Captain’s Log – Tambo

Friday 27 May 2011, Tambo QLD
Day 8 – Darwin to Brisbane
24.8°S, 146.2° E.
Elevation: 401 m
Rainfall: 529mm
Population: 360

Conditions are severe. Night time temperatures have dropped to near zero, and Captain forced to wear all available clothing to bed so unable to rotate or move at all really inside sleeping bag. Considered kidnapping one of the roaming camp dogs from a neighbouring mooring as means of warmth. Instruments are also suffering from the severe cold, double click on mouse key gives poor or no response, and electronic lock on car does not operate in morning till batteries warmed by placing keys in pocket for 10 minutes. This caused untold alarm the first time it occurred.

Even more seriously, Captain has been seen crossing the camp ground in night attire in early hours of morning heading for ablutions block wearing thick red walking socks and thongs, black beanie, pink and grey check shortie pyjamas, blue mittens, and thermal top. Clearly Darwin influenced. Fashion police may be alerted and Captain reported for offences under Dressing Outrageously While on Holiday Act.

Have been reflecting on the recent overnight accommodation and decided that there is some absurdity in the choices. At Barkly Homestead, NT, the tent was pitched in the middle of a large paddock, with nothing but kilometre after kilometre of bleached, dry grass, and a mooing bullock over the fence looking fondly at my toast and tea, while I watched it keep its distance, and the sun rise. Now at Tambo, I am in the middle of something that approximates a backyard, a very nice backyard nonetheless, sitting on a chair next to the power supply in the backyard, with a blanket around my shoulders, barely able to type as fingers are rigid with cold, (estimated temperature, 2°C), and children about to go in the nearby school yard. No visible sunrise yet…hidden by housing occupied by some of the 360 people who live here in this village.

Eight bells. Must completed storage of goods and weigh anchor, destination Roma.

The Captain thanks support from home port and urges team to keep in contact throughout treacherous journey south.

Captain’s log

The ship has been temporarily diverted once again to southern climes. The Port of Melbourne is providing safe harbour for the crew. The weather varies here between inclement and frost-biten stillness. This has reminded the Captain of the value of always packing thermal underwear whenever travelling south beyond latitude 12°.

The inhabitants of this port, at 37°S, typically dress in grey or black, walk with rapid strides, and hunch against the wind, willing their jackets to more adequately cover their frozen bones. Some wear devices fixed to their ears which induce a trance-like state and most likely transmit audio signals which increase blood pressure and therefore general personal warmth.

I am gathering data whilst in Melbourne and this new knowledge cargo will be important for maintenance of the ship and its crew when once again back in Darwin. I will also visit several ship chandlers and stock up on essential items such as footwear, reading matter, technological equipment etc, as this port is well known for the quality and quantity of choice in all objects relating to retail therapy.

The Darwin Festival

Weather
Darwin has been like Paradise over the last month or two, but don’t get too settled -  that hot  sticky weather is returning.  It’s not that the daily max changes much, there’s just more moisture, and that makes me less tolerant of everything.  Yes, I am a self-confessed grumpy old woman these days at the best of times.

Festivities
The African drumming, dancing and singing  last night in the Botanic Gardens was fantastic. Sooo much energy. How can a set of drums and two or three blokes singing make such a range of sound? Bring on the ‘talking drum’.  Who needs a symphony orchestra.

But . . . while the Darwin Festival is on and we are spoilt for choice over two-weeks,  I could not miss listening to the Darwin Symphony Orchestra and a touring company from South Australia perform La Boheme. My expectations of getting the sound right in the ampitheatre in the Gardens have lowered, so I was happy with the beautiful voices on stage and the harmonies from the orchestra pit below.

Puccini is magic. The story is all melodrama, but  it’s jokey, and who cares. No worse than any TV soaps I love, so go with the music I say. And under the stars in the open air you forgive a great deal. I’d just ask the fellows in the sound control booth at the back to turn down their walkie-talkies – I don’t want to hear stage directions while Mimi is dying in Paris – is it consumption or cancer? – in a miserable artist’s garret. Relax, this is Darwin, and anyway, there is something crazy about opera written by an Italian, set in a Paris winter, performed in Darwin in 31C tropical heat. I felt sorry for the singers who had to mime huddling beside a fire. I am sure they just wanted to crack open a cool tinny or sit in a fridge.

