Rollin', rollin' rollin' on a river, and a highway or two.

[OzKiwiJJ]

57 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Are there passengers on board?

Yes, she was doing her 4 day itinerary from Mannum up to Blanchetown and through the lock. She then does a 3 day itinerary down river from Mannum. The two combined make the 7 day trip.

 

We saw quite a bit of her during our trip. She used different moorings to us so we'd keep passing each other when one or the other was on a mooring.

 

She looks quite magnificent from the outside, not sure what she's like onboard though.

Edited February 25, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ

[MMDown Under]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, she was doing her 4 day itinerary from Mannum up to Blanchetown and through the lock. She then does a 3 day itinerary down river from Mannum. The two combined make the 7 day trip.

 

We saw quite a bit of her during our trip. She used different moorings to us so we'd keep passing each other when one or the other was on a mooring.

 

She looks quite magnificent from the outside, not sure what she's like onboard though.

Checked her out.  She looks flash inside as well as outside.  

[NSWP]

15 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

Indeed seagulls are rather plain, they are very plentiful here.

And here, they dive bomb and steal your 🍟 hot chips near the water. Plus the mess they make.

Edited February 25, 2021 by NSWP

[mr walker]

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

And here, they dive bomb and steal your 🍟 hot chips near the water. Plus the mess they make.

At least there not pelicans 😮

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, mr walker said:

At least there not pelicans 😮

We have those too around the waterfront in Batemans Bay, they make an even bigger mess.

 

Edited February 26, 2021 by NSWP

[Blackduck59]

It's interesting how the common seagull, scourge of garbage dumps and beaches everywhere are just a pest. Then you look at an Albatross and without a concept of their size they look much like a common gull until you have something to reference the size of those birds.

Speaking of Pelicans we had some show up here in the summer of 2017 had the local birders all abuzz.

[MicCanberra]

if anyone can, the pelican.

[By The Bay]

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I'm damned if I see how the helican!

 

By Dixon Lanier Merritt

[vada_9]

Sorry if I offend any one by sort of high jacking this thread, but thought I would share that today I received an e-mail from PS Emmylou (cruises out of Echuca) - they have added more dates for their Murray River cruises.

[NSWP]

18 hours ago, By The Bay said:

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I'm damned if I see how the helican!

 

By Dixon Lanier Merritt

Oh to hear a poet.

[NSWP]

19 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

It's interesting how the common seagull, scourge of garbage dumps and beaches everywhere are just a pest. Then you look at an Albatross and without a concept of their size they look much like a common gull until you have something to reference the size of those birds.

Speaking of Pelicans we had some show up here in the summer of 2017 had the local birders all abuzz.

Seagulls and pelicans are pests. One should see the mess everywhere down here. The pelicans sit atop the light poles and drop their droppings on cars 🚙 and people below.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Seagulls and pelicans are pests. One should see the mess everywhere down here. The pelicans sit atop the light poles and drop their droppings on cars 🚙 and people below.

Yes, they can be pests especially when humans encourage them by feeding them but they have their place in the natural world. The pelicans, seagulls, black shags and other water birds are doing their small part in helping to reduce the number of carp that infest the Murray River.

[getting older slowly]

17 hours ago, vada_9 said:

Sorry if I offend any one by sort of high jacking this thread, but thought I would share that today I received an e-mail from PS Emmylou (cruises out of Echuca) - they have added more dates for their Murray River cruises.

 

One will have to look into Murray River Cruising

 

We were on the Emmylou back in 2012 did an overnighter... very nice... back in ones working days and time restrictions.. ( found the ticket on the memory board $265 each )

that was before the refit ( shared bathroom and toilet, walk halfway round the deck )

good meals....

 

Have done house boating also very enjoyable...

 

Don

[OzKiwiJJ]

Don, I highly recommend the Proud Mary five day cruise. So interesting, so informative, so much fun (especially if you're lucky enough to get Captain Dave Farran).

 

I hope to post about the remainder of our cruise later today but will just say now that it rates highly among the best cruises we have done.

[getting older slowly]

Thanks Julie... will be looking into it for sure.....

the whole thing sound very relaxing....

