we have a midday appointment at the corroborree roadhouse
a shuttle from there to be part of a wetland river cruise
no time for any delay in picking up our campervan in darwin
a phone-call to request early-as-possible pickup has worked
we're on the road with an hour or 2 to spare and head to kakadu
a very easy and uneventful drive to the roadhouse well early
coffee and watch the world go by - mostly huge road-trains
the decor of the roadhouse adding to the feeling of out-back
connie shows up on time and we load up into the 4 wheel drive
she then provides a running commentary of life in the wetlands
2 seasons - wet and dry - and the effect of drought and monsoons
and in no time we arrive dockside and clamber on board our vessel
there are 6 other passengers on a boat that would hold 20 or so
a quick safety drill and a warning to keep all body parts inside
there's too much paperwork involved in a crocodile attack - ha-ha
we cast off and skipper connie then goes into bird-spotting mode
most impressive first up is a black dada - perched on a branch
wings spread wide to dry them after an underwater fishing trip
there's white egrets in the reeds and white eagles high above
and before too long she spots a prone fresh-water crocodile
it's not moving - she jokes - i came and pumped it up earlier
thinking - could be - damn the birds - the tourists want crocs
we push on up the billabong with constant stops for birdlife
connie is a deft hand at maneuvering the flat-bottomed craft
we pull in amongst some lotus plants and take the provided lunch
cold meats and salad in a plastic container and downed quite easily
push off and a change in direction into another arm of the billabong
and right on cue a large salt-water crocodile allows us to draw near
i'm sure there was a sign of movement but it looks very non-plussed
we head out into the wider reaches of the mary river for a look-see
it is all staggeringly beautiful with clear skies, water and greenery
another very large crocodile is spotted swimming next to the shoreline
an almost audible sigh of relief from connie - the punters are happy
the 2 hours slip by very easily and a great start to our kakadu trip
back at the roadhouse we then point the campervan east and head off
we enter kakadu national park proper and push on into late afternoon
ubirr is our target - a site promising rock-art and a stunning sunset
we arrive on time and clamber up to the top of the rock formations
there's a small crowd already in attendance and a comment offered
recognise it? - this was used as a backdrop in crocodile dundee
sad really - surely this place has much more cultural significance
easy to imagine aborigines meeting at this place over millennia
the outlook over wetlands with huge rock formations is stunning
it looks and feels so timeless - thems dinosaurs roaming out there
or at least very easy to imagine so - we take it all in and descend
an agreement to return in the morning to check out the rock art
an immediate mission - somewhere to park ourselves tonight
fortunately the merl campground was spotted on the way in
we join the queue, pay the money down and find a spot
kind of a 3 star camping ground with no powered sites
what it does offer though is mosquitos - hoards of 'em
before we shut ourselves inside the van it is game on
and a restless nights sleep of buzzing and scratching
but we're here - kakadu - another dream realised...
