Saturday adventure

Today was an interesting day. We had our first experience of travelling in the Wet even though the serious Wet has not started here yet. We loaded our 200kg of gear and ourselves into the plane at Ramingining around 9 this morning with pilot Brady and headed toward Oenpelli bearing 267 almost due West. About 15 minutes later at 6500 feet it was solid cloud with rain streaming off the windows. The weather closed in and we circled to descend to 1500 feet with the cloud and heavy rain following us down. It was impossible to know which way was up with the only clues the level indicator tilting over and the compass circling as we spiralled down.

Brady talked to his office in Maningrida to discover there was a line of large storms stretching too far to fly around and with rain too heavy to fly under. For a few minutes we headed to Maningrida to wait it out but that plan was quickly abandoned as the weather continued to close in. It was back to Ramingining from where we had started 20 minutes before.

The radar image shows the line of storms a few hours later

after it had passed over us at Ramingining. We made it to the little shelter shed beside the strip before the downpour started. It was pretty special with the whole area flooding about 10cm deep in minutes. The trees on the far side of the strip vanished in the downpour while we watched it on the internet radar on Brady's mobile phone. Going back to Ramo was a good call on his part. An hour later we were back in the air heading along the coast to dodge remaining rain.

The 50 minute flight was so uneventful this time that it got too much for Michelle in the back seat. We had occasional glimpses of the ground and the magnificent Arnhem Land escarpment. Brief glimpses of folded bare weathered hills, narrow gorges and confined rivers flashed under the plane through tiny

gaps in the cloud.

For 30 minutes we flew comfortably between upper and lower cloud masses in a white and grey world. 34 nautical miles out from Oenpelli, we began a cautious descent through the lower cloud mass emerging right on target in sight of the airstrip. Even at 500ft, cloud obscured the wonderful ancient hills of this country.

Our cabin makes up for not seeing it from the air. As I look out the window across a rapidly flowing lagoon complete with saltwater crocs vying for dominance in the expanded lagoon, Injulak hill rises high above the far side of the lagoon. In drier times, you can walk across with a local guide to visit ancient and new rock paintings. Now locals stand on plastic chairs out in the water fishing and watching for crocs. This afternoon the corellas flew in to explore their new neighbours while two Jacanas (Lilly trotters) danced around the edge of the lagoon feeding. High in an old tree, a white breasted sea eagle waited and watched while a blue winged kookaburra cackled its raucous call in the tree above the cabin.

We had arrived in Gunbalana, the gear was drying in the cabin after the front stowage of the plane leaked, the shop was closed, as was the take away, so it was pasta and a few vegies we brought with us for dinner. All was right with this beautiful corner of the world.

The rain has started drumming on the roof again drowning the digital TV - not just the sound, the picture goes as well. The Wet proper has not arrived here yet so I think we are in for an interesting time in the next few months.

Michelle put this video together of the flood created by the rain. Was interesting watching the water between us and the plane get deep and deeper by the minute.