Neil the Seal

 Neil the Seal is causing havoc at Dunalley here in Tasmania down the south.  Now Neil the Seal was born in Tasmania down on the Peninsular in October 2020, and with no other seals around at all which is unusual,  Mum took off and left Neil after about 3 weeks of nursing  abruptly weeing him and left Neil to fend for himself, so he's not used to having other seals for company.  Because Salem Bay is where he was born in Tasmania, he thinks it's his real home, so he comes home. 😁He came home for his winter 'moult'.  Apparently Neil has done his thing, is now gone till next time.

The Video is curtesy of the Guardian newspaper.

Neil is a Southern Elephant Seal.  He refuses to go back into the sea during these two periods he comes home for his welfare reason and to do his thing in the nature world.  However he disrupts traffic, lies in the middle of the road, pushes boulders over and is destructive.  Of course he is a tourist attraction during these times and people are asked to stay 20 meters away from Neil. He weights about 1,000 kg (1 tonne and about 3 meters long). Neil is also guarded by humans 24/7 as far as I am aware.

There is a lot more I could write about Neil the Seal but there would be a lot of reading, so I have left it, and of course there is much on the internet about him. 

I borrowed these photos.  Where those faint yellow stars are is where Dunnally is. 

Renmark Sunset, South Australia.

Renmark South Australia is 1,220 km from home here in Launceston and of course taking the Ferry across the sea is necessary if you take your car or car and caravan as we did some years ago.  There are many places to stay, Hotel, Motel or a Caravan Park where we stayed, with the River Murray at our door.  

These photos were taken of the River Murray on one of our visits there looking towards one of the Hotels.  There are about 4,700 residents in the town and 10,274 people in the wider population. The photos are in order as taken. 

There are paddle steamers on the River Murray so a nice cruise can be taken.

Also grown in the area are citrus fruit, wine grapes, almonds, figs, cumquats, olives, persimmons, avocados, walnuts, pistachios and bush produce. 

Winter has finally arrived here in Launceston, Tasmania.