#44 & 45 Fitzroy Crossing

Well we thought we were off … 

Turns out the step on K&E's van wouldn't close (their "upgrade" included electronic steps and awnings) and it turned out that their battery that powered the  living quarters wasn't charging so their fridge wasn't working … along with everything else.  They didn't want to drive with the step out (luckily we wound in the awning to watch the stars the night before) so … after all four guys giving it the  "good 'ol Aussie "go"", they gave in and …called the rental company!  Britz said take off the step manually and then drive into Derby where they would fix everything!  

So the other three vans (me driving ours with Eileen - Joe went with Ken) drove the 250kms to Fitzroy Crossing … without incident!  We did stop at the Indigenous Art Gallery that was run by the Indigenous people who owned the land (we learnt a lot about the art from the lady at the counter) on the way out, and the Boab Prison Tree

 (Photo to come)

 (a huge Boab tree where they would tie up the aboriginies they had stolen to work on the pearl boats in Broome) and a quick lunch but no other stops, no other problems and we were delighted with the Fitzroy River Lodge campground. 

Back in Derby, anybody with any experience that could "fix everything" seemed to be missing and then some young apprentice mechanic came up with a "fix" for the battery problem, so they all crossed their fingers it would work and Ken & Joe arrived at the campsite just as the sun set. They were happy to make it without driving in the dark, even though they had to dodge a dingo crossing in front of them and cows on the road.

We spent two nights at the lovely campsite -  without incident.

 We took a great one-hour boat tour of the nearby Geikie Gorge with an Indigenous lady providing the lovely commentary.  

The birders were happy with their birds, we saw some fresh-water "crocks", which is what most people seemed to be there for, and there wasn't a ripple in the water so I was happy. 

Greg & Florrie looking for "crocs"

Pip and Paul looking for birds

Ken & Eileen looking for birds

We finished off with a great swim in the campsite pool (this one was open until 9.00 p.m.!!) and the night cooled off nicely so we didn't even need to run the  a.c.

Now we have one more stop before Kununarra - still deciding between Hall's Creek (a dodgy town Joseph says) with powered sites, or nearby Caroline's Pool (a local favourite Joseph says) with no power.  Everybody is energized by the cool night we just had so I'm bracing myself for the vote going to the "no-power" site (insert sad face)!