Day 20 - Kakadu National Park (Yellow Waters)

Day 20 - Kakadu National Park (Yellow Waters)

10/8/2013

We camped late at night, but had time to book a sunrise crock cruise. The next morning we woke up very early and waited for a bus that took about 8 of us to the boats. It was still very dark and scary, as we knew that there are crocs everywhere.

What we saw from the boats was spectacular, the early fog slowly dissipated as the sun started to come out and the crocs all started appearing on the water surface.

trees in the fog

slowly the place is getting a bit of light

A lonely silouette emerging from the fog

There he is

It's a medium size croc, about 3-4 metres long. (big enough for me)

Get closer, if you dare...

Then we saw the birds, we did not expect such diversity and beauty. The birds were taking the spot over the crocs.

A bird of prey on the best hunting spot

The sun is coming out. Remember, there are hundreds of crocs in there...

A beautiful Kingfisher

Nice Kakadunian scenes

A sea eagle

A pelican

Sleeping birds. Too close to the water's edge. Croc's breakfast for sure...

And there he is waiting...

...and making eye contact...

Sometimes they are hard to see....

This bird is really funny. It lives at night mostly under water, then when the sun comes out, it stays on a tree like this, with the wings open to dry them.

Water lilies and their flowers

Not interested...

We ended up spending the rest of the day in Yellow Waters, we really liked the place and needed the rest.

We also booked the nigh time cruise, it started at 845PM. We didn't take any photos, but it was nice to navigate the same waters that we now knew, in the dark, the sounds were completely different. There was also an old aborigine lady on the boat telling us stories and aswering questions. Very interesting.

They did not use the stars for navigation, but for telling what time of the year it was, that way they knew where to go hunting.

Day 16 - Renner Springs to Katherine

Today I took it easy. Got up late, after a cold night with rain, I needed the rest and I am not that much in a hurry anymore.

I had a look at the famous 'Renner Springs' It wasn't really much, I was led to believe that this place is worth a look, so I made a punch to get here. however, the night was terrible, as the camping grounds are just next to the highway, and the noise of the trucks kept waking me up. Not nice, especially when there are thousands of free miles just behind the road house. Why didn't they put the camping there? Beats me.

The 'spring' was just a puddle of dirty water where you can't swim. I should have stopped at the last camping grounds, about 45kms south of here, where the camping was away from the road.



The locals were very friendly though

Then on the way to Katherine, I found lots and lots of termite mounds. These things have been here for donkeys' years, who knows how many zillions are there. In fact we are at war with them, we keep destroying their mounds to make roads and they eat our houses.

I wonder what happen if they claimed the land, as they have been here for more than any human. While I was wondering that, I saw this and I stopped.

The first fella I met was very friendly, he wants to learn our ways and be like all of us. he just wants to fit in. Although he is very slow, he moves about a metre every years or so



I also met this one, he asked me 'Take me to your leader' I was wondering if this is Julia...

And what else would you find on the way, specifically in Larrimah? Well, the Pink Panther of course!

The Pink Panther is in Larrimah

The I found this at the Hi Way Inn. What do you do when you don't have the best beer? well, you can always have the biggest!

A collection of interesting drinks in this place

Waht did I say?

And the keep coming...

No they don't...

Then just about 27km's from Katherine (by the way, the locals read it ending as in 'fine') I found one of the best places so far, I really needed this place. I am talking about Mataranka. Thanks Craig for your suggestion, they are really the best.

This place has a small pool of thermal waters (31 degC) and the water is the cleanest you have ever seen, the water purs from the depths at millions of litres a day, and it comes at the temperature of the basin, which is about 50 to 100 metres down the earth.

Arrived at Elsey National Park, the location of the pool

informationa about the park

What it means is that if you encouter a croc, you should measure it's snout and if the ratio is 4:1, the it's ok, it just might bite you, but if the ratio is 2:4 then you are probably already dead. if this scares you, then you should have never left the big smoke to start with.

Arrived at Katherine, just before it got dark

Got greeted by the locals