Early on a Saturday morning , our rare waterfront roundsman ventured into Townsville's renovated casino , The Ville , and in between several -actually three- large servings of frozen yoghurt in the Palm Lounge was treated to exciting accounts by teenagers in a family group about fossicking for gemstones in Queensland and competitive rowing , the Townsville media coverage of this sport lacking , as pointed out recently when two local girls won a state school championship and did not rate a mention .
The S(h)ipping Reporter , the only one north of Flinders Island , has more than a passing interest in rowing . Many moons ago, it was suggested , because of his athletic build , he should join Sydney's Balmain Rowing Club . Then , in a dramatic event on Darwin Harbour, on a fishing trip with journalist Peter Blake, aboard a boat that broke down , he rowed like Grace Darling against the outgoing tide and safely got them home , his arms stretched so much his knuckles dragged on the ground for months .
The S(h)ipping Reporter , the only one north of Flinders Island , has more than a passing interest in rowing . Many moons ago, it was suggested , because of his athletic build , he should join Sydney's Balmain Rowing Club . Then , in a dramatic event on Darwin Harbour, on a fishing trip with journalist Peter Blake, aboard a boat that broke down , he rowed like Grace Darling against the outgoing tide and safely got them home , his arms stretched so much his knuckles dragged on the ground for months .
While our salted and stuffed scribe wandered about the grounds of the casino he took snaps from the helipad of Magnetic Island in the distance and the above views of Miss Piggy looking Castle Hill , bulrushes in the foreground, in which Moses could have been floating , waiting to be found and placed in the lost property office.
Burning off the calories (dried figs , apricots , rice bubbles ,watermelon, Kiwi fruit, crispy bacon, pineapple pieces, scrambled egg, cornflakes, what no prunes ? , assorted nuts, some dangerous to the teeth, not wanting to appear a glutton , he did not load up the tempting mushrooms on toast ... ) , he later inspected the wharves and saw more interesting ghost fleet vessels in port... Sunlight Lily and Jupiter Express just two of those visible.