Back into the red dust!

  11/08/2011
   So here we are again at Port Smith, in amongst the red dust, after having another run in with the management at Tarangua. We checked the bank balance online first thing and of course the credit from Tarangua hadn’t appeared.  That meant a return to their office for a bit of a slanging match.  It’s the old story, money out of the account instantaneous, touch of a button,  money going back in takes a couple of days. There is no way we can check our account until we get back to Broome next week, as we have no communications here at Port Smith. Still, we are happy to be back and it’s Fish and Chip night for 10 bucks tonight!

  12/08/2011
  What a great night last night turned out to be, we met up with the same people we were friendly with the last time we were here, all of us around the campfires with our fish and chips and booze. The entertainer was an aborigine Elvis impersonator, who could also play the didgeridoo and guitar  very well. An unlikely combination. The highlight of the evening was Jane winning fourth prize in the raffle, a large Mud Crab. Photos coming!! The 1st,2nd and 3rd prize were also mud crabs descending in size. Ours was big enough and made a splendid lunch after it had been smashed to bits with the rubber mallet, and accompanied by a cold glass of Sauvy Blanc.
 It’s been very hot today and it was all we could do to wander down to the lagoon for a morning swim, before our posh lunch then an afternoon in the shade reading.

  13/08/2011
  Yesterday the temperature reached 32C and today it hit 34, nobody rushes about in these temperatures. High tide at the lagoon was around 10 30 am, that’s when we aim to go for our swim, early afternoon it’s just too hot to go wandering about
  At the moment we are just about on top of the sand fly problem, spraying regularly with the Bushman’s Mozzie spray and using mozzie coils in the evening.  We have also cobbled together our patent  antinastybug screen with net, Velcro and double sided sticky tape. That should keep the little buggers out!!

14/08/2011

  Again we have been thrilled by the hospitality of the long term residents of Port Smith. For 1 of the couples, their winter hibernation is over and they are returning to the chilly south today.  Last night the group held a last supper for them, and we were invited Although we couldn’t stay for the meal ( we had already thawed out pork chops,) we did have a drink with them to say goodbye….such a kind friendly bunch. 

  Today we went out on the battered old truck, then boat to the sandy island in the lagoon for a few hours. We took our snorkel gear with us, but the currents were too strong to just snorkel around just gazing at fish. You have to be aware of what the current is doing or risk being washed out of the lagoon. Into the ocean. It is doubly difficult as there are extreme high tides ,by the end of the month they are going to be 10 metres high, they are 8 at the moment. The surf should be fun as we will be back in Broome then.