Mon, 5th Aug, 2024 Manyimi Campground, Gove Boat Club, Nhulunbuy, NT

Public holiday today for NT Picnic Day.

21 degrees. Up early (6.30am) to go fishing with the others in their boats. Very handy have the boat ramp nearby. Steve and I went with Mike and Anne went with Ron and Jenny.

The sun is just rising as we headed out through the moored boats.

The ships are still there. The birds have a good place to rest.

We trolled through where some birds were diving and the water was boiling but nothing wanted our lures. Anne hooked a tuna but they let it go.

We headed out to the Granites (rocky islands in the bay).

We saw a small charter boat with electric motor and two customers near the rocks. They were having a wonderful time pulling in queen fish using live bait so we will have to get some.

No joy with the lures so we went across to the main island with a lovely beach for a wander and something to eat. Lots of broken coral and shells on the beach. There is a tent set up in the trees.

I walked to the other side and climbed a big boulder area - nice view.

Steve got the cast net out and tried to get some live bait. Some got stuck in the net so they will be dead bait! They are only hardie-heads - we think the other chap had bigger bait fish. We had seen him near the tug jetty before using little jig lines so might have to give that a go.

The birds like the rocks to ‘sit’ on.

Tried the live bait but no queenies for us. The others came over to say they were heading back as the wind is picking up. Just after they left Steve felt a tap and then he pulled up a small spanish mackerel (no size limit here). Yeah - we have something for nibbles with our drinks this afternoon.

Back home for lunch. The wind has come up and the clouds are coming over.

Steve’s pinch is still giving him trouble so we went into the hospital (Emma the caretaker is having the same issues and she suggested we go and get something). Luckily there was only one chap waiting but it still took a few hours. The charter boat chap came in and we got talking. He is from Cairns (lower Freshwater) and his father has a marlin charter boat as well as the Iron Lady which Steve had seen when we went out this morning and had commented that it was a Cairns boat. He gave us some tips for fishing then Steve went into the doctor so we just chatted about Cairns and fishing over there.

Doc gave him some strong pain killers - no MRI etc here so hopefully with the anti-inflammatories things will settle down. My neck paid went after my physio did acupunture but no one seems to do it around here or Katherine.

Back to camp for drinks with the others. We cooked up the mackerel in the camp kitchen and shared it with the others with drinks. Chatted with some other people in the kitchen who live on the moored boats here.

The Boat Club has a restaurant but it is closed on Mon and Tues so all quiet there tonight.