9/07/2004 - Stage 2, Day 42, Page 2 of 2 - from Cairns QLD - The day after KATIE'S BIRTHDAY!!

This is pretty much where the real 4WD track and serious creek crossings start. About the first 70km passed with little to report. We forded lots of creeks (all with crystal clear water, some small, some big, some steep sided, some soft sand, etc...) and blasted past lots of 4WD convoys that were taking it all a little too slow and serious for us. Everyone seemed to be following 'the book' and getting out to inspect and walk the creek crossings before driving through them. But we'd read the section in the book about the great big crocodiles that lurk in the waterways of the Cape. We both agreed that the idea of walking through a potential crocodile dining room (a creek for instance) sucked! So we took the only sane option when we arrived each creek... We put the car into 4WD, wound up the windows and floored it straight through!

We had our first serious vehicle failure at Dulhunty River - the glass simply jumped out of the passenger side mirror as we tried to climb a veritcal wall of mud. Well actually, we drove straight into the vertical wall dreaming that our troopie would scale it with nimble ease. After that we tried to reverse out of the trecherous boggy dead end when we slid sideways into another vertical wall and smashed up our side mirror. Bradley didn't lament too much about this crash, because afterall, troopie had already lost her virginity a few of days before.

From the Dulhunty we continued north past some truely lovely places. The waterways here are all crystal clear and really beautiful. Magic places to stop for lunch or camp the night.

About 15km north of the Dulhunty River we came to the most infamous creek crossing on the Telegraph Road - Gunshot Creek. Every book on the Cape York drive has something to say about Gunshot Creek, and every vidio features it with prominance. The reason was immediately obvious when we pulled up on the southern bank.

There before us was an upside down Nissan Patrol, and it was obvious that it had only just rolled. We jumped out and made sure that no one was injured. All was well on that front. It turned out that two men were driving the car headed south (we were travelling north). One of the guys was taking a video and the other fording the creek. The driver made one attempt at the crossing and couldn't get up the steep muddy exit ramp, so he reversed back and tried again - bad move in hindsight!






On the second attempt his car stopped half way up the ramp, and then slowly slid off to the left and rolled over into the hole. He said he was hanging from his seat belt and having trouble getting it off as the roof slowly caved in! After he finally got the seat belt off, he couldn't open the doors because of the hole he was in! His mate (who had the whole thing on video) ended up getting the rear door open and the driver climbed out of that.

It was pretty clear that we had to help get this crapped out Nissan out of the ditch, but it needed to be done from the other side of the creek (we were parked up on the bank where all those other cars in the above pictures are). We had a good look at the ramp they had slid off and decided that driving down that may well mean stacks-on for their car and ours! So I stayed with the two guys and bradley back-tracked with troopie along the 50km bypass around Gunshot Creek - it was at least 45 minutes or more before he was back.

Meanwhile loads of other tourists showed up (and I took the pictures above). In the time Bradley was gone, we managed to unload all of the gear out of the crashed up Nissan. Some of the other tourists also had a pick, so they spent about half an hour digging out the slippery ramp to make it a little safer before they drove down it.

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In the mean time about a dozen motorbike riders headed south turned up. They were all on a cool group trip where they flew from Cairns to Bamaga (at the top of the Cape) then rode hire bikes from there back to Cairns through the rainforest and mud (over about a week or two). It was an organised tour and they had a support vehicle, meals provided, the works! Great idea i thought. Anyway, they all had to ride up the ramp too.

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Bradley finally arrived back and the Nissan was unpacked and ready to pull out. One of the clowns standing around insisted that with so many people around we could simply pull the Nissan out by hand. Bradley and I scoffed at the idea, but they tried it anyway. Needless to say, the Nissan stayed put! Unfortunately I didn't get a photo, it was pretty funny.

We hooked up a snatch strap and used troopie to pull the Nissan most of the way out of the hole on it's roof. While we were pulling, it even turned over by itself onto its side.


