Day 162 - Thursday 8 June - Barra and Sunsets in Karumba

Day 162

Thursday

8 June 2017 – Began the book All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Karumba

The wind didn’t let up during the night, rattling the air vents above our heads, it didn’t bother me too much and I managed a good night’s sleep. We were up and about just after 8am ready to get the day underway.

After breakfast, we did a walk around the town centre and walking down by the Norman River to check on possible fishing spots as well as read the information boards scattered around the town at significant points.

We did a complete loop, passing a gorgeous frangipani tree outside the cop shop, so I grabbed a few blooms to bring back to the van. We passed the bakery and the smell was too good to refuse so we stopped for a pie, eating our delights outside the shop before making our way back.

We didn’t stop in for long, transferred our gear to the car and drove in the opposite direction as far as the road would take us through a residential area. Paul took a dead end side street down to the water finding a good spot to fish. I wasn’t game to get out of the car. I wasn’t scrambling along the path though the mangroves with god knows what hiding amongst it.

We then stopped in at the Barramundi discovery centre and had a look around the small shop, finding out they do a tour at 1.30pm that includes fish feeding. We then returned to the van where Paul gathered his fishing gear and took off back to the mangrove spot while I prepared some vege before it went to waste and cleaned out the freezer, as the ice shelf from the roof had fallen free during our bumpy trip in yesterday.

12.30pm and Paul was back with no fish in tow, glad we aren’t relying on him. We had our lunch and then at 1.15pm we returned to the Barramundi Centre for the hour tour at $17.50pp. We were basically talked at as we were shown some small barra in tanks and some of various sizes that had been stuffed.

We then ventured outside where she fed one of the resident kites with a pilchard that she threw into the air for it to catch. It missed the first go, but the second time round it was more successful.

We then walked into the shed to check out three tanks that housed four barramundi of good size, including Pinky, a 128cm female, caught just off their jetty last year. Paul was able to feed her a squid tube, which she yanked off him.

The feeding was followed by a DVD presentation on the operations of the centre, which originally started as a volunteer organisation to breed and stock local waterways, but was bought out by the Carpentaria shire five years ago. They are now building huge new premises that will be open for next tourist season.

We returned home, hanging out in the van. I was feeling restless so I went for a walk around the park and then convinced Paul we should get out and walk the block again.

We wandered the main road and then on to the path that takes you from town to the point. We only did 500m of the 3.8km walk before turning around. Paul ventured through the mangroves and down to the Norman River banks. There was no way I was heading into croc country especially after being told there were a couple of big crocs hanging around near the jetty of the Barramundi centre and we weren’t that far from it. My strong preservation of life instincts kicked in and I was staying put.

We made our way back along the path and then walked the length of the river from the safety of above, watching the boats come and go before we eventually made it back to the van.

We had a rest for a while, reading and enjoying the quiet before we were once again heading to the point in the car. We stopped again to take some photos of the brolgas by the side of the road before arriving at the sunset tavern. It was busy as everyone else was hoping to catch the sunset.

We found a table outside, enjoying a drink as the sun disappeared and all the cameras came out. I took photos in between eating my dinner. The sunset was nice but I have certainly experienced more spectacular ones while we have been away.

We finished off our dinner, took some last photos and then we made our way back dodging the wallabies that were very active and seemed to be everywhere. After returning, I donned my sneakers and we walked to the cop shop where I could break off a piece of the frangipani tree I had spied earlier. It was a bit weird as we walked the street because the streetlights would go out as we walked past them. All I could think about was Harry Potter.

I snapped off a small branch and then we walked back to the van where I wrapped the branch and labelled it hoping it will dry out and be happy to wait for planting when we get home.

Paul went to bed to read and I stayed up going through the photos. My phone came to life as it did this time yesterday, buzzing and pinging with incoming messages and Facebook bits, so I read what I could while the connection lasted before joining Paul and reading my book.