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.
Monkeys at Angkor Wat Moat
What beautiful skies! Good idea to leave your Macair at home. That home-smoked salmon sounds delicious!
Ha ha Michele, I actually left it in the car – I used it on the hour trip either way. I can’t wait to do some more smoked fish.
I love how you made otherwise rather boring details funny (and interesting) with your descriptions and pictures of the road and other cars and such. Humor is so hard to do! Glad the fishing went ok!
Thanks Cindy the crab was divine and you know about the smoked fish, yum.
Looks like a heavenly wait to spend a day. I’ve had plenty of adventurous ones this summer but am really ready for a put up tour feet and gaze at your navel kind of day.
It replenishes your soul in a different way to adventurous days, but both good in their own way.
Wow, those clouds looks so beautiful! Can imagine it was so blissful just chilling in a boat and staring at those clouds!
It was lovely having the chance to cloud gaze, they are so wonderful at this time of year. Thanks for commenting.
I love the clouds in the sky. Looked like you had a relaxing day on the creek. I have just returned from 6 months travelling around Australia, so every day was relaxing!
I love the clouds and sky, wonderful photos. We are not much for fishing, but the idea of crocodiles would keep me away. I
We did not see any crocodiles Rhonda I just feel I should point out to people who read my blog that they should be careful.
The welcoming committee looks so chilled out. I also love clouds and could spend hours on end admiring the interesting formations.
Lovely photos…
Thanks Lily. 🙂
Such pretty views. Mmm, that salmon sounds delicious. As long as Ethan caught it, scaled it, and cooked it, this would be a very great retreat!
I can see there is so much more to discover around Townsville than we had time for. WE very sadly just hopped on and off the ferry to Magnetic Island and did a quick tour up and down the Strand and had lunch at a lovely deck side restaurant overlooking the main beach, but that was that and we were whisked away 🙁 So I’m loving your Townsville posts, Jan! And I’d love to return 🙂
Ha Ha, are you back home now?