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| Jim & Ev |
Packed up and we were ready to head off about 10.30am.
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| On the track |
Drove back south on the beach to Red Point, stopped and used the facilities there before tackling the horrid track back out to Bamaga Road. Onwards to the main road travelling west by 11am. Crossed the log bridge again (camera card is full :( ) On the other side we came across a young couple we had crossed paths with before towing a camper trailer, they had bent the axle on the trailer, then the bolt sheared, the wheel moved & it basically turned to poo. The fellow got an old axle from the Jardine ferryman for a carton of beer. He had banged to axle out and was thinking about what to do. The boys held discussion with the fellow and offered to assist, but he said they were fine and thanked us.
We moved on toward the main road again. 12.45pm at the intersection with the main road, discussions held with Jim & Ev about finding the track we took last time to east, to get back onto the OTL and have a look at the Northern end of it. The boys decided to go north for 2klms to try find a little track marked on one of our maps - it turns out to be just that, a little track that went nowhere. 12.55pm heading back south to the next track marked on the map heading east. Jim & Ev were ahead of us and found a track east, radioed us and at the same time Craig saw the old road to our left with a track heading east coming of it. So they took their track and we took our track to see who got where first! We meandered through our little track east, then turned south, then back east again to end up meeting Jim & Ev at a junction with their track - was fun anyway.
Continued east on this track toward the OTL.
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| On the Track |
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| Track corrugations |
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| On the Track |
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| Mistake Creek Entry |
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| Mistake Creek |
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| Mistake Creek |
Met the OTL and turned north to have a look at the creeks we missed earlier and also on our last trip. First was Mistake Creek, had a rough entry down into a sandy bottomed creek, not toooo difficult.
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| Mistake Creek Entry |
Then came Cypress Creek and the log bridge... Need to keep the right hand tyres on the 2 good logs and line the left tyre up on whichever logs are there. Craig first with Jim guiding (seems to be some confusion with Jim's dual hand signals today - very funny). Hard turn right after the bridge which needs some reversing before going forward. Exit not too bad. Logs were cracking & groaning as the cars came across.
We were on the home stretch to Nolans Creek and depending on who you spoke to, apparently somewhere between 30 and 55 cars have been lost to this creek crossing this season! But first, we have to get across this swamp we have just arrived at and it's not very nice looking - very swampy and very crocodile habitat looking. Map books we have don't really have any info on it, one says "Ford". Boys checked very carefully where to drive across, while Ev & I kept a lookout for crocs. Need to stay hard right on the entry to keep out of the soft sand ruts below the water and out of the deep water. Craig first (I stayed in the car this time, not walking across that crocodile infested looking swamp), caught a tree branch on the camper upon entry, dropped into the hole and went through the swamp - wouldn't say it was easy, but we didn't get stuck thank goodness. Jim took a slightly different line in, as he didn't want to put his camper up the tree like we did, he dropped into the hole more to the left, little less pace then Craig and the worst thing happened - he got bogged but then started sinking drivers side first. He started yelling at Craig to pull him out, while frantically putting all their computers, cameras etc., up off the floor that was being flooded with water. Craig jumped in our truck and reversed back to the edge of the swamp, grabbed the snatch strap & ran it across to Jim's car, then I guided Craig back so he could hook up our end of the snatch. Craig took up the slack on the snatch and our tyres started digging into the sand bottom, so he gave it more right pedal & out they came. Ev was extremely upset with the situation and it didn't help when Jim opened the car doors and water was pouring out of the cab. The boys checked the engine and Jim opened up his side boxes - full of water. Jim said he learnt something on this crossing - not to be compacent with water crossings regardless of how many you have done, don't be afraid to let more air out of your tyres, put the snatch strap on before you enter the suspect looking crossing. Boy said (tongue in cheek) that he learnt something to - "always go first! Jim was saying the water was about level with the cup holder in the door (in a new hilux). There is video of this swamp crossing, but I will have to get it off Ev when they drop in to see us and then I can post it up. Jim & Ev have arrived at our place, so here is the video :)
We pushed on toward Nolans - only got 13klms to go. OMG (that's saying it politely), the track got worse, we were flat out doing 10klm/hr!!! Finally arrived at Nolans about 4pm, a family was camped on the other side and the fellow was sitting in the creek with his daughter. The campsites on the southern side were a bit ordinary, so there were discussions about crossing this arvo and camping on the northern side. Craig started chatting to the fellow in the creek and he walked through the creek to show the boys how deep it was & where the soft sand was - up to his chest in some bits... Then Craig walked through & decided they needed to keep hard right on the bank in the entry, then head on an angle once in the creek toward a little sand island, then veer left a bit - that way they stayed mostly on firm sand and out of the DEEP water.
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| Nolan's Brook (Bridge Creek) |
Both cars were prepared for the crossing, everything up off the floor in the cab (even the HF radio box was pulled out), Ev & I walked across the old bridge with the computers & cameras. Water bra went onto our car, straps attached, they even put silver tape around the doors (just in case) and the fellow camped there brought his car (good old landcruiser ute) down to the edge of the creek on the other side and the snatch straps were attached to the back of his ute.
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| Kingi at the ready |
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| Into Nolan's Brook |
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| We're through |
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| Half way |
Craig first, "Kingi" started driving forward as Craig entered the water (just to take up the slack on the snatch, in case he need pulling through). No problems though, we got across and no water in the truck. Craig reversed our truck back to the creek edge for the snatch to be attached, water bra went onto Jim's car. In he went, Kingi drove our truck forward to take up the slack as Jim hit the water. Jim didn't muck around this time, he gave it plenty of right pedal - had water up over the bonnet, Craig was in the creek guiding him and got swamped by the bow wave up to his chest. Jim was not getting stuck this time, we were all killing ourselves laughing. Ev has a video, but I need to get it off her then I'll post it up here.
With all the excitment over, we setup camp, then Craig took a couple of beers over to thank Kingi for his help this arvo. Jim also took over a couple of logs, as they had mentioned they didn't have much firewood. It was 5.45pm by the time we setup camp, so Jim got the fire going. We were going to have spag bol jaffles, but the it was frozen. I downloaded the camera cards because they were both full & Craig decided we should turn the spag bol into savour mince due to the time. I wasn't very keen on his plan, so cooked some pasta and we just had spag bol again.
Jim cleaned all his sides boxes out of water & the interior of his cab. He realised that his drill was also on the floor & when he got it out water was running out of the case, but the drill still works.
I came to bed about 9.30pm to get our journal up to date with all of today's events. The other 3 were outside looking at Ev's photos & videos that she had taken of our travels together to date. 10.30pm now, I'm finished for the day & sounds like everyone else is pretty much done to.
Goodnight :)
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