the wicked wind from the west

The wind came out of the west and found a tunnel house in its way so it did its best to go through. David arrived on Tuesday to find the western end of the tunnel house flapping and poor little LotsaLemons looking very sick. The front doormat was metres away and worst of all a big branch broke off a leucopogon.

row row row your boat

Jon is here for the weekend and today he took out The Sprat in a strong north wind.
I can see Willow  thinking: "I hope he comes back or we'll have to look after his cat."

tunnel house up

An easterly wind means no fishing today so David and Jon put up the plastic for our relocated tunnel house.

I have planted a row of peas,  some tiny beetroot plants and moved in my LotsaLemons,  a miniature lemon tree, which has had a hard winter on the house deck. In the warmth of the tunnel house it might have a chance.

Heather and Mike gave us some bags of potting mix which is terrific because the soil is - not  surprisingly - sandy.

taking it easy?

The fisherman had four fishing sessions but only Thursday's was any good.
On Saturday he took The Sprat (next job: remove the old name) out off the beach for two tommy ruffs which were returned to the sea.

He trimmed the roadside hedge back to its sinuous shape, erected the frame for our tunnel house which has been relocated from Foote Street, made a potato bed and put up a bench on the top of the western dune...

Our ceremonial first sit on the new/old bench was attended by a chorus line of about fifty dotterels which twinkled in unison along the shore on their tiny legs.

 

the garfish return

The fisherman is happy: he stood in the water at the western end of the bay for one and a half hours and caught 15 beautiful big garfish. 
Gorgeous weather,  19' and no wind.

tree removal

The Moreton Bay fig tree has gone from the western end.  David decreed it's not endemic to the area and anyway our poly tunnel has to go in that spot and its roots would soon be invasive so he chopped off all the foliage from the tree then tied the trunk to his car and towed it out.

Fishing isn't very good this weekend - only four mullet - one theory being that the tuna have eaten them; another theory being that they have moved around the coast to Hutt Bay. 

planning session

Grant District Council invited residents to a planning session to discuss future development for river and coastal communities.

Cape Douglas was well-represented and everyone there presented a united front: we don't want things to change, we like it as it is - off-the -beaten track and practically unknown. The planning team wanted us to say we hate the shacks but we don't. They were there first and as the site is below sea level and suffered badly in the big storms, we all think leave them alone. They have lifetime title only.

We'd like a better safer road up to Point Douglas: it's beautiful up there and we're happy to share it but no "facilities " thanks.

 



Our neighbours Angela & Jo (left) and David (right) putting their views to the planners