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By tk *The 128-year-old Hunting Island Lighthouse has been closed while work is done to preserve the historic structure *Dredge permit may have been violated *Town halts South Beach sanding project *Shrimpers set to go *The downtown waterfront theater may be demolished, but that won't keep drama out of St. Marys *St. Johns County Pier compromise between fishermen and surfers *Flagler Beach to investigate surfers’ complaints *State wants year-round ferry to Fort Morgan
Kakadu National Park. Northern Territory, Australia. Saturday the 10th. of August 1998. Whilst visiting Darwin, which on the 19th. of February 1942 was the first site on the Australian mainland to be bombed by the Japanese, we decided to take a day visit to Kakadu National Park. This park is jointly managed by its traditional aboriginal owners and Environment Australia, a Commonwealth organisation. The name Kakadu, stems from an Aboriginal flood plain language called Gagudju which was one of the languages spoken in the northern section of this area at the start of the 20th. century. We joined our bus in Darwin to travel south and enter into the Kakadu National Park, here, the aboriginal people make a basic entry charge of A$ 16.25 for every person entering the park, with the huge influx of tourists daily, it must add to a tidy sum annually. Huge termite mounds called magnetic ant hills abound throughout this area, we now stopped to view some aboriginal rock art, this has survived the ravages of many years of weathering, although we noted what appears to be a repainting of these works, particularly the outlines. We now boarded a flat bottomed boat to tour the wetlands here, fitted with a canopy to shield the passengers from the harsh sun beating down in the afternoon. The wetlands abound with a multitude of bird life, magpie geese, a group of wading birds perched on stilt like legs strutting through the reeds, heads held up high, with darting eyes seeking out likely prey. They put me in mind of a group of rather pious young curates, heads up and noses in the air, as if a bad smell was evident. All along the banks are basking crocodiles, to cool themselves from the strident heat, they they lay in the shallows with their mouths open. The attached photograph taken by Denise shows to what a monstrous size they grow, one should not take them to be slow moving creatures, when motivated they can move with great dexterity and speed. If one were close by, they could snap you up in a twinkle of an eye, and it would be all over very quickly. Although very close to them in our boat, we made sure all our limbs remained within the sanctity of the sides of our craft. At times in the near distance we could view tumbling water falls, as the water cascaded down between some hills, all serene and very beautiful. The dreaded cane toad has relentlessly marched from Queensland all the way to the Northern Territory, and is now reported to have entered the precincts of Kakadu National Park, there seems no way of stopping this ravaging pest, as it destroys much of the smaller fauna, and often flora that crosses its path. To save this priceless place, an unremitting war needs to be waged upon this scourge, to stop its damage in a delicate and quite unique environment. This is an amazing area, almost from another world, on our return journey it had become dark, and kangaroos bounding to cross this busy highway are a real menace. The bus head lights, mesmerise these animals, and it is dangerous to swerve at high speed in an attempt to avoid them, and often dangerous too, when one hears an awful thump as we collect one of these native animals with the full force of a large bus at speed. There are many casualities strewn along the highway, as man again takes his toll of the local fauna. Kakadu is an exotic and interesting place to visit, if in the area, do not miss making a journey into this quite superb National Park.
USS Mount Hood Explodes at Manus 10th. of November 1944. USS Mount Hood enjoyed but a very short life, this 13,910 ton ammunition ship was built in North Carolina at Wilmington, then converted for Naval service at Norfolk Virginia in July 1944. She then transited the Panama Canal in August, loaded with ammunition for the forces fighting in the Pacific. On the morning of the 10th. of November 1944, the ship was moored at the massive forward base of Manus in the Admiralty Islands. At that stage of the Pacific war, this base was at the crossroads to the world, sitting almost on the equator, both the Leyte and Lingayen landings had staged from here in October and December 1944. Mount Hood's cargo of explosives suddenly detonated with a massive blast, and the ship was totally destroyed, killing all on board or working the ship at the time. Damage and casualities to both Mount Hood and ships anchored up to 2,000 yards away were massive, 45 dead, 327 missing and another 371 injured. On the day in question, ammunition was both being received on board and delivered to other ships, all five holds were being worked at the same time. About 3,800 tons of assorted ammunition was onboard, and included:- bombs, projectiles, fixed ammunition rockets, smokeless powder, aerial depth bombs, and nose fuses. Torpex filled depth bombs were being hoisted onboard. Cause of accident? The explosion. Other Ships in Harbour. Report of Midget Submarine. Conclusion.
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