We moved the strap onto a low point and gave one last heave.

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We then got a pile of people to help push it back onto its wheels.

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Turned the key and she started! So the guys drove it back up the southern bank (where they'd come from). We took the smashed windscreen out for them and then pannel beat the roof back up with an axe and a few good kicks. They were good to go after that!

After all that fun and adventure we continued north up the track. None of the other creeks that day were as diabolical as Gunshot and the track wasn't too bad. We pulled up relatively late that afternoon at Eliot Falls (Twin Falls), but the camping ground was packed. We aborted that mission, and ended up going a few hundred metres up the track to camp on the northern bank of Canal Creek. It was a really lovely place to camp and swim (as long as someone was watching out for large-toothed reptiles).

Up on the southern bank there was a group of people camping that we'd met that day in Gunshot Creek. They were good for a chat so we dropped in on their camp for a beer and a yarn that night.

Next morning (25/06/2004) after a quick skinny dip to rinse off (sorry Amanda, no pics) we headed north again in search of adventure. There were loads of creek crossings in this section of the track, so we took a picture of one. This is bradley driving across Mistake Creek.




About 8km further on was Cannibal Creek, about which the guide book said, "badly eroded, - take care!," and, "both banks are steep and hazardous with wash-outs on both sides leaving little room to manoeuvre". The guide book wasn't wrong! The entrance wasn't a problem, eroded, but drivable. When you entered the creek you couldn't see the exit, but once we got out in the middle, we could see that you had to turn hard right in the creek to get out. Now we could see what the guide book warning was all about, and we were committed - no turning back now. So in true troopin style, we floored it!

The ramp was L-shaped, with a very tight corner and a serious drop off for those who bollocks it all up. Well in 4WD our precious troopie has the turning circle of a road train. We ended up at a stand-still balancing on two diagonal wheels part of the way around the tight corner with the other two wheels rocking up and down about 1.5 meters in the air. At this time I bravely lept from the car and left bradley in the shit all by himself! I had way too much poo in my pants to even think of taking the camera with me to record bradley's imminent fall to a crumpled doom.

As it turns out bradley is a very skilled young lad with much more nerve than I! He did a very fancy reversing stunt, then put it in low range and floored it (it's worked for every disaster so far!). I'd just about finished composing the obituary when trusty bradley blasted with magnificent style from deaths grip!

We waited for the next three cars to come along before leaving Cannible Creek - these were the people that we'd had a beer with the night before, and we thought the first car may need a tow. As it turned out the first car didn't need a tow (although he nearly went backwards over the edge into the creek when he tried to take-off in neutral half way up the creek bank). The last car did need a tow, but one of the others helped out for this.


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Next on the list of adventures was Cypress Creek, about which the guide book said, "old log bridge ... couple of good logs ... get somebody to guide you!!!" I'd say it was pretty accurate really...










A couple of creeks down was Nolan's Brook where I took over the reins for a shot in eddie's hot seat. Here's triumphant me braving Nolan's Brook.








It wasn't far from here that we finally reached the old ford across the Jardine River. The Jardine is a really big beautiful crystal clear river. It's over a metre deep at the old ford, but it's so clear that you can see every grain of sand on the bottom. Check out the sign someone's left on the tree just before the river.


We stopped a while at the Jardine for lunch, a couple of drinks, a sand fight and a quick skinny dip to clean the sand off (sorry again Amanda, no pics this time either). While we were there we saw a couple of groovy dragon flys and a skink.
















Headed off after this back to the Northern Bypass Road and on to the Jardine River vehicle ferry. It cost us $88 to cross the river on a really clapped out old pile of junk ferry. But hey, we didn't sink and we were nearing the TOP END!




Stayed that night at Loyalty Beach Caravan Park after driving through Injinoo, Bamaga and Siesia (the three towns close together at the top end). Got a big panorama shot of bradley parked up relaxing after our long drive. Note the crocodile sign - there're everywhere up here! Be sure to scroll right on this shot as it's pretty wide.



