Finally we had the confidence to leave our highly tuned crocodile sensing paranoia on the beach and brave the crystal waters for a snorkel. The reef teems with more life than an Attenborough documentary, with giant clams so large that even the world oyster-eating champion would turn and run at the thought of polishing off one of these monsters.
Our adventure has now blended somewhat with the path of another pair of explorers, Lain's parents sailing their tiny (25ft) yacht heading north to Thursday Island (or somewhere). Lain and I are fully self sufficient so this is not a case of being supported by a mothership, although sleeping on a yacht once in a while has its merits too. It has been a great spot to catch up and encourage each other on our grand adventures. We hiked to the summit of Lizard Island together, to all stare out into the wild blue yonder and wonder which way the wind will blow us.
Lain and I left the yacht, Trivial Pursuit, in Watson's Bay as we headed on to what we hoped was an even more incredible paradise, Nymph Island. Being surrounded by a huge reef, our low-tide landing on Nymph Island perhaps wasn't the best planning and we scraped our heavy boats over acres of coral, with moray eels and stingrays slithering around our feet and crabs nipping at our toes (literally).
Under the heat of the midday sun we started to survey our surroundings only to discover that while this island truly is a paradise for wildlife, that wildlife clearly includes our large reptilian friends. Walking towards the lagoon there were croc slides all over the beach - all around where our kayaks were rocking on the slowly rising tide. Very reassuring.
The middle of nymph Island is a lagoon, and this place must truly represent the way you could imagine the world before humans got in and started meddling with things. The crystal water of the lagoon was rushing out a narrow, mangrove-lined channel when we watched pure nature unfold before our eyes. Sharks cutting corridors through schools of wary fish, their bigger cousins looking on from the shallows. Birdsong echoing around the mangroves with the watchful eye of the white bellied sea eagle surveying the shallows from it's lofty platform. truly beautiful, but with croc-dar on full alert we didn't stay long.
Lain tracked down the one spot on the island where we have the lowest chance of being mauled by a monster during the night. Perched on the beach, less than 50m from the edge of a very thick mangrove swamp, and not much further away from a croc slide up the sand, we are totally protected by Lain's latest invention, Croquefort. The hight security compound is really just a couple of logs and sticks placed around the tent to help prevent crocs from being too inquisitive. If this is my last blog then you'll know the fort didn't work!
Oh, wait, I promised a fish in the title. On the way to Rocky Islets a few days ago I tested out my highly developed fishing skills by trolling a lure behind my kayak. Within about 3 minutes I had a whopper on the line. The crocodile long-tom is a scary looking fish at the best of times, let alone when it is gnashing its wildly pronounced and needle-sharp teeth within inches of my astounded face. Catching this beauty, the colour of the ocean, and by far the biggest fish I have ever caught, was the easy part. Realising that we now had to paddle for over an hour trailing a burleigh of fish blood was perhaps less appealing. Needless to say, we made the trip in exhausting double-time with one nervous eye searching the water for the fin of a hungry tiger shark.
Thankfully a shark didn't get me, or our dinner and we happily ate long-tom steaks as soon as we made it to shore.
This is my first blog from the sat phone so I hope it all comes through OK.
Pics: Me with my fish, a very tasty crocodile long-tom, and Lain considering the many crock-slides on Nymph Island.
Dear Justin and Lain,
ReplyDeleteWell, you are definitely getting the adventure you were seeking - a mixture of the idyllic, the terrifying, the wonder of nature - and exposure to its power. We can confirm that the sat. phone link works and your blog posting and images came through well. We hope that your fort did its job.......I had never thought of crocs way out on the reef islands....take care on the coral and deal with cuts before infection ....a nervous parent speaking! Thanks for calling on my birthday - such a surprise given your remote location. We hope that the weather is calming down and that you will have an easier time as you work your way up to Thursday island.
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