Day 18 – Friday 6 August 2021 – 308km

Up early to pack as we need to be at the Covid vaccination centre before 9.25am.  We reach the centre in Lyons with time to spare. The staff are very efficient and Tereza is processed promptly and is jabbed by one of the four nurses on duty. I noticed a bit of a lull in the people coming in & asked if there was any chance I could get my 2^nd Covid vaccine jab, even though I had not booked as there were no time slots available. The staff were very kind & checked for me & yes, so I went straight in. Win-win, Tereza & I have now both been fully vaccinated with Astra Zeneca.

We depart the centre at 10.10am and head for Corroboree Billabong and our lunchtime cruise, it is a fair drive on the road towards Kakadu National Park and we make the billabong by midday in plenty of time. The bus from Darwin arrives packed, the boat is full and it is only a short motor from the dock before the first crocodile is spotted, a small freshwater variety. A nice salad lunch is distributed and Evan, the cruise boat skipper, gives very detailed information on the animals & plants, he is interesting plus has a sense of humour.

As we travel along the billabong the crocodiles get bigger and the birdlife is amazing, so many waterbirds catching fish. The lily and lotus flowers are pretty and the overall scenery is very pretty. We see a big Jabiru wading bird up close, the iridescent colouring on its neck is striking. We see a jabiru nest with large chick plus a sea eagle nest with large chick.   The crocodiles get bigger again and the biggest we see for the day is around 5 metres long. All too soon our tour of Corroboree Billabong is over & we are back on the road again.

Our next destination is Jabiru in Kakadau National Park, around 180km away. The road is good and the scenery changes a bit now and then, some wetland floodplains and some savannah & some patches of pandanus. We cross the South Alligator River & the tide is out, steep mud banks with a few small crocs sunning. We arrive in Jabiru & after a small search find the van park & book in around 5.30pm. Dinner at the bistro of fresh barramundi was superb, washed down with a Corona beer to celebrate getting fully vaccinated. Small world, the campers next door are from Canberra.

The night is cooling down nicely and it is pleasant to sleep, not too hot, each day is around 33C.

Another great day.