The kayak has been discussed at length previously.

Had no kayak until it gets exchanged but still went down to the dam edge and looked up Tom and Dennise, they have their spot permanently and live in Eidsvold. Going backwards and forwards to Eidsvold last year they often brought things back for me that had been delivered to the Post Office and will be happy to do so again. I am camped east west and therefore get the morning sun under the awning and in the afternoon get it from the other side.

I have ordered another side screen from Coast to Coast just the same as the one currently shading the morning sun. According to their email it was despatched today Sunday and was only ordered last night, with delivery Thursday. Sounds too good to be true but last year the other side was delivered to Eidsvold P O promptly, oh well we will see about that next week.

Just had a message from June telling me that the glasses ordered from Zenni were delivered Saturday afternoon and she will forward them on to me on Monday. Looks like a couple of pickups from the Eidsvold P O next week.

Monday and up early for the trip to Bundaberg a round trip of 400kms, we had no problems getting there or in finding BCF to swap over the kayak, then to Bunnings and Aldi. We called in to see John (Jac Mac) in Gin Gin for a cuppa and a yarn then back to Wuruma just after mid day. Lovely views all along the way, the road from the Eidsvold turnoff is sealed up to Mt Perry but the Monto to Mt Perry is being resurfaced and closed.

No prizes for guessing that I pumped up the kayak during the afternoon so I could test it out on Tuesday, no problems it was still firm in the morning and I took it out for a paddle. This time there was little pain in the shoulder and I could paddle with my arms resting on the side of the kayak. Still didn't take out the opera nets with the kayak but walked round the bay and threw them in at a likely spot for inspection tomorrow morning.

Had a visitor (Haji Bargi?) dropped in to say that he had been reading the posts and wanted to make contact. He and his wife are camped in the next bay they like it better over there and will be there for another week or so. The frozen berries from the Gold Coast worked well and I have been using them in the Bullet together with more fruit from Aldi. Lots of nuts and seeds make the bullet a nutritious meal.

I am settling into a routine now with MSM and Cider Vinegar night and morning, muesli for breakfast and a bullet blitz for the evening meal. Eye drops every evening of course. The mid day meal can be anything and I have smoked cod cooked in milk in the frying pan with frozen vegetables lined up for today, am working up to potato bake should do it today 'cos it is cooler and I cook potato bake on the choofer. Went for a swim with a cake of soap in my bather's pocket, as usual cold to get right in but warm when under the surface. A quick scrub down and out. 

Ok the big moment, I paddled the kayak out to see how many red claw I have caught overnight and was disappointed with the first net, not only was there no catch but the bait had gone. Off further round the corner and wow there was a massive one and a smaller red claw in the net, so how to get them out when not very stable in the kayak so I returned to the bank. Perhaps as well for it was no easy task for a novice, they have huge claws and move very quickly I would never have made it balancing in the kayak.

Was told to tilt the net and they climb upwards so I put water into the 5ltr container and hoped that they would climb out of one and into the other. No way I had to trap the little one in the folds of the net whilst tipping the big one into the container then the smaller one. Eventually it was done and I secured the container into the strapped area on the front of the kayak and set off for base where I got further advice as to what to do next.

Red claw get knocked out quickly when introduced to ice so I had to get them out of the container and into the freezer, again easier said than done. I had been given an exhibition of how to hold the red claw behind the head where they can not bite you anyway they were put into the freezer and checked on 15 minutes later and found them knocked out possibly dead. The next step is to seperate the head from the body with a twisting motion then remove the flap above the tail and the digestive track comes away.

Then was told how to cook them by putting them into a saucepan covering them with water and adding salt bring up to boil whilst watching them to turn red and they are ready. Nobody told  me that the water turned frothy and white so the colour was hard to see and then would have boiled over if I hadn't caught it in time. Not to worry they tasted good, not enough to add to other cooking but tasted a bit like lobster.

I have got the hang of it now and will use pumpkin next time instead of the chicken carcas brought from the coast, so this afternoon I will go out and bait the nets again. The campers down by the dam were good enough to take photos of my kayaking efforts and they told me about Jamie's Grocery Deliveries to Wuruma Dam, certainly was not here last year and a boon for those of us who have no separate car.    John