"Out Like A Lamb" My Ass

[Keith_Hixson]

The Pass between Ellensburg and Seattle (Snoqualmie Pass the most used high pass in the nation) has been shut down more times this winter for avalanche control than in the last six years combined. I drove to Seattle on Monday, it was like driving through tunnels at the top. I've never seen so much snow on the pass. I have seen that deep of snow mountain climbing on Rainier but not at a lower 3,000 ft pass. Our reservoirs will be overflowing this year. We'll probably have floods during the spring thaw.
I got an Idea, why don't the Aussies sent over some oil tankers and take home some water.

Keith

[Packo]

Spent yesterday at the Beach. I shoveled a little sand....as Popeye would say...ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK!

Oh, it is cold today though. A cold front came through last night, probably from you guys in the West. Will only go to 60 today.....

Beach Bum Pack

[Gimpy]

What's all that white stuff????


Gimp

PS----Air temp. (high today 80 degees)---(low tonight 63 degrees) --- water temp in Gulf of Mexico 68 degrees --- water temp in my heated pool 88 degrees!-----Y'all come on down, ya heanh..................

[frisco-kid]

Had about a half inch of new snow overnight, but started snowing about 9:00AM. Now we have about two new inches. It's in the low 30's so it's big, wet flakes at times. The high today is supposed to be 37F. Normal is about 52F.

The Robin Redbreasts are pissed! They flew thousands of miles to get back here for Spring only to have it snow. With 3-5 inches of snow on the lawns, the worm hunting pretty much sucks. They're hanging out in the bare trees, or standing in the middle of the wet streets or driveways with hungry looks in their eyes. We're keeping the cat indoors .

Deadly Daring: These are hawthorne berries.

[sn-e3]

I just don't see what the problem is Keith and Tom live in estern washington there are only two colors there white as in snow and brown as in desert. while over here in western washington I'm basking in the tropical sunshine, It got up to 38 degrees today so I had to shuck down and go out to my new deck and catch some rays. My wife tried to get me to come in saying that redding of my goose bumbs wasen't sun burn it was frost bite. oh well I guess i'll have to wait awhile to get my body beautiful tan this year. P.S. Packo are mint julips suppose to freeze before you drink them.

[DeadlyDaring]

frisco-kid
I see the red Robin is beutifully camouflaged in the hawthorne berries
Great pictures... wish I could be there... too bloody dry here

b3196 "Quote"Were all so happy here on the normal side of the equator" whats normal ... you have snow blizzards and we have sand storms
Quote"we celebrate Xmas all year long" I could too, only I cant afford to because of the price of WATER & FUEL lucky you


One of the dams on the river muray Australia



Fishing from the Murray river bed


Murray River Facts and Figures
Length
From its source in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, the Murray River flows 2,530 kilometres west then south to meet the Southern Ocean in South Australia.

The Murray is continuously navigable for 1986 kilometres from Goolwa to Yarrawonga Weir. In this length there are thirteen weirs incorporating locks.

From millennia Aboriginal people have relied on the river’s abundance. The many various groups included Ingalta, Moorundie, Goodwarra, Parrian-kaperre, Tongwillum, and Yoorlooarra. In the Riverland, the Ngarrindjeri people lived on and along the lands around the Murray and the Coorong and are, today, South Australia’s largest Aboriginal community.


Size
The River Murray Basin of 1,057,000 square kilometres is about one-seventh of the total area of Australia and comprises three-quarters of New South Wales, over one-half of Victoria, a small portion of South Australia, and an area of Queensland greater than the total area of Victoria.

Rainfall
Of the above area, only five percent has an average rainfall in excess of 760 mm and nearly two-thirds normally supplies no water to the two trunks. The catchment of the upper Murray above Albury contributes more than one-quarter of the total flow in the Murray system, from an area which is less than two per cent of the catchment area.

The average rainfall over the Murray basin is 430 mm compared with an average of about 1270 mm in the Tennessee Valley, USA.

Mixed Emotions

[frisco-kid]

Deadly Daring: Sorry to hear about the drought conditions so much of Australia is experiencing. I don't think I've ever seen it that dry at a dam. Is that you in the picture fishing? What kind of fish do they usually pull out of there? Are they still good eating? Looks pretty stagnant. If you ever do make it up to this part of the world you're guaranteed lodging here, Mate.

Chris: Be honest with these people. You guys on the west side of the state don't tan,.......you rust .

[DeadlyDaring]

The guy in the photo fishing is my sons mate


Callop also known as Yellowbelly, Murray Perch or Golden Perch
They have been known to attain a weight in excess of 11 lb. and are highly respected by fresh water anglers for their ability to fight strongly until the end. When handled by an unwary angler the Callop can inflict sever wounds to fingers because the edge of the gill cover is razor sharp.

We also have Catfish and is a bottom feeding fish and is found in all areas of the Murray. When the River is flowing swiftly they move into the creeks, backwaters and billabongs and then, (when the River drops) become land locked. When this occurs, those fish that were trapped often grow to huge proportions for they seldom have serious difficulty in competing for food with other species.


CARP Noxious fish and must not be returned to the water if you are caught doing this, you will be fined very heavily... It is also dubbed ‘rabbits of the river’, the introduced carp has gained the dubious honour of being Australia’s most abundant yet most despised large fresh water fish. Carp are accused of a multitude of problems that plague our inland river systems, from the decline of native fish to degrading habitats.


Murray Cod Grows to 1.8 metres and up to 113kg (Australia's largest freshwater fish).


Redfin
Noxious fish and must not be returned to the water again if you are caught doing this, you will be fined very heavily...


The MURRAY COD & Callop AKA (Yellowbelly, Murray Perch or Golden Perch) are some of the best eating fish in AUSTRALIA BUT!! ... BUT Barramundi is my favourite and is only caught in the Northern Territory State of Australia


There is a local slot limit size for Ord River barramundi, fish below 55cm and above 80cm must be released.

[Keith_Hixson]

You Aussies and I guess us Yanks speak a different language when it comes to weights and measurements.
We need a converting system. Still have no idea just how big those fish get.

Keith

[DeadlyDaring]

Yellowbelly grow to quite a large size, over 23kgs (48.14lbs) but are best eating at under 2kgs (4.4lbs)

Catfish can be as large as 7kg (14.14lbs) if your lucky.

The world record for a Catfish is (caught in May of 2005 Giant Mekong catfish) 9 feet long (270cm) and weighed 646 lbs 293.64kgs). This is more than 5 times bigger than the 'world record' catfish caught in North America.

Cod fish can grow to an almighty 230kg (488.16lbs) and up to 220cm long (86.3/4 ins).

Barramundi caught was 37.85 kilos (83.27lbs). The fish was 124 centimetres long (48.3/4ins)and 105 centimetres around the girth (41.1/2ins).