A Walk on the Wild Side
My husband is not really an exercise junkie. It’s true that he’s pretty fit, being an everyday physical worker here on the cattle property, but he’s not the kind to pump iron for his manly biceps. Or buy gym equipment for the garage. Or stare at himself in the mirror. It’s something I kinda like about him.
So I was a little amazed when he announced yesterday that he was going for a long walk.
I am more used to him taking little ‘inspection’ walks like the one above. He inspects particularly well. Inspecting cattle, inspecting fences, inspecting floodwaters. If he wasn’t already well-labelled Mr Incredible, he could quite easily wear the mantle of The Inspector. (Food for thought if he ever starts his own blog).
Anyway, he went for a walk yesterday. A three hour walk. Heading south along the river. And he took a camera. Shall we check out his efforts en route?
I have to say, he didn’t take MANY pics. Well, many compared to me (but then Who does?).
This one was within sight of the house. He tried to follow the ‘road’ but it kept on disappearing from sight under the floodwaters. I assume he skirted around the murky invasion, but as he is currently snoring up a storm, we shall just have to assume he didn’t swim.
He says he saw a dingo somewhere around here – two actually. Feeding on the carcass of a kangaroo. They took off when they saw him, but then circled back to their meal while he was still in sight. There is of course no photographic evidence of this encounter. He was busy keeping an eye on what the wild dogs were up to apparently.
This photo was taken a couple of kilometres further on. When he explained today where it was, I was gobsmacked. This gully is normally quite dry – and reasonably high. But the water is clearly still here – so it’s backed up from the river which would be another 500metres downstream from this point. Incredible…
I think it was somewhere near he that he saw a wild pig. I didn’t ask for details. I have an intense dislike of wild pigs, they freak me out. But I still asked WHY he didn’t take a photo. He had no good explanation other than: I didn’t think of it at the time.
Seriously. Clearly I have had no influence on the man in the past decade at all.
This was the next shot I came across.
Looks like just another flood pic. Except this was the whole reason for Mr Incredible’s marathon walk.
He was trying to save a boat.
A dingy used a couple of months ago, when the river and dam were quite low. He had ridden down here with Dash to haul it to the high water mark when it looked promising for a bit of flooding on the weather forecasts. He dragged it right to the edge of the river bank, wedged it between two trees and tied it securely.
It should have been safe as houses. But thanks to a flood that blew all previous records (along with our boat) right out of the water (okay, UNDER the water) it was a sad sight indeed.
Mr I began wading out to the submerged craft and got to chest-deep before realising that a massive black snake was coiled up in a nearby tree. As he hesitated he saw another slippery reptile slither across the water heading for a drier spot. And he decided he didn’t wish to be a water taxi for any scaly critters. So he came home.
I cannot say I blame him. I’m not a real fan of snakes either – not REALLY up close and personal. You cain’t trust a snake, is all I am sayin’.
This was another shot taken as he neared our house from the southern side. The sign is for a ‘reserve’ where people who once walked cattle from place to place would rest their herd overnight. It doesn’t look too enticing at the moment. Except if you are mustering a herd of ducks.
And so Mr Incredible made it safely back home. Wet and bedraggled and with slightly elevated adrenaline levels.
And possibly cured of random acts of exercise for quite some time.
The End.
14 Comments
debby
Chest deep in water? With snakes? Sounds like my worst nightmare.
debby´s last blog post ..Christmas Day
Catch the Kids
Oh my. Snakes? Wild pigs? Wild DOGS? I’m so glad he made it safely home.
Catch the Kids´s last blog post ..Christmas Halleluia or The Cleaning Was Done By Others
Leenie
Makes me wonder if Noah had the presence of mind to omit the snakes, but the critters were still able to survive the deluge anyway. Snakes in the wrong places was a problem after our broken dam flood too.
Probably a good thing he didn’t go after the boat. He may have forgotten (again) that he was carrying a camera and took with him.
Leenie´s last blog post ..A TREK AND TRACKS
A Novel Woman
I’d be freaking out right about now. I don’t know how you can stay so calm. Especially with floating snakes. Gah.
A Novel Woman´s last blog post ..Ho Ho Hope for the Holidays
jeanie
I was wondering how the dingy was faring – and now we know…
jeanie´s last blog post ..Bad weather – guest post by Salina
CeeCee
See now, everyone was wondering/worrying about snakes and critters and water, I was worrying about that camera and how he’d keep it dry if he reached the boat. 🙂
I’m glad he can see that it’s at least still attached to the tree. Maybe it won’t be a total loss.
CeeCee´s last blog post ..Movie Review-True Grit
Amanda
WOW – that’s a lot of water.
Dingoes, pigs and snakes??? no thanks!
(Far prefer last Christmas at our farm where BIL saw a *reindeer* (feral deer).
….and I must admit – I was worrying about your camera too;)
Amanda´s last blog post ..Dear Darl- it’s December 26 Boxing Day
Kelly
Although I don’t mind snakes that much, I don’t like the kind that is found in water around here (poisonous), so I don’t blame him for turning back.
Back to the previous post… yes, who is Bella??
Kelly´s last blog post ..Gingerbread
Nancy in Iowa
I just can’t wrap my mind around all that water, so close to your ranch! As for the snake detour – I actually like snakes and have been known to pick up a few. However, I must admit I would not want to be in the water with them, as they could move faster than I could!
Mikey
That is so wild. I was looking for the boat, but didn’t see it until you pointed it out. That’s some CRAZY flood water.
Mikey´s last blog post ..Sunny Sunday
Jayne
The boat, she will sit tight til the waters recede.
Thank goodness Mr I made it back in one piece!
Jayne´s last blog post ..Yes- the post-Xmas waistline scrutiny has begunsort of
Scotty
Reminds me of my growing-up days in the north, BB – Ingham (my hometown) got flooded on a regular basis and made traveling to Townsville or Cairns kinda hard. It was fun to ride your bike through though.
🙂
Scotty´s last blog post ..Tron
Margaret
These photos look like our place. Spare a thought for us. We’ve had thirty extra people stranded at our place since Christmas Day. The first seven walked out today (30+km)… following the railway line until they reached an area of backed up water where we had a boat arranged to meet them and ferry them across to waiting family members who came out 20km to meet them on the other side of the flooding. Fun Times!!!
Crazy Sister
That’s quite a walk!