25/05/2014

Another really good day. Quite different to what we have been doing lately. With all the fish we caught yesterday and Hanno's and our freezer full of fish, we decided on a non fishing day. Plan was to do a bit of sight seeing south of Pt Smith and maybe try walking for mud crabs in the inlet about 10km from the park.
Hanno's Hema GPS did a brilliant job of guiding us to the inlet and so we headed off on foot through the sandy Engintine Creek. It is quite similar to the Port Smith Lagoon only a little more remote.
First stop off on the way was at a narrow inlet into the southern end of the Port Smith Lagoon. Really interesting beach and inlet. Lots of rocks and reef all along the beach that stretched south for about 10km.
Although it was close to low tide the whole place looked really fishy and the imagination was running wild with thoughts of what the fishing would be like when the masses of rocky outcrops were covered with water.
After our unsuccessful crabbing efforts a few days earlier our expectations were low as we parked and slid down the muddy embankment and headed into the mangrove lined inlet.
Things were looking up when Carol spotted a likely looking hole in the clay bank and as I headed in for a closer look there was an obvious orange claw about 6 inches inside the hole. We had finally found a muddy and as I called out to Hanno to come over and lend assistance, I spotted another mud-crab about 2 metres from the hole. This one was sitting on the branch of a mangrove tree, level with the surface of the water in the rock pool.
As we approached the one on the branch disappeared into the murky water. At the same time the one in the hole disappeared backwards into the hole. Little did he know we had hired metal hooks about 1500mm long that when poked into the the hole made the crab defend itself, and by doing so disclosed its location. Knowing it was in there somewhere, we persisted with the prodding and dragging until a very mud covered crab finally emerged as we dragged the hook out. As it appeared Hanno grabbed the mud covered crab by the nippers and it was in the hessian bag. 30 minutes into the crabbing expedition and we had a mud crab in the bag. Over the next couple of hours another 2 crabs were spotted but they are still out their breeding up for next time we visit Port Smith. The one crab we caught wasn't a huge return for our efforts but after Hanno cooked it up, it sure tasted pretty damn good.
Lunch on the beach finished off a really interesting day exploring the area south of Port Smith. As we returned to camp we were left with an over riding sense of only having scratched the surface of what this place has to offer.

26/05/204
Carol joined Hanno and Stelleen in the tinny this morning as I stayed back to begin the packing of the boat and ute in readiness for our trip home via the Gibb River Road. They had a good morning exploring new areas of the lagoon and despite hooking a big Barracuda no keeper fish were landed.
The boat packing process was spoilt a little by the radio commentary of the Crows V Carlton game which ended with the lowly Carlton winning against a rudderless Crows. The Victorian commentators being particularly damning about the lack of leadership, game plan and direction displayed by the Crows.
After watching the incredibly well drilled and supremely fit Power maintain their position at the top of the ladder last night, the difference between the two SA clubs could not be more stark. Unfortunately.