Crocodile Rock

As I was driving north for my second foray into the field, that Elton John classic came on the radio, reminding me of Jon Bennett requesting it in middle school for Bryna Joncas on Night Rock, the old cable access show in Miramichi. The irony of the song, and the realization that Elton John played it to adoring fans at his show in Darwin last month, was not lost on me.

Other songs stuck in my head during this two and a half week trip included:
Land Down Under (self-explanatory)
Beds are Burning (also self-explanatory)
That stupid Rihanna song about a tattoo (no explanation for that one)

This trip promised harder work and more difficult conditions and it certainly delivered. From the moment we left Cairns the elements were working against us. It started when we busted a trailer hitch (the one carrying our electrofishing boat) while navigating a rocky dip in the road. If you could see some of the "roads" that we drive over with our vehicles you would be shocked, it's no surprise that trailers bottom out and trucks get bogged. The broken hitch set us back about one day, and forced us to split up (Dominic and Richard went to get the hitch welded, I moved on to the next site with Kate and Courtenay).

We reunited a day later at our first "croc site," meaning it was below the upstream limit of saltwater croc range. Because salties hunt their prey, and are capable of taking down victims as large as adult cattle, we have to be very careful while working at these sites. No wading allowed! It makes many things a little tricky, including launching boats and collecting algae and bugs that are living on the bottom of the river. Fortunately we operate a boat that sends a 1000 volt current into the water (used to stun and capture fish), so if a saltie wants to mess with us, he's going to get a bit of a jolt out of it.

Our equipment problems continued on through the first few sites. Our smaller outboard motor (4 horsepower) was leaking fuel so we had to switch to our backup which is a pig (15 horsepower) to lift. Our generator refused to work, our centrifuge started making an awful racket because something was loose inside it. And to top it off, one of our two freezers, containing our precious samples that we came all this way to collect, went on the fritz, meaning we had to pile everything into the one functional freezer and nurse it for the rest of the trip. All of the above happened in the first five days. Poor Laura got a phone call from me just after the freezer went out, I was at my wits end. Keep in mind that I am built for the office, both mentally and physically, this "field work in tough conditions when equipment is malfunctioning, it's 30 degrees and there are crocs hunting me" thing is not meant for me. I was ready to quit the job and scurry back to Canada, training to be an accountant like my father wisely did.

Eventually I got my head screwed back on straight and we plowed onward. Our next incident occurred when we were working at a lagoon and after spending over an hour in and around the area where our boat was moored, Courtenay froze in her tracks after spotting a red-bellied black snake curled up around the stump to which our boat was tied (see picture below). Luckily this species is not overly aggressive, but had we made a wrong move any one of us could easily have been bitten, meaning a serious bout of sickness and some medical attention. We were all a little spooked from this event, and it only got worse as we carried on further down the river. There were snakes everywhere. On our last trip to the same area, we saw maybe two or three, on this trip, over a dozen. Browns, blacks, taipans, pythons. It was like a top ten list of the world's most poisonous. Made for some sleepless nights.

Finally we arrived at the downstream end of the river, to the aboriginal community of Kowanyama, for our first shower in exactly one week. It would be an understatement to say that Kowanyama is an interesting place; I really like it there. I will reserve my thoughts on it and the aboriginal situation in Australia in general for another post.

After two days in Kowanyama we parted ways with Richard (he is a Londoner who works for the government in Mareeba near Cairns) and made our own way back up to the headwaters. These sites are much easier to work (no crocs, few snakes, better road access) so they made for more enjoyable days. We were also just a few days away from heading home.

You may be thinking that the trip was complete torture, but there were some highlights, mostly centred around food. I was able to try kangaroo steaks for the first time, and they are delicious! It's hard to believe that it isn't a more popular meat here. Compared to beef it's cheaper, healthier and better for the environment. The problem has a lot to do with marketing, since kangaroo meat is located at the far end of the meat section in the grocery store, right next to the dog food, and probably considered as such by many Australians. We also ate some tasty prawns that we caught with baited traps from the river. These things approach the size of small lobsters, and taste really good when cooked with butter and lemon over an open fire. Finally I tried traditional Aussie damper, basically flour and water heated in tin foil. Makes a good thick bread that has the consistency of a scone. I still haven't really tried vegemite, that will have to wait for another day. The other highlight was the chance to stay at the Post Office Hotel in Chillagoe (picture at right). "Hotels" are essentially buildings that have a pub and kitchen on the ground floor and rooms upstairs. Pretty much every Aussie outback town has one. Staying at them gives you the best chance to get a feel for the town, because the locals come and have a meal and some beers. As a weary traveler, you get your meal, a couple of bundy and cokes, then wander upstairs to your bed, and breakfast is ready in the morning, all on one tab.

So I returned home Thursday night to my loving wife, who promptly departed for the weekend Friday morning (EWB retreat). The last two nights have given me a taste of what it's like when one of us is gone - not cool. She'll be back today and we'll be a family again, with the Goob's arrival the next major milestone in our lives. It's good to be home.