SNOWY RIVER

Camped at Snowy River campsite 679 Marlo Rd - 7km South of Orbost on Thursday
Cloudy, windy day
Strong squalls - gusts to 54kph around 10.30pm - nearly lost awning
Camped overnight at Snowy River campsite 679 Marlo Rd - 7km South of Orbost on Thursday

THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT WHILE THE PICTURES LOAD

Day 30

Thursday 17th December 2009

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The previous day had been nearly perfect, but as the sun set, clouds were beginning to roll towards us from the south west. The morning brought an overcast day with the wind strength increasing. I eventually ventured out around 11.00 am to see the little beast below. I had never seen one like it. It seemed to be a Frilled Lizard but seemed to have no frill. After looking at Google I gather it is a Water Dragon. It sat around long enough for me to take the pic below, before racing into the surrounding bush.



After a miserable day, at 5.20pm, spots of rain started to show on the river.





Judy cooked her fish for tea. She did a fantastic job. See the pics below. As she isn't really a "fish person", it was left to me to do her cooking justice. What a job!!! But someone had to do it. Yum!! As the wind speed slowly increased until it seemed like a gale, we / I ate the fish. After I had stuffed myself, I thought I'd better check the outside of the van, as loud noises were starting to startle us. When I got outside, I found IT WAS A GALE!! The awning was flapping madly, the toilet tent was straining over so far it nearly touched the ground and the leaves in the trees above were making a roaring noise. I had to support both arms of the awning with ropes and pegs. As I had just finished anchoring one side, the other side couldn't handle the strong gusts any longer and flew upwards. Judy didn't know what was happening, as inside the van all seemed noisy but well. I was left straining against the wind, trying my best to hold the other side from snapping off and flinging over the van roof. As the wind was coming in wild gusts with lulls in between, in one such lull I tied a rope around the awning arm, grabbed a peg and hammered it in with one hand while fighting to hold the awning down with the other. I finally could thread the rope through the peg and pull the arm into place and lock it down. Even then the awning was acting like a sail and threatening to rip off at the van, but the ropes held and the awning stayed put. By then rain had started to team down. We had the alternator under the awning and it was looking like getting drenched, so I pushed it under the van, along with other gear that was getting wet. I finished dripping wet and cold. The dogs were watching me, happy and dry, as they were in the back of the Daihatsu. As the night went on, the rain eased and the stronger wind dropped off, but it surprised me that such a gale could come up so quickly, very much like our storms in south east Queensland, but without lightning. I checked the weather on the Internet and found that the area we were in, had gusts to 54kph around 10.30pm.



Judy's fish ready to eat. ( Without the head. I got into trouble because I assumed we would be filleting it, not cooking it whole. So I cut the head off after she caught it. Shit happens!! )