Pennefather River

Today we were all a little apprehensive about moving to a one night stay at Pennefather. It came with mixed reviews but in the end, we decided it was the way to go. We are here to see the peninsular, & staying in Weipa for an additional day didn't give us anything but another night in an average caravan park.........So off we went early.

I am not sure what these people will think of us after this trip. We are very motivated to get going early and see everything we can in a short time. Mum, Dad & the Toms's are a little used to sleeping in and taking it easy which is great, I just hope we don't upset them with our eagerness......

Anyway, we got away early and headed north to the Pennefather River region. On the way in we massacred a dead tee to enable at least 12 hours of solid burn time for a fire, and then ventured in toward the coast. We made our way to the beach when we found a great camping spot just off the sand with plenty of shade. Not satisfied Darren & I thought we should scout up the beach further toward the river mouth to see if there was anything better than what we had already stumbled across.  Needless to say I was up for it because I was brought up & love driving vehicles on the beach....particularly at high tide where it gets a bit hairy....... the boys were going to have an absolute ball.

We made our way  north with Tomsy & Mum & Dad to the river mouth where we managed to get (me) bogged along the way. I am so happy we did because the boys loved helping me dig our way out and get back on our journey. This stuff is gold.

The beach was quite littered and not something we are used to. At first we thought it was disrespectful campers but the truth is that it gets washed up from the ocean. The Gulf of Carpentaria  creates a huge vaccum which unfortunately sucks it all in. Not very nice we must say.

We made our way to Pennefather proper and tried to seek out the ranger, but he was nowhere to be seen so we retreated back to where we were and started the fire at midday, yes midday. In hindsight the drive was a waste of time other than getting bogged and having some fun in the sand, although we did also get to see the river.

Nobody was keen to go for a swim for obvious reasons.....croc tracks everywhere up the beach and sightings left right and centre, so we all gathered around the fire and spent the arvo sweating from the heat it was producing.

Dad tried to throw a line in at low tide with no luck, as did Rob, so fire and beers it had to be.

Many beers in fact as I write this with Tomsy at 11pm, after a few bourbons and tall stories with glo-stick hats and glasses, we are really inebriated. I hope the local crocs and wild pigs don't decide to come along to say hello because I don't think we are in any state to accommodate them.

This is why we do it, rolling waves in the background, plentiful fire in front of us, bourbon in the fridge and just the remote feeling of not having anything mainstream to fallback on if things get a little worrisome. Seriously, I love this stuff, as does Nat although a shower and toilet doesn't go astray now and then.

In my prime again, bourbonised, fireised, late at night with the stars and beach in the background. Bloody tough.

I wonder what the poor people are doing.

Good luck to them.

Jason.