Thursday 28 June 2012 Mary River Roadhouse to Gagudju Lodge Cooinda (Yellow River, Kakadu)

Trip Meter Reading Start – 4869            Trip Meter Reading Finish – 4976
Total Km Travelled –  107 km
 
Comments -  Luke Baker
Today I saw heaps of termite mounds three times bigger than the one’s at Mataranka.
I also swam in a pool and found five cents.
This afternoon we went on the yellow water boat cruise.  We saw heaps of salt water crocodiles the biggest one we saw was about five to six metres long.  We also saw heaps of king fishers and rainbow bee eaters
Comments – Dad and Mum
Stopped at a lookout on the way to the Yellow River (Kakadu) however due to burning off by the aborigines and national parks staff it was very smoky; lucky to see a wedge tail eagle with a wing span of over a metre pick up a huge 1.5 m snake on the side of the road (omg, where are we, this place is ridiculously untame!!!)

We decided to check into the Gagudju Lodge Cooinda for a powered site ($46) despite being a $20 p/n unpowered camp 2km south as we had some beer going hot in the engel and desperately were in need for some power to cool it down.  After a couple of coldies and some lunch, we headed for the pool which was a huge pebble crete salt water pool.  Mark met a Belgium gypsy from Maleny who was booked three times on her way to Mt Isa testing her new Aldi TT sports car at 180km / hour (just thought we would throw that in).
Pool was great and part of the $46 p/n fee (may as well make the most of it); all up here in the NT are freaking out about the lunatic who chopped up some poor bugger at Broadwater; we reckon being on the run in croc, pig and buffalo country he will need more than a gun.
We took the 2 hour sunset cruise on the Yellow River wetlands.  Pretty expensive at $88 for a adult and $60 per child; fingers crossed it was going to be worth it as it was the only major tour we had done since Silverton.  Once we got to the boat the scenery changed dramatically; we couldn’t believe a swamp could look so unbelievably beautiful.  This would be the first time we would see a croc in its natural habitat and we were excited; especially  Luke, who was not convinced that crocs actually lived here as it was so dry and the river streams we had crossed had been so clear. 
There were so many people with big cameras and serious zoom; it put our Lumix automatic to shame, but that is where my unique networking skills come in; just talk to the people with the big fancy cameras; get them to like you and at the end of the tour ask would they mind sending you some pics....no worries!.  A nice Melbourne couple now have our gmail address and would love to post some pics to us (happy freaking days!).......by the by.....this cruise, although $80 too expensive, was worth it.....we have never seen anything like it!...It was like a meditation cruise, not a bump in the water, the pink / red sun setting, birds galore and yes of course, lots of crocs; and big ones!  Something for all the family...