Aust post what an experience

[ineke]

I've just come back from Aust Post after carefully packing my shrimp. I used foam boxes that came to me in postage bags. Well apart from a small foam box that fit into a #kg bag the others didn't fit- strange that the bags are now new ones- different from what I received mine in. So just send them as is he said - but I didn't want a plain foam box going through the post so after much going back and to I finally found some paper expandable bags and carefully put the boxes in turning very slowly to make sure the shrimp didn't get too tossed around. Up to the counter and parcels were put upside down and turned around and upside down again and me standing there cringing and biting my tongue trying very hard not to say anything.

So it is no wonder we sometimes get burst bags and dead shrimp. Poor poor shrimp- if that's what we see happen what the hell happens behind the scenes??????

I've done my best -double bagging with breather bags, moss to cling to and bubble wrap and filter pads to soften the blows but my oh my you wonder how they survive at all!!!

Sorry but they were my babies for awhile!!!!

[CNgo2006]

The ones that were sent to you by Dean are prepaid ones (bought in bulk) and there sizes are bigger than the ones sold seperately at Aus Post. The prepaid 3kg (that Dean gets) is even bigger than the 5kg one sold in the PO. I just cut the bag and sticky tape the bag over the box, even though the bag doesn't cover the whole box it is still accepted as long as it is under the weight of specified weight.

[ineke]

Thanks for that CNgo luckily the postmaster only charged the satchel rates plus the cost of the bags. He was very good about it all but not having posted many parcels before and then they did fit into the bags I was floundering a bit. Thin I was a bit stressed seeing how they got thrown around!!! I'm all good now!

[Squiggle]

Yeah, the commercial bags are different from the normal bags in the PO, much bigger, I can squeeze a Broccolini box(free from the supermarket, just ask the fruit & veg guys :encouragement:) into a 5kg bag, but it's a real squeeze.

You'd be surprised how little the contents of the box moves compared to the outside, the water usually stays still & the box/bag moves around them, that's why they cling to the moss cause it barely moves. I did an experiment with a full fish bag of water with a piece of plant in there & twisted it round in every direction & it pretty much stayed still, if you keep spinning the bag friction of the water to the bag will eventually make the water spin but it takes a fair bit to get going. I'm not sure what the force is called but it was something we did in Yr12 physics at school :encouragement:

[northboy]

Ineke do not ever go to the Airport and look at them unloading the post, you will die, they drop the bags (big bags with all the parcels in) on the ground and through them to each other.

Anyway the aquatic critters are a lot tougher than you think, some thing else to think about, floods in creeks, all the critters get knocked around at that time during high flow.

Meant to say to I have one extra day on my parcels out of Cairns as they all go to Brisbane first and then another over nighter to where they are going

Bob

[ineke]

Yeah' date=' the commercial bags are different from the normal bags in the PO, much bigger, I can squeeze a Broccolini box(free from the supermarket, just ask the fruit & veg guys :encouragement:) into a 5kg bag, but it's a real squeeze.

You'd be surprised how little the contents of the box moves compared to the outside, the water usually stays still & the box/bag moves around them, that's why they cling to the moss cause it barely moves. I did an experiment with a full fish bag of water with a piece of plant in there & twisted it round in every direction & it pretty much stayed still, if you keep spinning the bag friction of the water to the bag will eventually make the water spin but it takes a fair bit to get going. I'm not sure what the force is called but it was something we did in Yr12 physics at school :encouragement:[/quote']

Thanks Squiggle I think that makes me feel better!!!

[ineke]

Bob I was just starting to feel better now I'm worried again:cower:

All shrimp I have sent or received have taken 3 days don't know what happens here in Adelaide but even with the extra day the shrimp have all been ok so shouldn't complain really.:)