On the Houseboat

Category: On the Houseboat | Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:03 pm

I am starting a new blog, as well as continuing the Europe trip.
My wife & I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary last weekend (18 December) and took all our kids (+ their respective spouses) on a houseboat along the Murray River in South Australia for the weekend (3 days)

So the following pics are all of that weekend. It was a fantastic time. We drove from Adelaide (where we live) to Mannum on the River Murray. Here is a sign (somewhat defaced by bored local teenagers methinks!) of the town.

The houseboat we hired was called "Scoundrel" It was a 12 berth luxury craft with twin 60hp outboard motors, 40" plasma TV, DVD, CD, and sound system in the front lounge. 5 CD sound system and TV & video player in the rear lounge. 2 toilets & showers, sun deck on roof, BBQ, etc, etc. It was certainly luxury.

And here is the captain (well..... one of them!) as we journey up the Murray River toward Wlakers Flat.

We stopped a couple of times along the way to go for a walk in the bush. Here is Joe, my son in law, coming back from a lagoon walk.

We were not alone on the river. There were many other houseboats and other water craft along the way. here is another that passed us as we moored.
Everyone is so friendly on the river. All wave as you or they go past. Even the skiers try to wave as they pass. (Most fall off! ha, ha.)

Here is our first nights site, chosen so we could have a bonfire on the bank after dark. It also had a walking track into the bush and was a great walk. Right now is the season for snakes to come out of hibernation. We did see one 6 foot brown snake but it slithered away as soon as it saw us.
Snakes in Australia are among the most venomous and dangerous in the world. We have a number of deadly species, but generally they do not like human activity and will move away from noise (unless you are between them and their hole)

The river is also home to much wildlife. From ducks to eagles, to pelicans. There is not a great deal of fish. Murray river carp (a menace and considered a pest. It is illegal to throw them back in the river. Once caught they must be left on the bank for the birds. They are not good eating)
The only other fish are the cod and the callop. I don't think much of them as eating fish, but they are fun to catch and then let go.

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