THIS Monsoon Burst is Easing--- at Last!!

Yesterday was Australia Day, as well, it was also Republic Day in India.

Yes, Australia and India share the same National Day.

A public holiday in both countries too, with a range of events and festivities.

And importantly for Darwin........it did not rain!!! Well, at least not during the daylight hours, just a little overnight before Australia Day. Last night we even had a starry night in Darwin, first stars seen for many weeks, after a good colourful tropical sunset.

Today..........a great day of clear skies and plenty of sunshine [plenty of humidity too] ........with a fierce thunderstorm right on dusk, with a few mm of rain, then clearing to a cloudy evening.

It seems that the monsoonal weather is easing, at last! People were a bit stir crazy, so much cloudy skies, rain, rain, rain and then more rain.

The rain has brought out the horrible cane toads, and there were two despatched to the nether world late last week - one in the driveway [ despatched with a shovel], another just down the street in the middle of the road.......squish.........under the car wheels! They were added to the compost pile and do make good compost.

We do not seem to have many in our neighbourhood, and eliminating those seen is a necessary job.

Lunar Eclipse Last Night

We were among the lucky ones.............a great view of the eclipse last night.

There was no prior announcement locally, although not a surprise. I was coming back from swimming training, and noticed a small gap on the moon. A bit odd Methinks.........looks suspiciously like a small lunar eclipse.

Checked it out online after getting home..........and we would get a great view! Only seen across the Pacific, Australia and eastern Malaysia. Darwin had a great view, as moon rose almost into the eclipse as sunset was around 1830hrs and moonrise just after 1900hrs with the eclipse commencing soon after that. Photo is very similar to early stage from last night, but is from an earlier one in 2001, taken in the US by Richard Seaman.

Maximum coverage was about when the moon was high in the sky, so it was a great view, on a clear cloudless dry season night, with maximum cover in Darwin at about 2100hrs.

While we usually know what it is today, I wonder how ancient peoples wondered about the events??

Back in Normal Water

People who know me well also know that I fret if I do not swim regularly. Well, maybe not fret, but at least suffer minor to major withdrawal symptoms.

Separation from swimming has happened before, when isolated and working for extended periods away from swimming pools, surf or water, but in those circumstances you allow a certain tolerance and the mind and body adjusts........and no withdrawal symptoms.

Recently - over the past month or so - there has been unannounced and quite sudden remedial works at my normal swimming hole. This has caused some minor difficulties, in timing of my regular swim training, not to mention the instant super-annoyed pique when I arrived to swim on the day the pool had already shut. I like my late afternoon swim to chase a black line and eliminate inhibitions. And it was too late to go anywhere else.

However, my equilibrium was partially restored the next day, with a realisation I might be able to swim at the Darwin City Council operated Nightcliff Aquatic Centre, relatively close to home. But the opening hours were a bit trickier, closing a bit earlier than preferred for my swim training times.

While I vowed never to swim at a Darwin City Council operated pool, over some Council smart tricks that effectively screwed up the local swim club about 15 years ago, I have had to adjust that in light of pool availability, and swim there. But reluctantly, and after 15 years.

I must admit though that sunsets at Nightcliff Pool are still stunning, and I am of the opinion it is probably the best located swim centre in Australia, for the view at sunset. It is on a cliff top overlooking the ocean.

BUT.............I am out of there now, the other pool has reopened!!

There is one minor issue though, I might have to do some ocassional distance training there, in preparation for the across the Darwin harbour swim. The view is quite fantastic at times [especially post and pre the Wet Season] but I am not fully reconciled about using the pool, even after all these years.