Day 49 11/05/2011 Katherine Gorge

Day 49 11/05/2011 Katherine Gorge

Today was one of those days when you tick all the boxes and go yep I’ve achieved all that I wanted to do today, I once thought that those days only occurred when I was working now I know differently.

The day started with a cruise down the Katherine River, so far we had avoided organised tours because of the expense and our commitment to doing most of our exploring on foot or in the car but Katherine Gorge is different. To really appreciate the river and the gorges that the river has forged you needed to be on the river!! So onto the cruise we went with high expectations and they were met almost immediately. 

It is hard to explain Katherine Gorge, the rock faces are so vibrant in colour, so sheer and just so high, the river though still cloudy from the wet season sparkled and shimmered.  We headed through three gorges having to change boats at each gorge as the gorges are separated by rapids.  We learnt that the river during the wet season was almost two metres higher than it was today and still had another metre to drop!!  On the way back after the third gorge we stopped for a swim at a salt water crocodile free waterhole.  It was a beautiful spot – even having a waterfall!!  Then just before we docked we were treated to our first viewing of fresh water crocodile’s in the wild, three in fact, they were just sunning themselves on the river bank.  Thank goodness there was no sign of the dreaded salties!! Although the river was still littered with the traps designed to ensnare these animals so they can be transported away from people.

After lunch Zac and I headed off for an afternoon of fishing and Pete took Claudia and Callum for a swim.  Claudia’s rash has improved and today she was feeling so much better.  It was with great delight that I caught two “sooty grunters” (black bream) both big enough to keep (33cm and 36cm) and eat for dinner.  Pete, Callum and Claudia joined us after their swim and Pete turned his hand to fishing, relieving Zac of his rod.  Pete fished unsuccessfully for about 30mins and then handed his rid to me.  Unfortunately I had snagged my rod in a tree and lost my lure and Pete had mocked me about my carelessness, losing yet another lure!!.  I had the last laugh because on my first cast in where Pete had ben diligently fishing for ½ hr, I caught a 30cm barramundi, not big enough to eat, but it certainly gave me bragging rights!! So after photographing it we chucked it back!! Pete was mumbling very unflattering things under his breathe.

my little baramundi - released for another day!!

Thankfully, Pete was not so cross that he wouldn’t clean my fish, I am good at catching fish but terrible at everything else and have absolutely no idea how to kill and clean one!! Zac still has to get them off the hook for me!!  Oh well I hunted and provided for dinner, I can’t be expected to cook and clean as well!! The sooty grunters were very tasty.

Thank goodness for Zac without his constant desire to fish we would have had chops for dinner!!