25 May 2009

There's something in the waters

| weeziepops
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As I watched the swans and ducks enjoying a balmy May afternoon on Lake Ginninderra, I was surprised to see a creature interrupt their play.

It was four legged and had a tail and swam in the water before coming to shore. Apparently I shrieked something like, “Look! Look! A beast! A beast in the water!” – in a courageous manner, I’m sure.

The birds were not overly disturbed by said beast but I am now puzzling over what it could possibly have been. It seemed too big to be a rat, but I can’t think what else it could be.

Any insights, Rioters?

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It wasn’t that long ago I was talking to my husband about the tourism possibilities in inventing a “Lake Burley Griffin Monster”, faking a few photos and putting out a press release… looks like you beat us to it 😉

#21 & 19….LMAO. You should really give the dirty rat the gold, because I neglected to say that I tried kicking it off the bridge as the race came neck and neck. Sad , I know!

GardeningGirl11:53 pm 25 May 09

Peewee Slasher said :

Ceej1973 said :

I concur. Water rat. When I lived on student ressies, coming home one freezing night along the rickety old wooden foot bridge on my bike from SAILS nightclub, I raced a rat the length of the bridge. He jumped into the water just before the end of the bridge, obviously being a water rat, he was more comfortable taking refuge in freezing water than the shrub at the end of the bridge.

Can you imagine? The starters pistol fired, the water rat lunged forward from the start line, staring at his competition; a large human being using a cycling aid for assistance. As the rat raced past the finish line, his little heart beating at; well let’s face it – not much of a tempo, he longed to hear a crowd cheer. Each day and night, he raced humans, dogs, cats, axelotto’s or paper debris caught in a breeze, along the bridge.

His cousin, Roland had successfully forged a career in television, decades ago and a distant relative, his grand uncle Splinter, the story goes, had coalesced a team of turtles to fight crime, but, given time, he was sure, his name would one day be remembered in sporting history.

He had considered olympic swimming, but that was just plain silly. A rat, swimming? Ha!

Who would believe it?

Excellent. Cheering for the rat here!!!!!! Oops, sorry, cheering for Ceej too. Can we call it a tie and give them both a medal?

I have a Red healer x Bull Terrier (note Bull Terrier NOT Pitt Bull so dont start with the viscious dog crap….) that swims in the lake almost every day.

Could have been him.

Peewee Slasher4:26 pm 25 May 09

Ceej1973 said :

I concur. Water rat. When I lived on student ressies, coming home one freezing night along the rickety old wooden foot bridge on my bike from SAILS nightclub, I raced a rat the length of the bridge. He jumped into the water just before the end of the bridge, obviously being a water rat, he was more comfortable taking refuge in freezing water than the shrub at the end of the bridge.

Can you imagine? The starters pistol fired, the water rat lunged forward from the start line, staring at his competition; a large human being using a cycling aid for assistance. As the rat raced past the finish line, his little heart beating at; well let’s face it – not much of a tempo, he longed to hear a crowd cheer. Each day and night, he raced humans, dogs, cats, axelotto’s or paper debris caught in a breeze, along the bridge.

His cousin, Roland had successfully forged a career in television, decades ago and a distant relative, his grand uncle Splinter, the story goes, had coalesced a team of turtles to fight crime, but, given time, he was sure, his name would one day be remembered in sporting history.

He had considered olympic swimming, but that was just plain silly. A rat, swimming? Ha!

Who would believe it?

I concur. Water rat. When I lived on student ressies, coming home one freezing night along the rickety old wooden foot bridge on my bike from SAILS nightclub, I raced a rat the length of the bridge. He jumped into the water just before the end of the bridge, obviously being a water rat, he was more comfortable taking refuge in freezing water than the shrub at the end of the bridge.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Young Liberal trying to get a tan.

You mean your beemer isn’t a convertible?

Woody Mann-Caruso12:53 pm 25 May 09

Young Liberal trying to get a tan.

I was running around the lake this morning and saw a truly massive water rat scampter across the bike path to get to the water, the girl running in front of me freaked out at how big it was, turned around and ran back the way she’d come.

Some of the water rats in LBG would probably take your leg off if you got close enough.

neanderthalsis11:30 am 25 May 09

Sorry Astro, the reptiods are only to be found paddling through the blue-green algae on weekends when there are rowing regattas.

ahh, not a reptoid then, neanderthalis..?

neanderthalsis11:20 am 25 May 09

More than likely a water rat. Hydromys chrysogaster, a native species and quite common around this part of the world, are normally nocturnal, but in colder months venture out during the afternoon.

They can grow up to 30cm in body length with a tail of 25cm or so.

captainwhorebags10:31 am 25 May 09

Saw something very similar climb out of the water at Weston Park two weeks ago. It was about the size of a small cat, but otherwise looked like a rat.

I didn’t think rats could get that big, but there you go.

Concur that it was probably a water rat, they’re pretty large. We used to feed bread to them sometimes, way back when I was a student at LGC.

A friend just read my post and honesty compels me to give her perspective – she reckons The Beast was about 10cm long including tail. I say it was at least 30cm long.

However, based on the wisdom of Kramer, I choose to believe it was a platypus.

A Noisy Noise Annoys An Oyster9:11 am 25 May 09

Loch Ness Monster?

a reptoid without its human disguise? mebbe was johnboy!

Platypus perhaps? I have seen one in LBG having a late arvo swim…

Apparently they prefer “Rakali” nowdays

A water rat most likely – I’ve seen a few in Lake Burley Griffin.

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