G'day all,
thanks for the thoughts on "our day". Had the great pleasure of spending it on a local waterway called "Brisbane Water" aboard a luxury houseboat called "Riverboat". Nice bit 'o gear... Just got home today.

Gary, Douglas Adams got it almost right - only 2 truly dangerous spiders and lots of the most dangerous snakes in the world.

The spiders are the Funnel Web and the Redback. Though there is compelling argument to suggest the Redbask is not a native - only appears around human habitation, never in the bush, and is so closely related to the American Black Widow as to be indistinguishble from it.

The sydney Funnel Web in particular is a deadly little critter.

As for snakes:
King brown, common brown, red belly black, Taipan, Death Adder, Tiger, Copperhead, various sea snakes - none of 'em are particularly safe to disturb.

I could go on, but why bother - I used to water ski in a bay that is proven to be frequented by Bull sharks, will again when I can finally get the time, though I don't really like to swim there - does wonders for my ability to stay up on my ski..!!! Great Whites, Tiger sharks, hammerheads and so on. Doesn't stop us from swimming.

During WWII my father served in Darwin for a while, he saw a bloke dive into Darwin harbour - face first into a box jelly fish - he died in about 3 seconds...

And this is still the best place in the world - ya just gotta understand it.

--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!