So today was our first attempt to search out the water hole.
We knew it wasn't too far into the bush and we knew there was a track leading towards the water hole, so we drove behind a Kaz's house and she pointed the way towards the track.
At the same time she said "It may be grown over because we haven't been in there for a while."
Ya think!!!???
We walked for a good fifteen minutes, through quite thick scrub. The only tracks to be found were kangaroo tracks that were barely tracks at all.
Last week there had been some back burning done in the area in preparation for the hot Summer, so there were large patches of ground that were burnt black with clumps of grass stubble everywhere.
These parts were easy to walk over.
Finally, in the distance, we could see a large clearing, so we began walking towards it.
Abruptly, we had to stop, as our feet began sinking into some very wet ground.
Clearly, the rains in January had flooded this area, so the water hole was now surrounded by swamp land that didn't appear to have receded much since the floods.
We decided to walk further around to see if there may be a dryer area to follow to the water hole.
Along the way, we found a small clearing that looked like it may have been somebody's makeshift home. There were a couple of blankets soaked into the ground, a broken plastic chair and some other odds and ends.
The ground was still very damp there, so no-one would have been able to sleep there for quite some time.
We kept walking, but each time that we turned to walk closer to the water hole, the swampland appeared.
In the end we decided to walk back to the main road and follow it back to Kaz's place for the car.
I was surprised by Adoring Husband's amazing inner compass, when we came out of the bush onto the main road, directly opposite the local pub!!
By now, a single photo had NOT been taken. The only bird that we had seen was a dirty old Ibis off in the distance and it was too far away to photograph.
We decided to walk across the road to the pub and have drink while we decided what to do next.
We had been walking for an hour by this point. Adoring Husband was carrying the big backpack with most of the camera gear in it, as well as waving around the folded tripod to get rid of the cobwebs in our path.
I was carrying my camera, which weighs almost 3kgs with the big lens on it.
I was OVER it.
Unlike my brother, who can walk through the bush for hours on end and think nothing of it, 'I' am not much for 'roughing' it.
By now, my shoes were wet and muddy, my jeans were wet and blackened by the burnt stubble and as it was getting closer to midday, the humidity and heat were building up.
I was feeling hot and bothered and ready to give up.
We agreed to walk back to the car and for Adoring Husband to come back another day, on his own, and figure out a way into water hole.
I like that idea. He can do the hard bit and I will come in at the end and take advantage of his brilliance.
So we came home completely empty handed.
Not a single photo!
During our trek through the bush, we didn't come across any wildlife. There were no obvious bugs or creepy crawlies. No snakes, no birds, no kangaroos, no nothing!
It might be a few days before we go for another attempt, but there will definitely be another attempt!
Clearly bush walk number one has been a failure. Let's wait and see what number two brings!
Nite all.
