Monday, November 9, 2009

Boating



When I was at the end of primary school my parents decided to take me round Australia for a year. There were several reasons. They have a really bad case of wanderlust. All my closest friends were in the year below me and I am one of those in between ages, being born in December. Also my mum and stepdad were using it as a trial to see how I would cope with us as a family unit, which was hilarious, Allen was the only father I had ever known and I was already saying they should get married.

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the first days barramundi fishing in the NT. It was really just a trial run in the tinny, to make sure the setups worked and the gear was all ok. But on the second or third pass I caught what was to be the biggest barra of the trip, 83cm. Since then I have always had a soft spot for that little tinny.



Once I left home for uni, the folks got down to some serious travelling, with a much more serious boat setup. The little tinny stayed tucked under the house in Gladstone and when we bought a place that was near the river I dropped a few hints about the old girl.

Much to my delight this year it arrived with the folks on one of their trips south. I bought a cheap electric motor and a deep cycle battery and yesterday we putted off down the river. It's not like the NZ rivers, the Albert, being a shade of brown and having lots of leaf and twig litter on the surface but it was still very relaxing, puttering along the water almost silently, getting quite close to the wildlife.



Didn't take the rod but there were hundreds of fish working, one mullet even jumped in the boat, so the next trip will include a few lure, a beer and some food, should become quite regular!

Lantanaland from the iPhone

7 comments:

  1. Looks like a nice spot!

    Now to the important stuff, YOU SHAVE YOUR LEGS??? If it wasn't for the beard I would have thought both photos were of The Wife!

    Confirms everything I always thought about Queenslanders:-)

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  2. not a bad way to spend the day..BASTARD!..mind you, the lack of blue smoke, 40hp two stroke merc and a bow gunner disappoints me a bit..but I reckon I can live with that.

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  3. Well when I do go after bass that little
    motor will be nice for sneaking up on them. It's very peaceful with it too and us feral hippies like our peace.

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  4. Naut - if you thought QLDers were sex gods with smokin hot wives, well yes, you were right.

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  5. Personally I thought it was the Origin shorts that were the giveaway for Teh Ghey, but Naut's fixated on your legs for some reason.

    My folks dragged me out of school for 3 months in year 6 for a lap of the nation as well, must be an end-of-primary-school thing. I am now cured of any desire to ever go travelling in a pop-up camper-trailer.

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  6. I'm a little concerned about whatever is swimming in the water!

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  7. You sure know how to have fun.
    Enjoi Urself & Live It Up !! (=

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