Limmen Bight - A pain in the bum!

Today is warm, but very windy. Trevor and Glenys were helping Bill pull his tinny out of the water in preparation for them packing up and leaving next week. While we were talking to them, Trevor said he will teach Theo how to throw the cast net. Seems he was doing it all wrong and almost wrapping himself in the net. Now he knows the right way. Thanks Trevor.

As we now had fuel, we headed out, eager to catch some fish. Well, we caught a couple of catfish, got hooked on some mangroves, lost a line, got windblown, and then somehow Theo got a fishhook caught in his backside when he fell backwards onto the open tackle box. Ouch. Now that really is a pain in the bum!

Back to camp where I cut off the hooks from the lure but could not get the hook out of his bum (upper bum/lower back). Walked over to Lizzy (retired nurse), who suggested that Sal at the next camp may be able to help, as she was also a nurse (Margi and Greg, Sal and Bill from SA). So, we trotted off to the ‘emergency room’ at the next camp.

By this time, Theo had a couple of cans of anaesthetic (4X beer). Amid much laughter, Greg gave him a nip of scotch, Sal applied some ‘Anusol’ to deaden the area, and then truckdriver Greg put on his surgeon’s headlamp, and while Bill was chatting to Theo about our trip and distracting him, Greg pulled the hook out (backwards). Ouch ouch, ouch! Great way to meet the neighbours.
If the situation had been more serious, it may have meant a 10 hour round trip to the closest medical facility at Borroloola.

Saturday was a windy day, but we put the tinny in anyway and headed up the river, dropping the anchor and the line at various intervals. Only caught one catfish (Rod said it was called a Golden Cobbler up here). Theo leant over the side to retrieve his lure which was caught in some mangroves, and his phone dropped out of his pocket in shallow water.

Luckily, he acted quickly and retrieved it, and it seems none the worse for its quick dip in the Limmen River. Not a good thing to do, as we had seen 3 crocodiles while cruising the river in the past couple of days.

Sunday, we woke to another windy day, so decided to pack up and leave. It is no use waiting for the wind to stop as it may go for days/weeks. We said our goodbyes to our neighbours, and wished Bill all the best. They were leaving early Monday morning and had a long drive ahead back to Albury and medical appointments. Such a lovely couple, and never heard Bill complain once, although they knew he was quite unwell.

All the neighbours came over for a working bee, and helped them pack up their camp. Russell even offered to drive behind them as far as Mount Isa, but they said they would be okay.

While we were saying goodbye, John and Jenny arrived who we had not met before. They also had a Goldstream pop top and were camped further down the river. We were quite eager to get on the road, so did not talk for too long.

We loved our stay at Limmen Bight Fishing Camp. We came for one night and ended up staying 4 nights, and it was made all the more special because we were made to feel so welcome by Lizzy and Bill, Rod and Judy, Greg and Margi, Bill and Sally, Jude and Russell and Trevor and Glenys. We may come back some day.

Unfortunately, the road through the National Park is in quite poor condition with lot of corrugations and dust, and this may affect our decision to return. We are so over the corrugations (literally).

We drove for a couple of hours and stopped for the night at Yurrlmundji Campground on the Roper River in the Limmen National Park. It is near the river, but the river is not within sight as it is beyond the treeline. There are toilets, but no water. Once again, you are supposed to book online. We didn’t have a booking, and there was no one else there. We had the place to ourselves.

We have not had internet for a week. Only have one tank of water left, so will use it sparingly until we can fill up again. Getting a bit low on some food items. Heading towards Roper Bar tomorrow.Read more