Archive for Fisherman
A Day’s Fishing With Frans Van Aardt And Family
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Bathurst Island Residents & Fishing Fanatics
Frans & Angelique Van Aardt
Well my friends, today I would like you all to meet and learn just a little about a good friend I have made since arriving here at the Tiwi Islands. Frans is the Shire electrician here , while his lovely wife and fishing buddy Angelique handles the cleaning of the building contractors quarters for Territory Alliance. They have two beautiful little daughters, Ashley 10 and Demi 7 who never miss a fishing trip with mum and dad. A day’s fishing with Fran’s Van Aardt & family is a great and fun day out, they always manage to find the fish which is a huge bonus.
Frans and Angelique are both South Africans who moved to Australia almost 5 years ago now, they first settled in Geelong Victoria. Where Frans landed a job with a company who traveled to the Tiwi Islands to carry out contract work, he fell in love with the place I am told and he decided to move here with the family.
The first couple of years, the two girls were taught by School Of The Air and then some tutoring also with the help of Skype and Angeliques home teaching. They have an excellent school here now and they both attend this, an experience they can tell their children I’ll bet.
Ashley with her dad & mum fishing
Demi with just one of many she caught
The kids both managed to out fish me on the day,and I was amazed at the fact they both rigged up their lines and baited them also by themselves. I have been on a few trips out fishing with Frans Van Aardt and family since this trip . The fishing around the islands is fantastic and the family go fishing most every weekend when the weather is acceptable, I will be bringing you many more stories of fishing trips with Frans & family.
After this day out fishing in the straight between the two islands, we all had a ball bottom fishing for golden snapper and ended up with a large quantity, that we then distributed among the Tiwi aboriginals community when we returned. They appreciate it very much when you give them fish, and the older women could not stop thanking us. I actually enjoyed giving them fish just as much as I did catching them, Frans also told me he has been adopted by quite a few of the aboriginal families here on the islands and says he is just sharing with family.
I have been in the process of getting to know people on the Island and settling in with the administration at the Shire Council . I am so thankful to Frans and his friendship as I am still finding my way around & now understand why Frans & Angelique love the place so much & plan to stay until the children need to further their education at college. Well my friends,obviously I will be bringing you many more adventures as they unfold.
Before I finish up with this post I want to let you all know about some other good friends I have online who are about to set out on an around Australia adventure of a lifetime. David & Lisa Wood will be setting out with their 5 sons in a Bus they have prepared for the 12 month plus journey and they want us all to enjoy the trip with them by following their journey here >> http://www.facebook.com/NewLifeOnTheRoad or by following the regular posts of the journey on their newly created purpose blog >> Here
Well friends & readers I want to finish up here by saying just how grateful I am for the life I live and the wonderful friends I have met in my travels , and those I am yet to meet. After a day’s fishing with Frans Van Aardt and family I feel truly blessed with yet another group of life long friends, thank you both Frans & Angelique.
tight lines
Allen Sentance Fisherman
Adelaide River Jumping Crocodiles
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Crocodiles Jumping For Our Tourists
Welcome back to the Fishermans blog , friends today I would like to tell you just a little about our world famous Adelaide River Jumping Crocodiles , and add some photographs to help you visulaize the experience that so many tourists from around the world flock to see.
Adelaide River
The river is in the top end of the Northern Territory of Australia . If you were to fly to Darwin and join a tour group there they will take you by mini bus 90 km from Darwin to where the Jumping Crocodile cruises are located. These cruises are set up along side the Arnhem highway bridge that crosses the river to get to another famous spot Kakadu National Park , which is another 90km further on .
The roads are all first class bitumen sealed , to the cruises pickup wharf and tourists coffe shop. To see a map of the area that will perhaps explain the location a little clearer and show you where I live on the Adelaide River you may like to visit my other blog here . There are thousands of crocodiles in the Northern Territory of Australia, and when you are negotiating any waterways around here, you must have your witts about you at all times.
Getting Crocodiles To Jump
This process has evolved over time from the crocodiles being fed regularly, at the same spots . The cruise will go approximately 4km up river and move at a very slow pace , so the tourists get to spot all the crocodiles and take in the beautiful surroundings of the Adelaide River wildlife and birds. When they are approaching the crocodiles some will surface and begin to swim to the boat . while others will just lie in the mud at the rivers edge.
They vary in size from 3 to 6 mtrs , at this point the boat will stop and dangle some meat from a string on a pole. They will raise the dangling meat up and down until the crocodile is ready to jump, they can tell this as his tail section will sink deep into the water to get the propulsion he needs to launch himself. All this action happens within 2 or 3 mtrs from the side of the boat, and to see a huge crocodile jump out of the water is awesome .
Although this is a great spectacle and tourist attraction , getting crocodiles to jump in the wild like this . Some will argue that it only encourages crocodiles in the wild to jump into and attack unsuspecting fisherman and boating enthusiasts . The last photo I will share with you may support, that Adelaide River Jumping Crocodiles are infact more dangerous . I live on the Adelaide River and have my own opinion, that crocodiles are only as dangerous as the people that put themselves at risk, acknowledge them and treat them with respect at all times.
A Very Lucky Escape Indeed
This is a photograph from our local news paper only this year, where some fisherman had a very lucky escape. I hope I have enlightened you all as to our famous Adelaide River Jumping Crocodiles , and you can form your own opinions. Our Northern Territory Government fisheries department can supply all you need to know about our laws and controls of crocodiles . We trap around 300 crocodiles annually, in Darwin Harbour alone and relocate them.
Good Bye now to you all and see you for our next blog post here on Fishermans Blog .
Tight Lines
Allen Sentance
Fisherman
