Karumba to Burketown

Leichardt River

Checking for crocs

Free camp at Burketown -Ahh the serenity

Morning clouds over the river

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After a slightly delayed start on Monday morning (Thank You Leonard for the jump start) we said Goodbye to Karumba and resumed our travels. We enjoyed a morning tea break at Burke & Wills camp 119. Not a lot left there but great signage and a good appreciation for the white explorers in such a foreign and harsh land.
We crossed some beautiful creek beds (Ahh water at last but sadly still unable to swim thanks to the smiling handbags)
Leichart River was particularly impressive and somewhere that would be worth a return visit in the wet season. The deeps of the river bed and heights of the banks a clear indication of its might.
We camped the night on the Albert River near Burketown. Now this is a great free camping area on aboriginal land and well looked after. Such a beautiful peaceful setting.
Whilst enjoying sunset & a beer on the river bank - Jen pointed out this wild cat on the opposite bank. We had opportunity to grab the binoculars and have a bit of a study of it. About the size of a medium dog. Golden color and stripes on its side. We were pretty happy it was on other side of River.
Rob & I bounced out of bed in the wee hours this morning to enjoy the sunrise over the water. It was just amazing with the rolling cloud & mist. We were told in town later if we'd got up a few hours earlier (3am) we would have seen a Morning Glory cloud. Bugger but maybe in our return. (Look it up - amazing cloud formation)

Our last week in Karumba

Beautiful Sunset at the Point- Karumva

At last we sighted a Croc!

The Point at Karumba 

Well I've finished my last week of work in Karumba and now it's time to pack up and continue our adventures. We've been joined by intrepid travelers Garry & Jen and leave tomorrow morning to experience another part of the Savannah Way.
I was lucky enough this week that the Skipper of the Vixen (one of the Wren Mackerel fishing boats) gave me a full tour of the boat. Needless to say I've taken being a fishing hand off my list of possible employment. What cramped conditions and hard work. 3 to 4 weeks at sea at a time and they are lucky to get 6hrs sleep a day and that's in 2 hour blocks 😔. It was a fantastic opportunity and I was only sorry that I couldn't get Rob aboard also.
We enjoyed the Croc & Sunset tour for a second time on Friday night and "Bingo" we saw our one & only croc for Karumba. He was a pretty big guy too. The sunset was amazing as always - just beautiful setting over the water.
My lovely workmates all came over last night for a farewell (well let's face it we will use any excuse) and a great night was enjoyed by all. Thankfully the caravan park has a 10pm curfew.
First stop tomorrow is Burketown then Tuesday into Lawn Hill National Park!!

Karumba

Sunset at the point - Karumba

Stock on the way to Gilbert River

Gilbert River on the Burke & Wills Dev Rd

Gilbert Ricer (1,000's of Corellas in tree on rhs)

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Well we are into our last week at Karumba and will miss some great new friends we've made.
Went to dinner at Sunset Tavern on Thursday night and enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the gulf at low tide. Not sure the picture reflects the real beauty of it. On Saturday we did the bread run to Normanton again and with the full moon from the night before - sunrise was quite spectacular. Saturday night we had a bit of a party in the park with a few friends and other caravaners. With a fire bucket, bbq and few bottles of wine it was a great night.
Sunday saw us head out for a bit of a drive around the area. Headed out the Burke & Wills Development road until we came to the Gilbert River. Surprising number of water holes along the way and lots of stock (although pretty poor). Gilbert River had water, fish I've heard and the odd croc, although again we didn't see any. Couple of guys had been out pig hunting and we got a sneaky photo of their catch.
We then took a detour back through Delta Downs which was really interesting and slightly different landscape.

Week Gone

Sunrise on the road to Normanton

Sunrise

Landscape on walk to the point 

Ah so another week gone by in Karumba and no rain - there's no surprise!
I went with Rob on his final bread run on Saturday morning and well worth it just for the sunrise.
Had a lovely weekend enjoying the sunshine and not as much wind or dust as previous.
We walked out and back to the point on Sunday and enjoyed taking the time to notice things we hadn't seen when on the bikes. A quick visit to the cemetery told us that either not many people die here or choose to be buried here as there was only about 20 graves.
Work going well and scored a Kg of prawns today so Yumm !

Some history

The Gulf of Carpentaria is made up of extensive tidal flats and the mouth of the gulf is 590km wide. The depth is no more than 55 Metres and maximum anywhere is 82 Metres. Here at the mouth of the Norman River the anchorage depth is between 7-9 Metres. There is a narrow channel that heads out to deeper waster and there is only 1 tide a day!!  
We cruised past the town taking in the sights from the boat. Large prawn trawler fleet owned by Raptis Seafoods. Trawlers in dock at present as it isn't prawn season. Some pretty impressive prawn trawlers. 
Next was Wren Group who have 3 of the 7 only licensed Mackerel trawlers. 2 out fishing and 1 at dock. 
There was Carpentaria Freight which ships goods up & down the Norman River, plus does a milk run out through the Gulf to small islands. They are also the fuel depot for Karumba. 
Karumba port services the Century Zinc Mine at Lawn Hill. There the zinc is mined and the crushed, water added which forms a slurry and it is piped the 304km to Karumba. The cost difference between trucking and pipe line is something like 3000% saving. Zinc is running out at Lawn Hill and currently they are in the process of returning mining area back to pasture lands (about 30years). They are also trucking zinc from mine at Cloncurry to Lawn Hill, then via slurry to here. 
Once the slurry arrives here it is separated from the water and dried. Then loaded onto the transition boat which takes it out to the mother ship waiting in the gulf. The transition ship can only do 1 trip per day as it has to hit high tide to get enough depth and The mother ship has to move further out in the gulf each day until it's fully loaded as it sits lower in the water as it takes on more ore.  Sounds fun doesn't it !
There were no crocodiles around but we did see several Jabiru - beautiful birds, and a boat wreck.
The sunset was beautiful but hard to capture on the phone.

And then we finished off with a quiet drink at the Animal Bar ( Red Hot Chilli Peppers song Animal Bar is named after this ) 
A great evening and if you are interested - like most things in Karumba - Ferryman Sunset Cruises is for sale!

Ferryman Sunset Cruise

Johnno, Jude, Kym & Lyn

"Vixen Wren Fishing

Karumba Port

Zinc carrying vessel

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Saturday afternoon and we catch up with the girls I'm working with and their men to do the local Sunset cruise. $45/head and excellent value. Apart from a look up the Norman River and taking in the sights of Karumba from the water, a history lesson is thrown in plus beer/wine and prawns!

It's the weekend!

Sunrise at work

Rob testing for crocodiles!

If they only had this sign at the start of the track!

10.30 and just chillin

Beautiful Saturday in Karumba. Currently (10.30am) 27c and predicted 31c - sorry to all you southerners having a cold chill. Just been for a bike ride out to the point and back this morning. Funny you never notice a tail wind but turn around and boy you do notice a head wind!
Prawns are on the go here at present so about to go buy some $20/kg. yum!!

The 3 fishing trawlers at work have headed out again this week but hoping at least one will be back in before we go. Wanting to get a look on one (won't be turning my back on the crew though - pretty rough lot).
Doing the Sunset cruise this evening so will post photos later.