Do you want to travel in a boat on the Mekong, explore ruins in Turkey, or meet Berber Cameleers in Morocco?
I know that I do…
Sometimes I get carried away with the big travel dreams and forget that my own back yard can be special too.
We spent the last week at Lucinda, only 1.5 hours north of our hometown of Townsville in North Queensland.
Lucinda is a sleepy seaside town – an unpretentious town – one that exists to ship Aussie Sugar around the world, accommodate week-end boaties, fishing trawlers and houseboats. It could have been purpose built for us. Boating every day, fishing anchored by the 6km long jetty, crabbing up the mangrove creeks, watching the sun set over Hinchinbrook Channel and then tired and muddy coming home to our rental in Lucinda. Having dinner at the pub, walking on the beaches and shopping at the corner store – it was chill out time for us. Come and have a look.
A rare occasion for myself – Sunrise. We are heading to the end of the 6km Jetty which can be seen on the far right below.
Looking back toward land with a patch of sun on the jetty.
A selection of photos that I think show the beauty of the world’s largest bulk sugar loading facility.
It might not look like it but the wind was blowing and the anchor would not hold in the deep water. Not being set up for drifting and jigging, we watched the other two boats, (one a professional fishing charter operation) having no luck and decided to head back toward the mainland. Time to head over the Hinchinbrook Island for a look see.
The three Bulk Sugar Terminals were on the way. My camera mal-functioned at a critical time so we were well past them by the time I took this photo.
Hinchinbrook Island taken from the Hinchinbrook Channel. Years ago Hinchinbrook boasted a resort, but it was destroyed in a cyclone. The Thorsborne Trail is a well known trek on the island. We anchored within shouting distance of the island while Marty caught a bream.
Back to Dungeness Creek to check the crab pots. You can see why they are called mud crabs can’t you. Extreme caution must be used when handling mud crabs as their claws can break a finger. Marty’s job 🙂
With nippers safely tied, the crabs (legal sized males only) were placed in a wet hessian bag in a cool place. Females and undersized crabs get returned to the creek to maintain supplies for the future.
Dungeness Creek.
In the afternoon we headed toward the Gantry (long jetty) and achored up at our favourite fishing spot. The quiet was astounding, with the only other boat passing by being the Challenger IV – the transfer boat from the James Cook University’s Orpheus Island Research Station. You can just see Orpheus Island in the background of the photo below. If roughing it is not your style you might be interested in the Orpheus Island Resort.
Marty Untangling Lines by the light of the setting sun.
Fingermark – a beautiful eating fish.
We enjoyed the week so much we toyed with the idea of staying another week. We’ll be back Lucinda.
Have you travelled in your home state reently?
This week I have linked to Corinne from Weekend Travel Inspiration and Noel’s Travel Photo Mondays
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A Tropical Feast featuring Mud Crabs from Lucinda for Fantastic Friday
Jan, What gorgeous photos from sunrise to sunset. I’m fascinated by processing places. Do you know if the sugar company, warehouse, etc. offer tours to the public?
My Mother In Law has toured them with Probus (a retirement club) but I can’t find any information on tours for the public. She said the height and size from the inside was amazing. The sugar was moved around inside with huge dump trucks. The jetty has a covered conveyor to take the sugar the 6km from shore to boat. We have bulk sugar terminals in Townsville as well. In 1963 they burned down. There was a horrible smell and smoke. The sugar itself burned and ran into the river which killed all the fish. Here is the linkhttp://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/05/12/2897339.htm. They were rebuilt and are still in operation today. We have a deep water port so the ships can come right up to the terminals.
Your photos are absolutely amazing, Jan! Interesting on the world’s largest bulk sugar factory. I haven’t been on a boat in years but I do love it. Especially when I would go out with my uncle and just the quiet and serenity. There is a show here in the States called “Deadliest Catch” of which I’m a huge fan. So yes, I’m all too aware from watching that how strong those claws are! Yikes! I’ve never heard of Fingermark fish…is it a while flaky meat or ?? Good post! 🙂
Hi Mike, The Fingermark are also known as large scale sea perch, golden snapper, red bream and the flesh is white and flaky and fine tasting. They are feisty tough fighting fish as well.
Beautiful sunrise and nice catch. Looks like you really enjoyed the place. That jetty is so long. I am not a big fan of the industrial equipment at the end, but it needs to go somewhere 🙂
Visiting from Travel Photo Monday
Hi Rhonda, Luckily from the land all you can see is a long jetty. Not many people would see the industrial end of the wharf. A lovely week for sure 🙂
Great photos, Jan… I love the colors…
Thanks Lily 🙂
Great photos of being on the water! Especially loved the sunset/sunrise photos.
Me too Mary 🙂
Awesome sunrise shot (they’re rare for me too – haha). You have a beautiful “backyard”! I agree that I often forget that there’s a lot to do where I live. It’s so hard to remember when I spend so much time planning to travel! 🙂
“Extreme caution must be used when handling mud crabs as their claws can break a finger.” *scary*
Great photos btw, especially the sunrise and the patch of sun on the jetty.
Sometimes the best trips really are close to home. Yesterday I did a phenomenal bike ride in the mountains and marveled at scenery that people fly all over the world to see.
A great set of photos as always.
I bet you did Leigh. Canada is a very beautiful place, one day we will return. I hope you took your camera on the ride 🙂
That mud crab is huge, Jan.
I love being on the water, it’s so relaxing. Your photos are absolutely stunning, make me feel like I’m in the boat. I feel the quiet.
That second to last photo looks like the end of a day very well spent 🙂
Great shots!
That photo certainly summed up the day Elaine.