Communication and Excercise go hand in hand...

The problem with trying to post a regular blog is that more often than not we don´t have any internet. This is why today we find ourselves sitting on top of a hill waving our computer around in the hope of picking up a signal! We could of course spend more money on more electronics and have email onboard but as we are still learning how to use what basics we have got then for now a walk to the hill is fine. Besides we need the excercise!!

Talking of which yesterday the Basanti crew and ourselves thought we would take a stroll to the Steep Point Lighthouse. Its not far says Jerry, 6 miles said Phil {as the crow flies he later tells us}. We took water, biscuits and coffee for morning tea and Basanti wisely took lunch. I would like to say it was a pleasant walk but lets just say I’ve had better. 4 hrs of walking on very sandy 4wd tracks which seem to go uphill more than down only to get to the end to see the most boring lighthouse ever. It stood all of 30ft high a very plain rectangle metal box. Occassionally a 4wd would pass us full of eager fishermen heading to the TOP of the Zuydtorp Cliffs to balloon fish. You could see the look of amazement as they thought what the blazes are you doing out here walking . As we explained we are off the yachts anchored in the bay below and need the excercise. ‘Ah, I suppose you get cabin fever’ one man remarked! Little do they know that they are driving because they only have 2 weeks holiday to see everything, we are walking because we are on permenant holiday! Besides we dont have a 4wd onboard.

There are many fishing camps on the beach, full of eager blokes up here on a 2 week holiday. Engel Fridges line the back of the dining room tent full of beer which as they drink their way through they replace it with fish to take home to the wife. At night the deep fryers go on powered by the big gen sets parked in the dunes and frez li caught fish and chips are meal of the day. They tell us that there are plenty of fish to catch just throw a line in. We have, but all we catch is undersize snapper that while they are a good ‘pan size’ we feel too guilty and back they go to swim another day. Besides we still have food onboard so we can be picky. Back to the camps, these guys have everything they need and I swear it must take them weeks to pack up all the gear. One camp has towed a spa…yes you read that correctly, up here on the back of a trailer. At first sight we thought it was a bait tank but on asking they pump up sea water into it and at the end of a hard days fishing sit back and relax with a beer in the spa while they watch the sun go down. Hows that for comfy camping!!

DEC have control of the camps sites which are fully booked all year. They are meticulously clean as everything you bring in must be taken out. Fires can only be lit in a container, which you have to bring along with you as well as all firewood which is carried in and back out if not all used. Fisheries patrol the bay and there is quite a thick booklet explaining rules and regulations regarding fish size, bag limit and the do’s and don’ts of fishing in this magnificient marine park. It makes it quite difficult to just go out and catch a fish for tea but at the same time its all very good for the sustainability of our marine life.

We were hoping to move onto Dirk Hartog Island across the bay for a couple of nights and then over to Denham, but a strong southerly has kicked up so we shall stay here in the lee of the mainland until it abates or swings round to the east a little and we can have a comfortable anchorage elsewhere.

Well hopefully when I press send the signal will be in just the right spot and post this to our blog. If not then it can wait until we get to Denham.



One of the many sting rays in the anchorage

Dolphins Feeding



Anchorage at Shlter Bay, Steep Point. Taken from top of hill where we check phone signal.



 

The walk to lighthouse

This is it...Steep Point Lighthouse