Going "Wild"

Sunday, April 13

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Today's the day we begin a 12-day camping stint and leave the electrified, dry & relatively bug-free confines of our research cabin.  The wet season just isn't letting go & it's poured every single day that we've been here, so this should be interesting. As Jackson said this morning over breakfast, "We're FINALLY going wild??"  Yes, yes we are. 

(This pic of the cabin is post-Martine visit.  You might remember our bedroom clothesline from an earlier blog). We left it in better shape than when we arrived -- insect carcass-free!!)

Quickly catching some wi-fi at Bowali (Kakadu Park Visitors' Center).  We're heading south & leaving Kakadu for Nitmiluk National Park where we'll first stay at Edith Falls. Not sure when we'll cross paths with the connected world again. Really hoping it's dry tonight. If not, mutiny could ensue...

The kids & I were able to go on a Yellow Waters wetlands tour yesterday while Chris caught up on receipt tracking.  The tour was amazing. Two hours on a boat cruising the rivers looking for crocs and other wildlife & we saw tons. 

On the boat:

Sea eagle:

Tiny green frog:

Lotus:

Croc!!:

The boy & a croc (totally underwhelmed at this point -- he'd already seen 6 others):

A little closer:

They actually look kind of small in the water, I'd even say puny. The guide said to guess the measurement between their nostrils & behind their eyes & multiply by 6.  This little girl would've been about 12 feet long.

The guide also told us how smart a croc is.  They are able to distinguish between people by smell & they way walk & they can identify routine. So, when you wash out your coffee cup down by the river, you should do it at a different time every day, else something might be waiting to make you croc-breakfast. 

Scenery:

So you're not too jealous, I'll show you a pic of my daily lunch. Every day in the field we REALLY AND TRULY are rationed 1 small can of flavoured tuna with 2 slices bread (or crackers/rice cakes if we've run out).  It's actually pretty tasty & convenient, unless one of your cohort squirts you with tuna juice when opening the pop-top. Eau de Tuna = pretty nasty!! 

Weather again today is quite hot & humid. Should cool off as we head inland. Typhoon Ita is no longer an issue -- she hit land & lost her muster, but she's probably partially to blame for our daily rains. 

Team leader Dr. Shrub has issued last-call on wi-fi. Time to load into the Wombatmobile for our next adventure. As the traditional owners of Australia say: "Bor bor!"