The big Midgee Resistance test

Wednesday 22nd July 2009
We are getting to know Darwin quite well and we can find our way around the major parts of town without referring to the map.
I took my car in to get the 15,000km service done - hard to believe that it's just 3 month old and has already done so many km's. While the car was being serviced Ron and I got our shopping fix at BCF - more fishing gear!
By time the car was finished it was nearly lunchtime and we went back into town for food shopping, a new camping chair for Andrea and a smaller camping table. A quick drive around the wharf to check out potential fishing spots and then we met up with John (thanks Davo for organizing this one) to check out the local fishing scene. We took John's boat down to the Boat Ramp at Buffalo Creek and then went by boat in an Easterly direction before heading up into the next creek.
First we went up a couple of small side arms and dropped a total of 7 crab pots baited with catfish heads and tails. These were tied onto the mangroves in parts where the waterway was just wide enough for the boat.
The we went to another spot with a little beach where John got out of the boat to cast a net for live bait. This exercise would be a bit too risky for me as a tourist but the locals know how to live with Salties and reckon there's no problem in knee deep water even with crocs living in the area.
The catch was only three bait fish but we went to a deep hole at the mouth of a side arm, anchored and started to do some bottom fishing with live bait and with frozen squid.
The total catch was 3 Rock Cod, which are quite nice eating fish, but they were not big enough to warrant keeping.
Six crab pots were pulled up empty and one had an undersized Mudcrab in it. It just wasn't our day - well, there's always tomorrow!
The sun was disappearing below the horizon when started heading back to the boat ramp at Buffalo Creek. We spent most of our fishing time in amongst or very close to mangroves which is where the Midges (Sandflies) live and attack mostly in the hours before and after sunset. The bites cause large skin lesions which last for two weeks or more and itch very badly - we've seen many travellers that have suffered from these nasty critters. Apparently the love to suck blood from Southerners. Vitamin B1 in the body is supposed to prevent bites - we have been taking B1 tablets daily for the last few weeks.
Although we've seen the Midges amongst the Mangroves, it appears that we have come through these close encounters without any bites.
It was well after dark by the time we arrived back at the caravan park. Just enough time for dinner and than off to bed - another early start (5am) for Alexander and me.