I woke up at around 5:30, and looked around to see the light beginning to filter through the open-louvered walls of our habitat:
We had our outdoor shower, and headed to the lodge for breakfast at 7:30. I transfered the blog entry I’d devised last night from my flash drive to the resort computer, and uploaded everything to LiveJournal.
Here’s a nice view of the swimming pool from the place on the lodge deck where we eat each day:
The morning guided walk that we went on today at 9AM was described as:
| Gunner’s Quoin 4WD & Guided Beach Walk
After driving to the top of Gunners Quoin Cliff, we can see majestic views of the coral reefs, tidal plains, and islands dotting the Arafura Sea. Following a track to the beach, we pass a rocky headland. From here it is possible to continue on to Gunners Quoin Wetland. This particular wetland is seasonally filled, unlike the Easter Paperbark Wetland. |
Once again, our guide today was Ali, and we were joined by the couple who we flew out here on the plane with yesterday, Paul and Gael, who are from Sydney.
Here’s a look down over Gunners Quoin Cliff, our starting point.
Here’s what it looks like looking back once descending to the beach. The previous picture was from up at the point of the cliff:
I really liked the look of this barnacle-looking rock formation, and that’s followed by Robert getting his money’s worth out of his hat!
After walking a ways on the beach, we entered the bush, which as noted in the tour description is wetland that is only seasonally filled. This overall area still had a little bit of water left in it, to which we eventually made our way.
Here’s a shot where we entered. The dark markings on these tree trunks shows where the water line usually is during the wet season:
Here’s the area where there is still a little water left:
We saw a little bit of wildlife in this area—some birds, and one or two banteng, which are indigenous here after being brought over by the British in the 1800s.
Back on the beach we saw the markings in the sand of a crocodile that had come up on the beach, rested a little, turned around and made its way back to the water.
Walking back into the bush, we came across the remnants of a banteng, who Ali said probably died last year at about this same time:
Not to be confused with Green Eggs and Ham, we next came across Green Ants. These little guys work incredibly as a team to create pods by pulling, folding, and “gluing” leaves together.
They jump on you and bite you, but Ali said, “The good news about these little buggers is that if they bite you, you can bite them back.” She then proceeded to grab a few, pinch off the little green bead at the end of them, and eat them. Robert and I each tried one, too. I never could taste it, though. It has a very strong, delicious mint taste to it.
The aborigines, of course, found many uses for Green Ants. In addition to eating them, you can grab one of the pods they’re building, rub the leaves violently together, and then stick your nose in them to get quite a strong vinegary odor, which is great for clearing out your sinuses if you push your nose in it, and breathe in.
Ali concluded with, “You can also make a very good-tasting drink with them.”
Next on the walk, we stopped at a collection of tools the guides here at Seven Spirit Bay have assembled. These were made (except the iron one) and used by the aborigines.
When we exited the bush back onto the beach, we saw a peculiar something down a ways on the beach. At first, even with binoculars, we thought it was some kind of sea otter-type animal that had washed ashore.
To all of our surprise, when we got closer, we saw that it was a big ole grouper!
Our tour concluded with the steep climb back up to the top of the Gunners Quoin Cliff. Here’s Robert negotiating the climb. Those ropes really helped.
Incredibly enough, we saw another wild stallion on the way back. Ali said to us, “You guys must be pony magnets!” It was cool that the other couple with us got to see one.
We arrived back at the lodge at about 11:40, rinsed off our legs from the crud of the walk, and luxuriated in the pool before lunch at 12:30.
Lunch today consisted of a Snapper Burger, which was just outstanding. It had some potato wedges with it, there were also quite tasty. For dessert, I had the Coconut Sorbet, and Robert had his Coconut Sorbet over the Fruit. It was all good.
It was really hot today, around 95°, so we decided to bag the afternoon guided walk, and just relax for our final afternoon here.
Back in the habitat, we took a 2-hour nap, after which I devised this blog entry and Robert washed a few items of our clothing in the sink in the outdoor bathroom.
Here’s the fruit of his labor:
We took a dip in the pool as dusk approached. I sat at one end of the pool, where the sun continued to shine on me as it slowly disappeared. I just sat there, and let the sun go down on me.
To end the day as it began, I took a picture with the dusk coming through the louvers.
The food here is just incredible. Tonight’s menu:
Neither Robert nor I like blue cheese, so Traci, the chef, substituted feta in our crepes.
Speaking of Traci, today we also met Dani—to continue the names ending with an “i.”
The Prawn Cocktail was absolutely exquisite. The mixture of ingredients underneath the prawns was so delicious, a bite of prawn, a little spoon of the condiment.
I guessed that briouats were “nuggets,” but they turned out to be spring rolls.
The jewfish was very, very good, too. Lots of cilantro on the crusty topping. I’ve never had, or even heard of jewfish in my life. Nor catholicfish, lutheranfish, or baptistfish for that matter.
I’m not a blueberry fan at all, but I have to say that this white chocolate blueberry cheesecake was out of this world!
We headed back to our habitat at about 10:15, and I completed this blog entry before hitting the sack.