After breakfast we made our lunch, closely observed by a family of blue wrens who were on table cleaning duty. Then it was time to dismantle the wet tents and pack up camp. After loading everything into the cars KT and L did the car shuffle to Forest Camp South. While they were doing that J&J and I took all our gear needed for the day down to the boats and watched a flock of gang gangs (about 8-10) feeding in the shrubbery next to our camp. KT and L soon returned and we hit the water just after 10.00am
With the flotilla assembled we are ready to head downstream
Some reaches were glassy and the paddling was easy
Second koala
Pulling into Skipworth Springs about 11.20am for morning tea
At noon we were taking to the water again
Putting on a turn of speed. When she wanted too, the QE3 could leave us for dead
The QE3 awaiting our arrival at
Battersbys
where we stopped at 1.15pm
For another leisurely lunch lasting 70 minutes. J&J kayak camping the whole way, took the opportunity to dry their fly.
At 2.25pm we were reboarding our boats
Passing a patch of grass trees
We soon spotted another koala, no.3 for the day
Now I'm not sure if this is the same koala, or another spotted by KT near by.
Little cave in the limestone
It had turned into a lovely day
Although on some reaches we still had a head breeze to contend with
Another cave
Koala no.4 or is it 5? Losing count we've seen so many - and heard many more. A close up with KT's camera
Another 'bugger off and leave me alone' look
Lots of the cliffs were undercut
Life's pretty good :)
We reached Forest Camp South at 3.40pm, L & I thankful to find a tiny bit of shallow water with hard footing on which to land.
Resident old Red necked wallaby at our campsite, whom, I discovered really liked crunchy cos lettuce, and was disdainful of Jan's offering of hot and slimy spinach - mind you John had had the same reaction when offered it for lunch.
First thing to be done upon landing was to retrieve KT's car from Pritchards after which we slung our tents over shrubs to dry them out before setting them up for the night.
Where possums had been the camp marauders at Pritchards, only a few kilometers away as the crow flys, here at Forest Camp South crows/ravens were the marauders and they proved to be far more effective thieves than the possums. They were into everything and if they could carry it, it was gone.
L lost half a packet of nibbles, the empty packet of which I retrieved from the shrubs down hill from our camp where I found a whole cache of plastic bags stolen from previous campers. And KT, who couldn't find her washing up kit and had a minor melt down searching the car and every box and container, was just starting to think she was going doolally when I spotted something odd in the bush. Upon investigation it turned out to be the washing up kit, ziplock bag ripped open and scrubber, cloth and container of washing up liquid all removed and obviously inspected. They even tried to steal my fag bag, but luckily had failed to achieve lift off before I spotted them. We had to be on constant crow alert until darkness fell and not a possum in sight.
Another camp fire courtesy of G.
Dinner was a mixed bag. M&L had thawed chicken sausages and more fresh vegie stir fry.
KT had her first dehydrated dinner - Tandoori chicken, not to be recommended she said.
J&J had something dehydrated also and then Jan presented us with dehydrated carrot cake and custard for dessert. What can I say - it was a treat no-one should miss!
To finish off the night's fine dining experience we ate the remainder of the melted toblerone. Then in the, by then, consistent drizzle, the washing up was tackled.
Trip Notes:
Put In: Pritchards Landig
Take out: Forest Camp South
11kms (Parks notes) 12.8 (Google Earth)
5 hrs 40 mins including 1hr 50mins breaks
No comments:
Post a Comment