[BENT_8]

Most memorable trip i've done was 4 days on the back waters of the Murray at Chowilla Creek.
Had to fit everything i would need for the whole trip into my Kayak. Tent & Acc., SI mat, sleeping bag, food, clothing, drinking water etc.

Left the old customs house just out of Paringa near Renmark SA and paddled upstream over the SA/Vic border and set up camp just short of the entrance to the back waters of Chowilla.
Up early the next morning, repacked and on the water by 8am for a solid days paddle.
Late evening and we're almost to our destined camp site when we interrupted a family of ducks and ducklings. The parents became seperated from the young and as we set up camp a few hundred meters further down we could hear the banter as both parties tried to find each other in the dwindling light.
Soon enough the ducklings found their way to the glow of our campfire, so we carefully picked them up and carried them through the bush towards the still persistant calls of what must have been a frantic mother.
Five minutes after returning to our campfire we heard the unmistakable chirping of the ducklings on their way back and soon enough they wadled up from the waters edge and nestled in a huddle beside our fire with us.
Mum and Dad eventually made their way over to us, however, they were a lot more suss of us than their offspring and kept their distance, one eye on their young, one on us.

You couldnt script that stuff, to be under a cloudless, starlight night, around a campfire with mates, 2 days paddle from civilisation and in the company of a family of wild ducks.

Rose early the next morning, packed and onto the 3rd leg and another full days paddle.
Another night of isolation and up early the following morning for the paddle back to reality.

It is a beautiful part of the world and provides the opportunity to tour as we did or set up from a vehicle in one of the numerous campsites around the area. If you ever get the chance to get out there, take it, you wont be disappointed.

Unfortunately were putting camping on hold for a few months now, got a road trip to the Gold Coast coming up in June where my Daughter will play in the Australian Open, but when we get back i will be itching to pack the wagon and get back to nature somewhere.

We'll have to start a 'show us your camping trip' thread.