Dry season appeared to come early, and I was concerned about the wind. But my quest to get Maggie into fishing is on track, we got really lucky with the weather, it was total glass out there. Tough going fishing wise… I got 1 30-35cm goldie and 1 stripy. Maggie got a 35-40cm cod, and a 20-25cm Goldie. No one else got anything. However my live bait got chomped and spat (no where near the hook) when I wound it up the estimated 70cm-80cm Cobia was following it…. gah!
Claire and myself finally managed to move back to Darwin, so hopefully this blog can come alive once again. Today I took Maggie off for her first fishing adventure via Darwin Harbour Fishing Charters.
We went and it was a fairly quiet day at first. Maggie caught her first fish (I believe a grunter) and things came alive at the tide, the boat caught a couple of jewfish and some golden snapper. I hooked a couple of good sharks (probably sharks) but they busted me off.
The good news was that Maggie absolutely loved the trip and is looking forward to the next time we can go.
| DARWIN TIDES | SPRING | SPRING | NEAP | NEAP |
| HIGH | LOW | HIGH | LOW | |
| ADELAIDE | ||||
| Mouth | +40m | +1h 10m | +40m | +1h 10m |
| Bridge | +5h | +5h 20m | +5h 20 m | +5h 30m |
| ALLIGATOR | ||||
| South Alligator | +2h 40m | +2h 30m | +2h 40m | +2h 40m |
| East Alligator | +2h 50m | +2h 20m | +2h 50m | +3 |
| Cahill’s Crossing | +5h | +5h | +5h 30m | +5h 30m |
| Murganella | +2h | +2h | +2h 20m | +2h 20m |
| Wildman River | +1h 20m | +1h 20m | +1h 20m | +1h 20m |
| DALY RIVER | ||||
| Mouth | +20m | +14m | +30m | +2h |
| DUNDEE | ||||
| Point Jenny | -30m | -30m | -30m | -30m |
| Dundee Wide | -20m | -20m | -40m | -40m |
| MARY | ||||
| Shady Camp | +4h | +5h | Variations | inconsistent |
| MELVILLE ISLAND | ||||
| South Hancox | None | None | None | none |
| East | +1h 20m | +1h 20m | +1h 20m | +1h 20m |
| PERRON ISLANDS | ||||
| North Perron | -20m | -20m | -40m | -40m |
| VERNON ISLANDS | ||||
| North and South | +55m | +55m | +55m | +55m |
All are just estimations don’t run onto a sandbank and blame me. Actually these are Lambo’s estimations, super great guy and great Real Estate Agent so if you ever need anything google Andrew Lamberton
Two things you need to know about this trip
1) After the Alice trip I got a bit sunburnt on my neck. I decided to get a better hat, and when I realised I could match my hero Russell Coight (youtube him!) well it was an easy decision. You are unlikely to see camping trips of me on here without that glorious hat
2) Claire was supposed to book us on a tour of these ranges. She didn’t. Initially we were really dissapointed when it was booked out… but it turned out to be the best thing ever! We hired a landcruiser and had a lot more fun together than we ever would have in a group of stranges. Amazingly, the cost including everything was about $10 more… extremely good value. I recommend Hertz in Alice Springs, nice people.
I didn’t expect much of this trip. You go to Alice to see the rock, right? Wrong!
I don’t know what is better, the gorge or the hat
Simpson’s Gap was first and it was reasonable, sort of what I expected. A very striking Gap.
Standley Chasm was next, again an interesting walk, very nice and I was having fun.
Ellery Creek Big Hole was pictured. Amazing. One of the best gorges I have ever seen. The water was ice cold. But I could not believe how amazing it was.
We then drove to Redbank Gorge. It was a short distance walk across the riverbed. But so many massive rocks that it took for ages. Worth it, but we realised we wouldn’t have time for Serpentine Gorge, which was apparently very similar.
The exception to the hat rule – when my hat is being used as the stand for the self-timed camera
Then we went to Ormiston Gorge which was again beautiful. We then backtracked to Glen Helen Gorge which was accessible by the public and again just as nice as anything I’d seen.
Seriously how good is the hat?
We then moved on to the Orchre pits which was very interesting, before seeing the sunset back at Ellery Creek Big Hole, which I thought was the most exceptional.
Overall an amazing and unexpected day! Australia is beautiful.
Relaxing for lunch under a gumtree at Ormiston Gorge
On our last day we took a long hike across King’s Canyon. It was a great walk and the canyon itself was amazing.
Us, right at the start.
Once again, I was really surprised by the amount of water that was present. Admittedly it had been raining recently, but you really got the idea that the desert wasn’t endless sand dunes, it was far more hospitable than you would think.
I am still awed about how indigenous people thrived out here though.
Claire at the main waterhole
Funnily enough, the clouds came racing at us, and we only just got back from the bus before a large deluge. From there it was 5 hours home, a pretty successful and enjoyable trip.
I wish I knew who this couple were, I would love to give them this photo.