Monday, January 18, 2010

Red Clawing with Grandfather

We have had a good week and a bit in Biloela, Jon's hometown. Dad and Mum Van Itallie have offered wonderful hospitality, Katherine has taught Jon the intricacies of 'Band Hero' and Grandfather VI has taken us out on Callide Dam in search of the elusive red claw. Actually, they have proven to be not-so-elusive. We caught 202 in 5 days! Lots of fun on the water pulling in pots, dodging angry red claw scampering around in the bottom of the boat, rebaiting pots with all sorts of delicacies (they seem to favour passionfruit and Sunlight soap!!) and counting turtles. Then we go home and dehead and devein them...now that's fun! Oh yeah, then we get to cook them and eat them....the best bit! Thanks Grandfather for taking us out in your tinnie and thanks Grandma for cooking them all for us!

Callide Dam currently sits at about 6% capacity. Still a popular place to fish, red claw and ski.

Grandfather and Jon get the tinnie ready.

"Home, home on the range." It's a strange combination out here....sea birds and bovines.

Hooray! A catch!

Grandfather prepares to rebait the pots.

Kirsty acts as ballast at the front of the tinnie. She tended to favour the 5PM trips rather than the 6AM sessions!

Now that's a catch!


Sunday, January 17, 2010

Lately....

...we have been:

...beguiled by blowholes...

...basking on beautiful beaches.....

....wiped out by windsurfers....

....loving the lake....

Now we are back in Central Queensland spending some time with Jon's family in Biloela. We have made good use of the local swimming hole as days have been in their mid 30s and it has been fun spending time on the dam with Grandfather....you'll see pics soon.