Smokey Goes Snorkelling

Just kidding! But if he could, he'd love it. In the water most of the day, I saw another ray and swam with a big school of spangled emperor fish. They're about the size of a medium dog and just let you cruise along with them in the shallows. Also a bunch of squid, quite comical. Everywhere you look, more and more startling fish. Even with only two days' fishing experience under my belt I find myself sizing up their prospective fillet sizes.

Jason rang from the payphone at Yardie Creek homestead where he is snorkelling and corrupting some backpackers. Hopefully I'll catch him again on his southward journey. Duncan rang early this morning to say he's got internet set up at the main building for me and has ordered a satellite system for the trailer, boat's ready to go and he'll go get me a camel or a pet joey anytime I'm ready. All this in less than 48 hours, while also repairing 2 engines, rebuilding a concrete septic tank, stocking the cool room with fresh kangaroo meat and putting on 2 tourist barbecues. "I'm a doer! Things get done! Where are you! I miss you! I miss the dog! I miss Smokey! He's awesome! He got rid of all the mice! Oh my god you're so wonderful! Come back!" (everything is in exclamation marks with Duncan)

So I figure, what the hell, he does what he says he's going to do, he's smart and kind, and I'll be staying in a little piece of paradise by the sea and snorkeling among my beloved stromatolites, living off fish in the most beautiful place in the world with someone who can happily argue with me all day about the correct lyrics to Ziggy Stardust.

But the bus will be parked nose to the road - the adventure still has many places to go! I'll stay through July and see how things go.

Hmm trying to download some fish photos to make you all jealous but it's not working. Imagine them in your mind instead as you huddle around your electric heaters listening to the winter wind. Oh oh, five o'clock, time for the next invasion of grey nomads, lock the doors!!!