It's been a big week up here in the Territory with the weather starting to turn from just plain hot to hot and muggy.
And with the change in weather the marine life start to come alive almost like clockwork.
October 1 is the start of 'stinger season'. A time of year where, like a caterpillar metamorphosing in to a butterfly, all the local SUPsters start arriving at the beach no longer wearing just boardies but colourful full length Lycra and long-sleeved rashies, their eyeballs lookin' like a couple of squashed grapes peering through a couple of centimetres of white zinc all over their faces and hats the size of parasols.
I got good waves last Saturday. It was small, but clean and fun and the 10'6 Style just gets better. Scored heaps of waves and couple of standout, good, long runners.
I also saw my first boxy for the season. Was only about the size of my fist but I could see it had already started growing its little tentacles that they reckon burn like hot wires. Was actually quite pretty watching it pulse past the Style.
They're back.
I took Mandy and Marlow and Clover the Whippet down to the beach Tuesday night for a leg stretch after work and bugger me - the biggest blue-ring oc I've ever seen in the waterline. Third one I've seen - ever. One in Port Philip Bay at Mornington , and two up here. This one was fat and just oozing bad vibes.
Had a face only a mother could love this one. Nothing redeeming at all. 10 centimetres of death.
Then yesterday, news came through from Groote Eylandt- a young fella had been bitten by a sea snake and sadly passed away. Apparently he was a young bloke from the UK out doing some work in Oz.
Anyway - it all makes for an interesting vibe in the water. Crocs'll probably start gettin more active too now I s'pose - haven't seen any of them kickin' round the lineup - I reckon I'll be paddling faster than Usain Bolt if I do.
They reckon there's a slight chance of some swell tomorrow so I'll be down there for the dawny - with my zinc cream on and sweating it out in my lycra.