A lot of people that we'd seen along the track stopped into our camp site that night for a chat, so it was pretty busy. We camped up next to Steve and Hamish who we'd met several times so far and we ended up seeing a fair bit of them in the days to come.

Next day (26/06/2004 - Tracy's birthday I think) was pretty much relaxing and exploring after munching on picklets for breakfast. We tried to hire a little tinnie to go fishing today, but they wouldn't give it to us because we didn't have a boat licence. Only one tinnie went out that day and they came back with a big bonito tuna. The said that they'd caught a second one, but as they brought it along side the boat, a shark longer than the boat took it!

There was a coconut tree in the caravan park, so I convinced bradley to pluck one for me.


Went into Seisia for a hamburger today - We'd have to be damned hungry to do that again! They were terrible.

Took off to the tip of Cape York. Yes, that's right, we finally made it there on Tracy's birthday! It was a short walk from the parking area, but we were suprised at the amout of litter around. Infact, we found the whole top of the Cape (particularly north of the Jardine River) to be a real litter dump. There was rubbish everywhere. The place was quite a dive if the truth be known - rubbish everywhere, grotty, really shit services, etc... But all that aside, This is Bradley on the short boardwalk track at the start of the walk.


This is what we looked out on from the top of the hill overlooking the tip. They're wide panoramas, so scroll right!




Up on the hill there's one of those distance-direction plaques, just like there is at the top of Ayres Rock.


There's a pretty big cairn at the top overlooking the tip and I just had to put one more stone on the top!


Then of course there're the obligatory 'we got to the tip' photos...










We parked up that night at Punsand Bay because we'd been told it was about the best spot to camp, but we thought it sucked! It was the most expensive caravan park we'd stayed at on our whole trip and it had the worst amenities - they were filthy, cramped and delapidated. They even had an all-you-can-eat seafood night on in their tin shed that we could attend for $55 per head plus drinks. Needless to say we declined, but wandered up to the bar later for a drink and a look-see after our very tasty pork spare rib dinner. I had a look at the seafood and it looked to be worth about $25 to $30 per head to me, and the manager drank several very full glasses of straight amber-colored spirit while we were there. We thought he was really rude and obnoxious to the guests - he singled them out for jokes, he picked on people, he told tables when they were allowed to go and get food and he told them what they were welcome to take in each trip to the buffet. After everyone had finished eating and they were packing up there were heaps of oysters left over. I wandered up and asked the drunk manager if I could buy a plate of oysters, seeing as they were left over anyway. My god! The response was nothing short of a tirade. The next night they had an all-you-could-eat calvery on for $30 per head, but there was no way we were attending after the performance and food quality at the seafood night. Punsand was a pretty spot, but the wankers running it could keep it to themselves!

On returning to our camp we found we had a visitor.




Bradley got so keen with the camera that he took a picture of me too.


Packed up the next day (Sunday 27/06/2004) and drove back to the Loyalty Beach camping ground north of Seisia. Steve and Hamish (the blokes we camped next to at Loyalty two nights ago) were planning to go out to Thursday Island on the ferry tomorrow so we thought we'd join them. Couldn't buy tickets though, although the lady at the Bait and Tackle shop (very cool shop and well worth a visit) said that if we turned up on the jetty tomorrow with cash in our hand at departure time, we'd be sure to get on. So we decided to wing it!

Went out fishing beside the jetty at Seisia that afternoon. I lost poor old bradley's favorite lure, but not too long after that he pulled in a lovely diamond travally that fed the two of us for dinner. Forgot to take a photo though.

Next morning (Monday 28/06/2004) we jumped on the ferry with Hamish and Steve and took off to Thursday Island up in Torres Strait. It was well worth the trip too. The island was clean (not covered in litter) and the waters were lovely and blue. We walked up to the old World War Two fort on the top of the island for some lovely views and a look around. Make sure you scroll right on the panorama pics below.






