MONDAY 27 JULY     WEIPA

Today was a getting ready to go day. The barge is due in later today, and we are working on the assumption that our mail must be on it! Nearly three weeks for the Express Mail bag to be flown to Cairns, sent by road to Karumba, then barged here – ridiculous.

In the morning, shopped – a stock up on groceries and supplies for the Cape. $93 worth. John bought more fishing gear  – $77 worth! I bought a pair of thongs for spare. Picked up my photos. Filled a gas bottle.

Got diesel – 77cpl. That’s better! Also filled one of the metal jerry cans as an extra spare supply – not sure of the fuel situation further north, or of our movements!

I finalized letters and postcards and mailed them.

I did a load of washing. Cooked up a batch of soup to use up the old vegies, which were looking rather sad. I wrapped the new vegies individually in newspaper, to help them keep – a time consuming process. Did some packing.

Went to the PO at 4.30pm – our mail was in! Hallelujah. Weipa has become boring. In fact, it became boring several days ago!

Spent some time reading and sorting the mail. There were two letters from V and one from K – the latter amazed me as he is not known to write letters! It was so good to hear from the family. One of V’s letters was a huge, photocopied, account of their doings in WA. We had some share stuff to deal with, group certificates to put with tax papers, and so on. Our health fund charge has risen to $59 each a month – an expensive necessity.

John phoned S – she is getting excited about her coming departure for posting at Port Moresby in PNG. I phoned K to report our plans and we had a good talk.

We had soup, fries and salmon for tea – the salmon was given to us by a nearby camper, who goes out from here with a boat, fishing.

Another neighbouring couple told us that Stone Crossing on the Wenlock is tidal, and can only be crossed at low tide. Even then, it is rough. We had been thinking of going that way as a short cut across to the main road north – it would bring us out north of the Wenlock crossing. But low tide tomorrow is 3pm, which is a bit late.

These people are on their third trip up the Cape. They have travelled extensively. They recommend a Xmas holiday on Lady Musgrave Island, or on islands in that group, which is National Park, where you have to take all you need over, including water. Hmmm….