After four months in Darwin, we finally figured out at which water level the boat ramp at Buffalo Creek is best to use. (No, haven’t mixed up the creeks 😉 I just wanted to include the Buffalo Creek experience in the same blog.)
Buffalo Creek boat ramp can be tricky. If there is less than 4m of water in the creek you can’t get out of the creek. If you try to launch or retrieve more than 1.5 hours each side of high or low tide, you get whirls and strong currents which makes launching and retrieving an adventure in itself.
We enjoyed a few days launching from there and exploring the area. It/s only a short trip to Gunn Point, where we camped a few weeks ago.
Out on the water at sunrise! 
Just georgous 
A croc swimming in a straight line to our crab pot we just dropped. 
what a variety of a catch in one pot! Blue Manna Crab, Mud Crab, and Fish!! 
Sand Snapper 
We caught a different species every time we caught a fish! 
here we have a Spanish Flag (snapper) and a baby rock cod 
Tawny Nurse shark 
He tried hard to hit my partner with his powerful tail. 
Pulling crab pots back in – always a surprise what is in there. New to us, as in WA pots are not allowed, only drop nets 
This one had 4 Blue Manna Crabs in it! So did not expect them here! 
1st time in a long while I had the duty of trying to get the crab into the boiling water as humanely and quick as possible
It was incredibly beautiful being on the water as early as sunrise and catching mud crabs. The fishing didn’t quite go according to plan, we found some promising spots and got lots of juvenile fish. We’re hoping there will be adults on higher tides. Either way, it was great getting out for half a day and back home around lunch. A new possibility for our time off.
Here is a video if you are keen to see the pictures in action.
The following week we drove out to Leaders Creek. There are two boat ramps – we headed to the ‘Fishing Base’ from where you can get out into the ocean. There you also find a secure, fenced off caravan park. It has showers, plenty of room in the middle of the bush and the manager is very nice and happy to provide information about tides and the layout of the creek etc. You are allowed to have campfires there and use the wood of the trees they have cut down.
If you plan an overnight trip you can safely store your Ute and trailer for a fee. We did plan to do that, but our plan to venture out to the Tiwi Islands turned out to be a bigger mission than we realised.
As you see on the maps above, the tiny dots above the red dot in the lefthand map are the Vernon Islands you can see better in the righthand map. Tiwi is considerably further away than we anticipated. The good thing – you can look forward to a blog about the Tiwi adventure later in the year! 🙂
The boatramp is right next to the caravan park. The creek has quite a few side arms which we haven’t even explored in the three days we were there. There is no waterway connection to the other part of the creek where the second boat ramp is.
Up with the sun we make our way out of the creek 
It was a bit windy that day and we stayed in the creek. 
Caught and cooked yesterday – the best lunch on the boat possible! 
The poor shark jumped and got himself tangled 
Our DIY cups 
back with the sun already low 
Time to try our crab pot as a steamer 
Pre-heat 
Perfectly steamed crab – lunch for tomorrow, yummy
The first day we crabbed and fished the main arm of the creek as it was too windy out in the ocean.
Enjoying a mudcrab for lunch I didn’t pay much attention to the rod until something huge jumped out of the water. We thought it’s a barra or a threadfin, but reeling it in, I felt it’s a shark. Because he jumped he got himself all tangled up in the line. One hook in the mouth, one in the tail. We tried to get him on board to get it all untangled but he was very strong and fought us ferociously. He broke the line and I felt soooo bad for not being able to help. He probably became a crocs dinner unless he managed to get rid of the hook in the tail.
The second day we wanted to head out to the lighthouse. No reception = no wind forecast, and we couldn’t find anyone that had an updated forecast either.
Halfway to the lighthouse we decided not to risk it and explored the ocean and some creeks along the way instead. We didn’t get any fish that day, but we were not alone. When we got back, we learned that apparently no one had heard of anyone that caught any fish that day. That’s fishing.
Out and about with the sunrise again 
Baby Hammerhead Shark – that was a first! 
Reversed duties – my partner taught me how to approach the crab pot … 
…and he retrieved them. 
A Magpie Lark fell in love with our windscreen. First she was just after some insects stuck to it, but she discovered that she can ski on it and couldn’t stop herself. For hours she flew to the top of the windscreen, skied down to the bonnet and started again. 
Our set up with Malu in tow
On our last night we met a fellow camper who joined us at the campfire. We had a great time talking about fishing at the start and then sharing funny live experiences. One very memorable story was him driving AccaDacca (ACDC) to a gig!!
Another video to give you another glimpse of what we did at Leaders Creek:
The next day we decided it would make more sense to head back and find a freshwater creek to give the boat a wash and headed to the Mary River boat ramp not far from the Bark Hut Inn on the highway.
Mary River 
So far inland and fresh water I was sure we wouldnt see Salties 
Here we go, 1st one we saw 
zoomed in a bit, can you see it at the waters edge? 
And another one! He let us come so close! 
My gopro didn’t capture right away and I lost the precious seconds of the croc dashing into the river. All I got is this splash. 
Like this piece at Bark Hut!
Well, freshwater it was, but there was a lot of pollen or so floating on the water and our boat looked dirtier than before. We ended up having to go to the car wash the next day anyway.
We didn’t head back right away but had a look at some of the turn offs. There are some signs to Lagoons and one of them seemed quite popular with free camping and a boat ramp of some sorts. We will explore that another day.
I am not sure what the next blog will be about…
But I do know our next adventure in a couple of weeks: Sail fishing and reef fishing from Dundee Beach!! Can’t wait.
Explored in July 2025, written August 2025
…yes, better leaving sharks to the water…
btw, I cannot comment “older” posts anymore … the 4WD adventure I rememeber very well and will never forget as well as all the time being with you and Dave…
that is very strange, don’t know why you wouldn’t be able to comment on earlier blogs???! will try it myself 😉 and see what happens
yes, that was an epic trip!