Make sure everyone is very compatible for there is no escape - you cannot hop in your car and go home if things go wrong. All hire boats have 2-way radio in case of emergency or being stranded on a sand bar so you do have a link to the outside world. A day in the life of houseboating Early risers before the sun appears will sometimes see beautiful river fog sitting low on the surface. Sunrise on the river is not to be missed - everything is fresh and the sky sometimes so colorful. The birdlife can be quite varied at times - like the swan family looking for titbits from us before leaving the mooring and the cormorants we came across one day having a union meeting.
Pelicans are in abundance and always ready for a hand-out.
Ducks are prevalent but not so easy to spot are blue wrens and kingfishers. With breakfast over and all showered and dressed we prepare for a walk in the bush before continuing our journey around the next bend with great expectations. Once under way books, magazines and indoor games are produced. The inevitable water skiers are sure to be about making plenty of noise and disturbing the fish unless you travel up past Lock 6. The scenery along the way can be quite spectacular with many river cliffs the highest and most extensive being at Big Bend below Lock 1.