Day 1 (and more)

But you arent reading this because you are interested in marsupials, "what about the beach" you say. And what about large fish with sharp teeth? Kangaroos are cute but there are things in the water that eat people. After all Steven Spielberg didnt make a fortune with a movie entitled "Pouch" about the antics of a giant killer marsupial terrorizing a small beachfront town.

Yes, we do have a lot of Selachimorpha in the area. In order to keep them away from the beach there are baited lines set out just off shore. Now whether this is a good idea or not; the jury is still out, since the baits may actually *attract* Carcharhiniformes to the area. Rather like those UV bug traps that bring insects from miles around. But noone I know has been taken by one and I dont let the thought that they are there worry me.

In case you havent figured it out we are talking about sharks. Anyway there are much more worrying things in the water. Like box jellyfish, irukanji and stonefish. Box jellyfish are known locally as "stingers". (That would be functionally equivalent to calling lions and grizzly bears "biters".) And they are a good reason to wear panty hose while in the water during summer months. Gladstone is at southern end of the stinger range and they are rarely seen, especially on the open beaches, they tend to live in estuaries and sheltered waters.