On our walk back to town we saw the coolest tree house in Australia! The view from this tree house is similar to the one in the last panorama shot!


After our strenuous walk we went and checked out the local watering holes and partook in a pool tournament. That's Steve and Hamish behind me in the second picture.




After drinking way too many beers we met some locals having a birthday party and decided to stay the night on Thursday Island and catch the ferry home the next morning. That's the birthday boy in the second and third shot below.






After waving goodby to Steve and Hamish on the ferry, we wandered back to the pub and got the last vacant room on the island! We were nearly on the beach for the night.

The next morning (Tuesday 29/06/2004) was a slow affair - the alarm clock was certainly not welcomed, particularly by me! Nevertheless, up we got and we caught the 6.30am ferry back to the mainland. From there we went to see Steve and Hamish who were looking like two bulls with sore heads. It turns out that they had gotten back to the camping ground the night before feeling like he-men and drank a two litre cask of wine (after a full afternoon at the Thursday Island watering holes). Steve is the technically minded gadget sort who has a big amp and sound system in his car/camper trailor and they'd managed to flatten the battery by blasting the whole caravan park with techno music for most of the night. Needless to say that Hamish had noticed he was getting the cold shoulder by all and sundry that morning. Apparently someone had asked them to turn it down the night before and in their inebriated state they'd told the person, "not until I finish my set" - they are both DJ's. That was about all they remembered...

Well after standing around talking to them for a bit and getting many bites on my feet and ancles (I found out later that night that the bites were sandflies!), bradley and I took off to camp the night on the northern banks of the Jardine River. It was a lovely spot to camp, and was by far the best place we'd camped at the top end. Bradley tried his hand at a little fishing while I checked out the bird life. I saw a few lovely yellow-bellied sun birds (Nectarinia jugularis) and I got a couple of pictures, but neither of them are much good. These birds are about the same size as a finch - they're really tiny!




Next morning (Wednesday 30/06/2007) we lazed around for a bit and had some lovely scrambled eggs with fresh herbs. Bradley tried his luck for a barramundi, but all he managed to bring in was a foul-hooked long-tom which we let go, but it floated away down river upside down... During the fishing mission I sat up in the camp with my feed immersed in a bucket full of water. My sandfly bites were itching and burning like mad and cold water seemed to be the only comfort.

We'd planned to stay at the Jardine River for a second night, but decided around lunch time that we were over the top end, so we packed up and blasted off south. Over the ferry we went and down the Northern Bypass Road, then onto the Southern Bypass Road. South a little more after getting onto the Telegraph Road and we finally camped up for the night at Moreton Telegraph Station. We were too late and lazy (and my sandfly bites were too much of a bitch) so we had their 'barra and chips' for dinner. Well it sucked ass (to use Markie's expression). Tiny wafer thin heavily crumbed barra fillet deep fried with soggy chips - a disgracefull meal! You could have your barra deep fried, deep fried or deep fried. Back to cooking as of tomorrow night I think...

Went looking in the first aid kit in the morning for something to ease the sandfly bites. Found some Stingoes, which worked really well - should have looked earlier!

Packed up early and made straight for the Archer River Roadhouse for an archer burger! I think it's almost worth walking to Archer River for an archer burger. They're by far the best burger on the Cape. After Archer River it was south again - we were possessed - south, south, south we drove...

Shortly after passing Musgrave I started to feel sick. Very sick. About 30km before Hann River Roadhouse there was no more holding on! STOP!!!!!!!! Between there and about 500m before the roadhouse there were 8 poops and 4 chunders. Thought you'd all want to know that! A couple of hours later though, I was good as gold and we pulled up for the night in a crappy camp site at Laura. That night we munched on tofu with a truck load of ginger (ginger is excellent for upset tummies) and rice. Bradley said he could still tast the ginger when he woke up in the morning. Ohhh well, my tummy was better.

