in the water just to the right of where the croc had come up the bank some days before lay a large dark shadow. Lying waiting for the kangaroos - we tried to take a pic but we were well back and it was hard to get focus. We lay there waiting for him to move - he was patient - we went back to sleep.

In the first light Mal slipped out to get a shot with his telephoto lens - the light was still low, the sun had not come up - the croc had morphed into a dead branch lying in the water. Ah how fear fuels the imagination.

We still declined to go for a morning swim in the lagoon - we packed up and made the slow trip out of Sweetwater Camp - what a great spot - these are the days of perfection - these are the nights where heaven descends to earth - so few days to have like this - just perfect.

We drove the 13km over to Saltwater where we hoped to meet up with Sue's cousin Jo who was planning to drive down from lockhart River for the weekend.

The road in to Saltwater is fairly overgrown for Vicki's head height - Mal walked ahead and cleared some overhanging branches - Sue drove till a fairly serious wash out where Mal drove and Sue watched on from outside - bad move - Nosey had one paw off the ground by a foot and then the other paw off the ground by just as much - Sue was horrified - The Mazda is full of surprises and did not blink and eye.

When we finally found camp 4 - a small 4 nailed up on a tea tree - two men in a Landcrusier (yes I said Landcruiser - must be the first one we have seen) were just packing up - they live just a 100k or so away and had come over to throw a line in. They were moving and we settled in, put up the annexe and waited for the day to heat up.

The creek here is tidal and the tide had started to run in. The dead logs cruised up stream at just the pace of a croc on the prowl. Very disconcerting.

The creek came up, not a long way but by midday it had maxed out and then turned and ran for the ocean like a scalded cat.

Mal got on with his painting and Sue photographed the birds - an osprey was catching fish in the river, joined by a Whistling Kite but no sign of the Brahminy Kite from the yesterday. The small egrets fished in the river, the super large palm fronds rattled in the breeze and the day got hotter. Mal got quite burnt just walking from the annexe to the camper on odd occasions and a quick jaunt here and there.

Later in the afternoon Sue stirred up the fire as the day cooled and she prepared jacket spuds for the coals.

Mal went off for a shower before tea and then we had jacket potatoes - cooked to perfection, sausages and some vegies.

"The big guy with a bald head left his computer outside, so we thought we would tell you what it is like from the local insect's perspective -

Well the first gripe we have is that they spayed themselves with some really foul tasting stuff and when George tried to borrow just a drop of blood from the big guy he nailed George, so George's family are wearing black and feeling pretty down tonight. Admittedly Harry got a good long draught from the little one, who is much sweeter than the bald guy - and his family is having a celebration party much to George's family's distress.

So you can see it has been a day of ups and downs and not all runs smooth here at Salt-water Creek."

From John

President of the Insect Friendly Society

Dam insects, using Mal's laptop without permission - but I guess they have a point.

Well hot evening, full moon rose next to a giant palm tree and we have settled down for the night and John and his colleagues are locked out for the night.

"Este la vista"