Mackenzie: Today we got up early and we spent most of the day at the caravan park and then we went on a tour and saw lots of crocs and we swam in where the crocs are, it was scary and we watched the sun go down, I loved it. It was Bentley's birthday and when we were on the tour I drove the boat and mum took photos.
We woke today to the most overcast dull day. At tea last night we booked to go on the sunset cruise so I was kicking myself that it may not be great, it was windy and quite a yuck day. If any other day I wold have been thrilled for the breeze and the no sun but not today. Everyone assured us that we would still have a great time and as long as there was a break in the cloud we would get the sunset. We spent the morning chatting with our neighbours, Greg and Barb that we have enjoyed spending time with over the last few days. We also had to try clean our car as some time back we rinsed it down with bore water and it was in a terrible way, it isn't going to be an easy job and is going to take a few goes to get it all off properly. A few tricks from Greg next door and we may have found a way to get it off. We had a drive over the dam wall which is unbelievable, it is dumbfounding to think this one wall holds all the water in the Lake Argyle. This was all thanks to the perseverance of Kimberley Durack who had a vision, that was way before his time and before anybody else was ready for. The state government came on board and over time so did the government and funding was released for this massive project. It took 3 dry seasons to build the dam wall and it was believed that it would take 7 years to fill the lake, it took just on 2, which found the original homestead under water before they had time to get it out, it lies on the bottom of the lake to this day. We also did a trip to the "new" old homestead that is just down the road from the caravan park, it is only $4 to get in but you cant take dogs and we didn't have time to go back to the van and back again to drop Bentley off, it is also where the wedding had their reception, how beautiful. We went back and got ready for our sunset cruise. We got picked up at the office by Graham in the bus and he was our bus driver and boat captain too. He took us across the wall and gave us commentary of the wall being built and also of the Ord River hydro scheme. Kimberley Durack believed that if Argyle Downs, his million acre station, was dammed and turned into a lake that it could act as a constant water supply for irrigation of crops, he was of course right and that massive amount of water now is also used to create power for Kununurra and the surrounds using the hydro. The details on the bus and the tour were mind blowing and too many things to remember in my head but Graham was the most informative tour guide we've had in a long time. We got on the boat which was a catamaran powered by 2 x 300hp Cummins diesels, this thing flew through the water. There was only about 14 of us so we were free to walk around and sit wherever/whenever, it was a great bunch of people ranging in ages and backgrounds. Graham would pull into the bank for close ups of the freshwater crocodiles and we saw them ranging down to a small baby croc, there is 34,000 crocs in this lake. We also got to see euros which are between a kangaroo and a wallaby, they had them all named and we got to meet Bec and her Joey Ish and Bob also came down to the boat. There was so much information, one of the bays was named after Harry Butler in honour of all his work he did to save the animals when it flooded. At one stage he pulled into a bay and drops down a flat screen tv from the roof which has all the computerised information on it that is displayed on his "dashboard"- is that what its called in a boat I think not but you know what I mean. Anyway this display is awesome and shows speed, location of the boat, depth of the water etc. This boat is state of the art but seriously a flat screen TV, well it has a flushing toilet so why not a TV. He then pulls down some boring old paper charts!! I must tell him to do it the other way round, the paper ones first and build up to the TV! The paper charts were filled with so much info and this was all in another bay, this tour is really a must to do you just can not fathom how big this lake is until you are on it and even then it is hard to comprehend and as I said the info is so interesting, he also hands around photos of the highest peak of the lake in 2011 in which they were all stuck at the resort and had plenty of time to do further research and relax. Did I mention afternoon tea? Handmade biscuits and cake, yum. There is tea, coffee, iced water, biscuits, soft drinks, juices all unlimited on the cruise and then he pulls out the yummy afternoon tea. Careful to not be talking while afternoon tea is on and then make your coffee as its almost finishing, wearing a white singlet as Graham powers the boat at full speed out of the bay, because I can tell you I would have won funniest home videos if I had the video on Dan as that coffee went down the front of him and the stunned look on his face- classic. The kids both got to drive the boat at about 20 knots which Graham translates to about 40km an hour, they turned it and steered, they were pleased and there were plenty of photos taken. We then pulled up for drinks & nibbles! See this is our kind of tour, food and drinks. Out came Bickies and cheeses and dips and beer and wine for anyone interested. And this is where you get to swim, yep swim in the lake with 34,000 crocs, the kids had decided not to do it but Dan and I were keen, well I wasn't keen but wanted to at least try. Before I knew it the kids grabbed a noodle and jumped off the back of the boat, yelling "mum its so warm", so in goes Dan as they begin to drift away as in all the excitement we forgot to tell them to hold onto the tow rope. I go grab the camera and get a few shots as Fletch is saying "ummm mum something hit me in the leg" One bloke is back on deck as quick as look at me as Daniel says "sorry mate that was me I kicked you as I was swimming" There were people jumping off the roof of the boat and the kids were out not long after getting in and as for me, by now my moment had gone and was going to live the experience through the kids excitement and not be the 1st person ever to be eaten by a freshie! The kids loved the bickies and Dan had a beer while they shared a 2nd can of soft drink thinking it was Christmas. Mack showed no signs of sickness and spent most of the time with her hair blowing in the wind at the front of the boat, Fletch on the other hand was a little pale and combined with the noise of the engine and the choppy water he was a little unsure how he felt. They call it an inland sea and it truly behaves like an ocean. While we were stopped for drinks we watched the sunset, some people from in the lake, some from in the boat. My worries of the morning were wasted as the cruise was under a beautiful clear sky and the sunset was amazing. This was worth every cent, the information alone was priceless. It was $270 for the 4 of us and we left at 2.15 and were back at 6, picked up and dropped off at our door. Back to our boy Bentley for his happy birthday song, yes we sing to the dog. Soup for tea- we are going to turn into a bowl of soup soon I think. Did we stop eating today?- I don't think so. Must get to a set of scales :(
Bec and her baby Ish poking its head out from the pouch below Becs front paws
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