 

My Parents own a holiday shack on the river at Morgan for many years and become interested in Cruises on the river ... but have only done two one week houseboat trips from greenings landing north of Mannum and the overnight on the Emmylou ..

 

Don

[Blackduck59]

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

Seagulls and pelicans are pests. One should see the mess everywhere down here. The pelicans sit atop the light poles and drop their droppings on cars 🚙 and people below.

 

We have the Sea Gulls, no pelicans. We do however have the Iconic? Canada Goose they stay all year around here, goose crap everywhere.

[possum52]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, they can be pests especially when humans encourage them by feeding them but they have their place in the natural world. The pelicans, seagulls, black shags and other water birds are doing their small part in helping to reduce the number of carp that infest the Murray River.

I was at our local beach watching our granddaughter do Nippers. There were plenty of seagulls and one lone pelican enjoying the calm water of Port Phillip Bay. I don't remember the last time I saw a pelican at our beach but there are usually seen on the creek, a few hundred metres from our house and on the nearby river a couple of kms from the mouth.

 

Leigh

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Don, I highly recommend the Proud Mary five day cruise. So interesting, so informative, so much fun (especially if you're lucky enough to get Captain Dave Farran).

 

I hope to post about the remainder of our cruise later today but will just say now that it rates highly among the best cruises we have done.

That is wonderful to hear, Julie. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Proud Mary Day 4

 

This time it was the alarm that woke me, very early, as we were going on an excursion first thing after a quick breakfast of eggs florentine. They were very nice indeed. 

 

Our excursion was to the Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Conservation Site, one of the oldest archaeological digs in Australia. It was fascinating.

 

We were shown so many aspects of life there including a couple of native bee hives, a source of honey. You can see the honeycombs in the lower left of the hole in the sandstone cliff face.

 

 

This area had been under the sea a few times in the distant past and there was a few fossils for us to examine.

 

 

Not only did we see a couple of campfire sites that had been excavated to show the layers, and therefore the history of the river people, but we also saw many drawings and their meanings. Some were maps, others showed what creatures in that part of the river were good food sources. It was probably the most interesting excursion of the cruise so far. 

 

This drawing represents a dolphin. Dolphins used to come quite a way up the river at times.

 

 

I think this drawing is a map to some location important to those people at the time.

 

 

 

After we got back to the boat, and everyone had fortified themselves with tea and coffee, they showed a couple of videos. One was about the 1956 flood which lasted several months, the other traced the Murray from it's source in the Snowy Mountains to the river mouth near Goolwa. Both were very interesting.

 

Lunch was grilled chicken on pumpkin puree with asparagus, ham and a creamy sauce, followed by passionfruit pannacotta. The head chef is French and makes delicious sauces.

 

 

After lunch we retired to the big verandah to relax and cool off a bit. It gets a bit too warm in the dining room sometimes.

 

We had a lovely relaxing afternoon then had quick showers and changed for the Captain's Dinner. Everyone dressed up a little but, of course, not formally.

 

It was a great evening. Fantastic food:

 

 

 

 

 

The steak was far too big for most of us at our table but was perfectly cooked for my taste. I wasn't too keen on the blue cheese sauce though, I would have rather had a classic red wine jus.

 

The Captain and Engineer rotated around the tables, changing after each course. We ended up with Captain Dave during the dessert course and had a hilarious time. The banter continued on for quite a while.

 

All the crew came out so we could acknowledge their efforts. They really have been marvellous.

 

[Docker123]

5 hours ago, possum52 said:

I was at our local beach watching our granddaughter do Nippers. There were plenty of seagulls and one lone pelican enjoying the calm water of Port Phillip Bay. I don't remember the last time I saw a pelican at our beach but there are usually seen on the creek, a few hundred metres from our house and on the nearby river a couple of kms from the mouth.

 

Leigh

Over my side of the bay, lots of birds. Also, 2 coasts as we are on a peninsula.

 

Vast numbers of over fed seagulls. Plenty of pelicans, black swans, terns, cormorants and pacific gulls. Common for white faced heron and occasional sooty oystercatcher catchers.

 

Have recently seen black shouldered kites, collared sparrowhawks, and Australian hobbies.

