DeGrey River

Day 124 - DeGrey River

DeGrey River

Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Woe up early to a cool morning. Had breakfast, a walk to the river with Tuka and another cuppa. Did some reading.

Tuka and I went for a walk downstream. Met some campers, one of whom worked for BHP so we had a talk about the mining in the area. Then a Jabiru flew over and we talked about the birdlife. Some birds are nesting in the gum tree next to their van. The nest looks like flood debris caught in a branch.

Back at camp had another cuppa and a read. New campers arrived nearby with a camper trailer being towed by a Dodge car built in SA in 1924. It has crossed the Birdsville Track. Tuka met their dog (later in the day Tuka would wander over by himself to say hello).

Before lunch I washed the salt off the pieces of the frame for the kayak. Then I assembled it and went for a kayak upstream against the current. At one place I had to get out to walk through some shallows and I sank to my knees in the river bed. Kayaked up past the railway ridge and stopped at the large sand/gravel island in the centre of the river. Fast paddle back to camp.

After lunch Tuka and I had another walk and he had a swim. While walking I had a look at the flood debris in the trees and I estimated that the flood waters would have been four metres above our campsite and at least eight metres higher tan the present water level.

Another kayak later in the day down to the road bridge. Talked to some of the other campers as I went walking with Tuka.

	Road bridge with road train [Map]		1924 Dodge [Map]
	Kayak on sandbank near railway bridge [Map]		Looking upstream on the sandbank [Map]
	Flood debris in the trees [Map]