Trip turns into an oar deal

TRIP back to her native Townsville to see the folks wasn’t all smooth sailing for North Toowoomba lass.

Her folks have a home close to the water just north of Townsville so water sports and fishing are to the fore on such a trip.

Jumping into a kayak each, our lass challenged her 11-yearold nephew to a paddle race out into the waves off the beach.

However, competition between the pair soon became fierce and before they knew it, they were further into the Coral Sea than they’d planned.

Our lass suggested they turn back to shore but the young fellow complained that his arms were so sore he couldn’t paddle.

That left Aunty Watersport the task of not only having to row back to shore with aching arm muscles herself, but to tow her nephew and his kayak as well.

She told Whispers her arms were so tight and sore after reaching home that she could hardly lift her beer to quench the thirst derived from such strenuous exercise.

However, apparently she persevered with some success.

WHAT A CROC

SAME lass was looking forward to some fishing off the jetty near her folks’ home during her week-long trip to Townsville.

However, while waiting for a bite, family members looked out into the calm waters to spot a ripple coming toward them.

All being North Queenslanders, it was soon suspected that a crocodile had ventured into see what was going on its place of residence.

As everyone quickly packed up and reeled in their lines before retreating to higher ground, what was believed to be a rather large reptile gracefully floated past the jetty.

Later, amid family discussions, it could not be verified whether or not the object in the water was a crocodile with some pondering whether it had been just a log caught in the current.

However, being North Queenslanders, no-one was going to take the chance ... that not being the bite they were looking for.

In his haste to retreat, one fisherman left behind an expensive tackle box that had since found another home.

ON A ROLL

YOUNG Toowoomba chap ventured out into the bush to take possession of a LandCruiser utility which he’d bought from a farmer.

Due to the heat we’ve been experiencing lately, the lad accepted the farmer mate’s invitation of a beer to cool down and the pair got talking to the point he stayed longer than he had anticipated.

He went to drive the vehicle down the dirt track to another spot but misjudged a bend and rolled.

He told Whispers the ute did a complete roll, landing on all four bald tyres, but he arose from the dust without a scratch, put the key in the ignition and it started.

He then walked back to the homestead for the night and returned the next day to find in the tray of the ute his phone and a carton of beer cans, only one of which had been damaged.

NEED OF DIRECTION

TWO middled-aged lads struggle with directions so it was with some trepidation that they set off for a weeklong visit with a mate on the Gold Coast.

All had gone well until the drive home.

“The sign says ‘Warwick 30km’,” said the passenger, wondering if they’d taken a wrong turn. Which, of course, they had!