Bits and Bobs

In typical school holiday style having had glorious weather throughout the term we get to the holidays and the weather turns wet - not the true wet but enough rain each day to make plans a bit awkward.
We had intended to meet up with Lara (a colleague of Tish) for a swim and BBQ at the lagoon but it was absolutely hurling down in Cairns so we gave it a miss. As the weather was not as bad here the children and I went down to one of the local parks...

As is normal in this park they had a critical audience

although obviously their performance has improved as this time he was a quiet observer.
When the swings had lost their appeal we moved on to the beach, whilst there are not the shells that we were finding in the NT it is still a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon. The temperature was pleasant as well with a cooling breeze blowing inshore

In the late afternoon Hamish and I went with Alan cast netting for bait fish.
We wandered across the golf course which is a completely different place during the day!
We had a quick check for the croc but with no success but we did see these two

but they were too jumpy and slipped off into the water when I tried to get closer.
We made our way to a tidal creek at the back of the marina

where Alan gave us a master class in how you throw a cast net

It is then a waiting game to see if yu have caught anything as the net gets pulled back in

It is quite a hit and miss process during the day as the fish can see you coming, Alan as a rule has far more success going out at night.
That said we still got a reasonable haul, mostly mud herring but a few mullet and one milkfish

Hamish did try to use the net but his hands are not big enough at the moment so we will try again with a smaller net.