 

Gannets are usually further offshore, but these were just buzzing around the beach. 
 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Docker123

[OzKiwiJJ]

Proud Mary Final Day.

 

I woke up before the alarm this morning. Sadly this is our last day on this lovely boat.

 

Breakfast was an omelet with bacon, cherry tomatoes and toast.

 

After breakfast we went back to our cabin to pack most of our stuff. It was quite easy as we'd taken an extra tote bag to use as a laundry bag, so we didn't have to worry about squeezing in the few souvenirs we'd bought as there was plenty of room in our main bag. We're very pleased we chose to use several small, soft bags instead of suitcases as these were much easier to store in the small cabin.

 

We had one final excursion, to Reedy Creek where there is sometimes a lovely waterfall. However there hadn't been enough rain so the creek was mostly dry apart from a few waterholes. However it was a lovely walk into a very interesting gorge, different because most of the stone is granite not the usual sandstone.

 

 

 

 

We also stopped at Mypolonga Primary School where the school has an interesting initiative teaching the students basic accounting in a real life situation. Products made by them, or made by people in the community and sold on commission, are sold to a weekly busload of people from the Proud Mary. The kids learn how to add up prices, make change, work out the profit on things they have made, work out the commissions and payments for the community items, and reconcile the accounts. They start off doing it manually and then progress to using spreadsheets. The kids also give short presentations on their system which teaches them public spreaking and helps them become more confident. They were absolutely delightful and obviously enjoy the weekly visit of the Proud Mary bus. Kudos to Proud Mary for getting involved in this initiative. The school also operates a community garden under the Stephanie Alexander scheme. It's not a big school, just 140 pupils, but is apparently turning out kids that go on to do very well in their futures.

 

We got back onboard just in time for lunch, beef cheek bourguignon, followed by neopolitan icecream.

 

 

After lunch we finished packing, left our bags outside our cabin door - yes, the crew put them ashore for you, probably for safety reasons as the stairways are very steep - returned our cabin key, then sat on the big verandah until the boat had tied up at Murray Bridge and we were cleared to disembark.

 

DH went on the bus to get the car while I waited with the bags. 

 

We had a easy trip back to Adelaide, found our hotel OK, checked in and took our myriad of bags up to our apartment, then moved the car to the carpark across the road. Much to our amusement we ended up behind the Proud Mary bus which was heading into the bus terminal underneath the carpark to pick up passengers for the weekend cruise.

 

Then it was back to the apartment, via Coles for some basic breakfast items, to sort out the unpacking and laundry. We had ten days of washing to do. I hate front loader washing machines! They take so long to do one load, and we had three loads to get through. 

 

By the time we'd finished unpacking it was quite late so we just ordered some Indian food to be delivered to the hotel. Luckily we had that lovely bottle of Vermentino from Trentham Estate to go with the meal.

 

Then we crashed into bed. Our cruise is over, but we can always dream of more.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Do you want me to continue posting about the rest of our travels or have I bored you enough already?

 

I'll probably only do one blog post every few days from now on.

 

 

[Docker123]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Do you want me to continue posting about the rest of our travels or have I bored you enough already?

 

I'll probably only do one blog post every few days from now on.

 

 

Please do.

 

I was wondering about food options, which I recall you said was not strong because of space limitations.  I ask because a number of times prawns have appeared, and I do not eat any shellfish (nor cucumber, spinach, or gizzards). How do they handle such things?

[Blackduck59]

Thanks for letting us come along on your little Adventure Julie. It looks like a great trip although I'm used to more than one morsel of each vegetable on my plate. All the meals looked lovely.

Please do continue, it's nice to see someone is able to travel. We aren't "locked down" but are being prudent about going anywhere. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

16 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

Please do.

 

I was wondering about food options, which I recall you said was not strong because of space limitations.  I ask because a number of times prawns have appeared, and I do not eat any shellfish (nor cucumber, spinach, or gizzards). How do they handle such things?

They ask you at the beginning of the cruise if you have any special dietary requirements and provide alternative meals. They also come around every evening after dinner to tell you what the next day's meals will be and record any requests for alternatives.

 

For example at dinner on the Australiana night a couple of the people at our table didn't like kangaroo so they were given a scallop entree instead.

Edited February 27, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