Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
The day didn't start too good for Terry he was still suffering from the gastro bug and was meant to go mud crabbing early with Neil and Melanie. Tanya decided to go in Terry’s place so Neil, Melanie and Tanya set off at 7.00am to meet Vincent (their guide) at a place called Mudnunn, to do their mud crabbing. They headed out the road and found themselves on a track which appeared to have very little if any use at all. There path was blocked by large mud holes, so they called Vincent on his mobile. Vincent told them to "keep coming’ and to “keep left"??????? He told us he had a “whole community out here”. What an experience. When they met Vincent they found that he was a really nice man with a great sense of humour. Vincent an aboriginal elder also had his grandchildren visiting him so they accompanied Neil, Melanie and Tanya on the mud crab hunt. One of the kids, Raymond, seemed to take a liking to Neil and followed him everywhere, even copying Neil when he was whistling.
You wouldn’t believe what they drove through to get to where the mud crabs were. 2 metre high spear grass. A fantastic time and experience was had and they returned with 3 enormous mud crabs, lots of large claws and lots of funny stories to tell.
After catching up on all the stories everybody had lunch and then drove to One Arm Point (another local aboriginal community) to visit the fish hatchery. This was fantastic. We all got to see giant barramundi, turtles, reef coral, sea anemones and also got to feel a lot of sea slugs, clams and coral. We met a local aboriginal woman who was absolutely beautiful. She spoke to Ann for long time about the importance of the sea and shells to her people; aboriginals from the sea and in the end Ann purchased a shell. Previously Ann was extremely superstitious about shells. We all returned to camp where Neil cooked the mud crabs in the open fire. Neil, Sharon, Tanya, Ann, Melanie and Joanna hoed into the crabs whilst unfortunately Terry was still unwell to try.
Neil, Melanie and Tanya then drove to meet Bundy again as he had invited them back to go night spear fishing. They left around 6.00pm and returned around 9.00pm with some unbelievable stories and lifelong experiences to tell. Bundy and all of his family had taken them out into the sand dunes. When they finally got to where they were going, Bundy had dug a hole in the sand and lit a fire in it. He had then taken all of their spears out of his troopy and pulled one out of the bunch before telling Melanie “Do you remember the spear you started to make the other day. I have finished it for you” He then presented her with her spear which had been finished with 3 metal spikes on the end. A very special thing for Melanie. She was very grateful.
Bundy then teamed Neil up with Derek (13yrs but a big boy), and Melanie with Sheliah (16) and Tanya went along with Bundys wife Mena and the young kids, Samina (10) Geraldine (6) Jack Jack /Blacky / or Jack as some called him (6) and Ehrin (3). They walked up to 1km offshore in the outgoing tide amongst the reef rocks. Neil had a close encounter with a shark that Derek didn’t get the spear into, as well as a nasty stingray that they speared with 2 spears but then it got away. Neil managed to spear a fish and a squid. They had a fantastic time and they were so thankful that they went along as it is something they will never forget. Tanya got to know Mena and the kids really well and had a ball with them. When it came time to leave Bundy told Melanie that she was allowed to take the spear with her. What an honor. They also gave us the squid which had been caught as Bundy and his family did not like to eat it. An unforgettable day.
- comments