Boating Clouds and Sunsets at Morris Creek South of Townsville

On Saturday we spent a relaxing day boating and fishing.  The winds are strong in August in Townsville, blowing the mango blossoms from the trees, and because of that we chose to launch our boat at Morris Creek about one hour south, rather than venturing out into the open ocean.

Everyone we know refers to the Creek as Morriseys.  Before leaving home I left a note for our daughter “We’ve gone fishing at Morriseys, back after dark”.  When we arrived the first thing I noticed was the sign saying Morris Creek. Well I’ll be damned.  Then I remembered my note – oh well if we didn’t return I guess they would work it out. Confusingly Morriseys, aka Morris Creek is also known as “Barramundi Creek” for obvious reasons.

The welcoming committee was having a post-breakfast rest.

 

Facilities include a two lane concrete boat ramp, pontoon jetty and raised toilet.

 

When we arrived at about 9.30 a.m. the smallish dirt car park was dispiritingly full of cars with empty boat trailers. The fifteen boats ahead of us did not bode well for our poor fishing record, but with us it’s more about relaxation than fish in the bag.  A few caravans, a tent (in the back of a ute because of the salt water crocs) and a bus had set up camp in the area as well.

We hadn’t been boating since we were up at Lucinda several months previous and it looked like being a gorgeous day.

Taken from the Boat as we departed the boat ramp.

We dropped the crab pots with their bright red and white floats into the water and went in search a good fishing spot.  Like it’s big brother, the nearby Haughton River, this creek was wide and those fifteen boats I had been worried about?  Well they had disappeared like magic into the mangroves.

Taken from the boat at one of our fishing spots.

I had resisted the urge to take our Macair with us in the boat and after my initial withdrawal symptoms, I was glad I had, because as I relaxed the clouds captivated me.

 

 

 

 

The nearest place to find food and drink is 4.5 km away at Giru.  It is best to pack a picnic lunch, drinks and snacks in an esky (cooler) and eat it in the boat.  It is not recommended to venture onto the shore of any mangrove creek in North Queensland because of the very real threat that salt water crocodiles present.

As well as cloud viewing, eating and exploring the river, we had a productive day in the fishing department – five Mud Crabs, seven Bream and one Blue Salmon.

Yesterday we fired up the the Smoke Oven and our first attempt – the Salmon – was quite delicious.  I marinated it in a salt and brown sugar brine flavoured with ginger and garlic then air dried it prior to smoking.  Twenty minutes later the fish was cooked – it had a brown outer layer and fell into soft flakes with the touch of a knife. Hmmm can’t wait to try that again.

Have you spent a day relaxing lately or would you like to?  Tell me about it in the comments.

This post is linked to Noel’s Travel Photo Discovery for Travel Photo Mondays which this week is all about Vegas Night Life.