Packed up and headed off for Cairns that morning (Friday 2/7/2004). Made a side trip out to Cooktown for mum though - she wanted me to look for a family heirloom at the museum. Found a great fruit shop in Cooktown and bought a lovely box of fruit to munch on for the rest of that day and the next. Travelled to Cairns on the main highway via Mareeba and didn't get there until about 5.00pm that night. Went out for some really crappy seafood at Barnical Bills on the Esplanade and then pretty much crashed out for the night.

We planned to hang around in Cairns for the next 2 months or so to work, so we spend the next day (Saturday 3/07/2004) looking in the paper for jobs and a furnished unit to rent. Not much luck that day on the work or accommodation fronts, but did go to the market and got some lovely fresh produce to cook up for dinner.

Cairns is really a great place for food. They've got so many tourists here that the place is full of restaurants! And very good ones at that. They've also got a fresh food market that stacks of local growers take out stalls in and sell their produce. Matt and Tracy, you can get pure white egglants here and they're really good! They've got loads of Thai and Italian growers at the market along with some Phillipinos and other nationalities. The produce is really fresh and the variety is fabulous! Come to Cairns, one and all, and eat, eat, eat!!!

Sunday was a pretty lazy day. We moved into a lovely little cabin/villa at the Cairns Villa and Leasure Park that day. It was really clean, reasonably priced and we had our own kitchen to cook in. What luxury! Went to the fresh produce market to celebrate! Also found Steve and Hamish were staying at the same place, so the four of us had a big party for dinner at our villa!

Most of my monday was spent working on my resume and getting ready for my job interview in Brisbane the next day. Bradley spent the day fixing a few thingies up on the car. Not much more to report really.

Tuesday 6/07/2007 was a very early start! Up at 4.00am for a 6.00am flight to Brisbane. Bradley spent the day fixing thingies on the car and relaxing, while I spent the morning in Brisbane. All seemed to go well there though, so I celebrated by having two lunches! After that I jumped on the 2.00pm flight and was back in Cairns for dinner! Hamish took a lunch time flight home to Brisbane today, so it's only Steve left up here in sunny Cairns.

Wednesday was spent working on the website - for 7 hours! Bradley went on a number of secret missions that day. That night Bradley and Steve went into town to watch the Rugby League State of Origin decider match. Much to my delight, NSW won (I was going for them) and QLD lost (bradley's team).

Thursday (08/07/2004) was a very special day. It was my 31st BRITHDAY!!!! We got up early because bradley had booked a diving trip out on the reef for the two of us. He got me a lovely pewter pendant necklace too! What a good boyfriend! We headed down to the marina and then off to Fitzroy Island National Park on the ferry. We had two dives and they were really lovely. We even found three of Nemo's cousins in sea anemone! Saw some huge sea slugs (a couple of black ones and a couple of groovy spotted ones), loads of colorfull fish and one really BIG fish. There was heaps of soft coral there too and it was really great diving there. After that we jumped back on the ferry and headed back to Cairns where we stopped in at a fancy bar for a lovley baileys and a snack - we were starving after the day of diving! Relaxed around for the rest of the birthday afternoon and then went out to my favorite place for dinner - La Fettuccina on Shields Street! The meal was just as smashing as it was last time we went there. If you ever go to Cairns and you like food, you really must have dinner there! After dinner we went to the night market to get a piece of leather thonging to make a necklace for my birthday pewter pendant. Spoke to everyone at home while we were there - mum, tracy, glennie and barney. Sally called after that to wish me a happy birthday and then matt called later from work. An awesome birthday in all!

Today (9/7/04) I spent most of the day finishing off this website update, with a break for lunch to go out and see Heath and Julia for lunch because they're in Cairns at the moment on holiday. Bradley has spent the day cleaning up our kit because we're taking off tomorrow headed for Darwin.

It's 7.45pm now so I'm signing off to make dinner and help pack the car for departure!