Steve
Life on the road certainly has its benefits. The one I enjoy most is having a never ending change of scenery from my front and back door. For the majority of the year my address changes on forty two occasions as I attend shows, field days and race meetings in NSW, QLD, the NT, WA and SA. Right now, having opened a shop at Wentworth for the month my address is at the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers. My trusty companion Sass ensures early morning views of the rivers don't escape me as we prowl along the banks as the sun rises and before the breeze disturbs the waters mirror surface.
Morning light on the Darling River.
The evenings, another special time of day finds us both out there again, not seeking exercise but relaxing with a brew of intoxicating cool amber liquid pre packed in an a gold coloured aluminium can, other wise known as having a cold tinny. The peace and solitude is only broken momentarily as I finish one and return along the banks through the magnificent red gum trees for another, not an unpleasant journey really, but necessary all the same.
A point of interest for all concerned with the MDB. The manager of lock 10 situated three hundred meters below the junction estimates the daily flow past the lock at 50,000mg a day. When I arrived here the flow rate was close to 40,000mg a day and rising. Most of the MDB has received further heavy falls of rain and many of the creeks and rivers are full or in flood. All this water is destined to pass by here during the next six months at a flow rate of at least 30,000ml per day. At the Murray mouth there is currently 48 gigaliters a day flowing onto the ocean, an estimated 3000 gigaliters annually is required to maintain a healthy river. This figure will be reached in under four months.
View across the Darling River as the P.S Ruby steams up the Murray
The locals at Wentworth are a friendly relaxed mob, I think the rivers cast a magic spell over those who live here and those who visit as well. Having spent nearly a month camped on the river I believe its one of those special places in Australia that I'll look forward to visiting again and again. Sass agrees as well even though she fell in the river and went completely under. You should have seen her expression as she surfaced then the antics that followed trying to dry herself rolling in the grass then barking and racing flat out weaving in and out between the trees. She was like a puppy again.
A Local
Friends passing by.
Other friends
My camp on the Darling.
Have a very happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year. Until next time. Steve and Sass