And there’s more . . .
Another week of festivities ahead. Last week: free Indigenous/African opening concert, and the Raminginning  street sounds from Arnhem Land  wins first prize from me – class and community. Plus, Goose Lagoon, contemporary dance, magpie geese, puppets, an NT fusion version of Swan Lake. This week: David Helfgott, Rachmaninoff, and the piano, ending with John Butler from WA bringing his Bulgarian background to Darwin. Around the world and back again through music. Yes, this is Paradise – but don’t touch the air con!

It’s the bom

Esther has been telling me about the wonders of the Bureau of Meteorology site (the BOM.), and I’ve liked going there since I came to Darwin – especially after our special cyclone briefing at work in November. So exciting: what will I learn about cyclones today? How close is that one they mentioned over Queensland?

But I don’t want to get too obsessive – and I won’t mention this to Esther. I already have two books about cyclones in Darwin, yes, about Tracy.

Anyway, watching TV tonight, a warning comes up on the bottom of the screen – severe thunderstorm warning over Darwin – go to the BOM site.

Interesting. All quiet here. Well who is really going to take notice do you think? I can’t hear thunder. She pokes head outside the bunker door – nothing. All quiet on the northern suburbs front. But wait – not too long after that thunder rumbles away like an upset stomach – rumbling, flashes of light, more thunder – a bit of excitement, eh! Is my cyclone kit ready she wonders. Bit under-stocked perhaps… Sticks head out bunker door again – ah yes – here it comes – the frangipani tree is waving away like crazy in the wind, the palms are flapping about, the rain drives through.

Hmm, should I move the car in off the street? Well what does it matter: what sort of tree branch do I want to drop on my car? A tall thin palm tree? Or the branch from a massive great humungus – I don’t know – mahogany tree? – which leans over the street and the kids’ playground opposite.

Which way will the wind blow, she wonders? Can she pick it? or will it be like standing in the supermarket queue, wondering if she chose the right checkout aisle, or has she as usual chosen the wrong one, the one where you stand for hours, possibly turning to stone as you wait for that price check . . .

Who knows what is the best choice. What will be will be. You get very philosophical up here. What can you do? If Tracy II comes along, well what can I lose? My car is really the only thing of value I have up here, other than my flute (well valuable to me), and the photos of my sons.

The thunder continues.

Back to the BOM. site. They said the storm would pass over the northern suburbs at 9.50am I think, and it did! Wow! what weather prediction! And half an hour later they have updated the website and say the threat has passed! I love it. Go the BOM!

Captain’s log: Becalmed down south

Due to extended southern visit, find self temporarily marooned with second son in Melbourne. Must submit to being fed by excellent chef, reading and lazing around all day long.

Weather report – we swelter in 37C heat – but still nothing like that of my adopted northern city. Here we are likely to evaporate, to disappear like a genie into a bottle. In Darwin there is danger of being washed away in a river of sweat. Recent communcations from Darwin indicate that rain has not fallen there either for some time, however. World somewhat topsy turvy.

To keep self amused during becalmed period am reading cook book – probably classified as fiction in the book shop, but which bits are fiction and which bits are fact is immaterial. Writing style keeps me engaged and, surprisingly, wanting to continue reading about sloppy aspic, the innards of murdered lobsters, and disembowelled ducks. 500 recipes – who would have thought that could make for most entertaining Christmas-time reading ( Julie and Julia, Julie Powell).

Weather report predicts more heat ahead, so strange reading/viewing to continue. Perhaps a bout of Lost in Austen (DVD) will suffice tonight.

Storms in December

I can’t believe I missed the best season in Darwin while visiting NZ for a few days and dropping out of the world for 5 minutes of syncopy. Thanks Esther for the link to this amazing video of the storms in Darwin during December. No words to describe this crazy behaviour in the natural world. Best to listen and look.