Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
After crossing Bertie Creek I headed down to the Junction of Bertie and Delhunty to make camp. A bucket bath was very welcome to wash off the Bat smell before soaking in the cool waters beside my camp.
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
Friday 9-9-22:
It was quite refreshing to wake to the tinkling of Bertie Creek flowing past so I decided to stay another day.
The only other camp down here packed up and left the place for me to enjoy on my own.
The water is a touch on the cool side at first but you soon get used to it and several times during the day I succumbed to its cool embrace, only a couple of vehicles disturbed my peace during the day.
It was quite refreshing to wake to the tinkling of Bertie Creek flowing past so I decided to stay another day.
The only other camp down here packed up and left the place for me to enjoy on my own.
The water is a touch on the cool side at first but you soon get used to it and several times during the day I succumbed to its cool embrace, only a couple of vehicles disturbed my peace during the day.
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
Saturday 10-9-22:
Heading off again I first drove through the easy crossing of Delhunty River, only 3 vehicles there which surprised me, North Alice and South Alice creeks were hardly even there but some side angles along the track made life interesting.
I met my first Vehicle at Ducie Creek and after he had piloted his well set up Patrol through I took my turn having no problems with the crossing and jump up at the end.
Weird rings in a fallen tree with shoots growing in their centre.
Heading off again I first drove through the easy crossing of Delhunty River, only 3 vehicles there which surprised me, North Alice and South Alice creeks were hardly even there but some side angles along the track made life interesting.
I met my first Vehicle at Ducie Creek and after he had piloted his well set up Patrol through I took my turn having no problems with the crossing and jump up at the end.
Weird rings in a fallen tree with shoots growing in their centre.
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
Palm Creek … what a drama! I checked out a different crossing to the far east finding a couple of vehicles in the creek, I walked the creek to check it and found the new crossing I had used was now much easier as the top edge had been dug in about half a metre or more so easily drivable now.
I returned to my car and towed the Prado and trailer up then towed the Pajero up before getting my turn to drive down.
I returned to my car and towed the Prado and trailer up then towed the Pajero up before getting my turn to drive down.
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
As I turned into the creek there were now about 8 cars in a tour group parked in the middle of the creek with no one in them blocking me so I parked to the side and waited, and waited. I walked down the creek finding a Hilux Ute on its side in the entrance, he had already left to get help.
The tour group slowly moved on but no one moved to the side until I started driving to force my way past and they got the hint and moved to the side as they moved up.
I drove past the Hilux and turned around to get a better angle at an old entrance beside the one blocked by the Hilux.
The tour group slowly moved on but no one moved to the side until I started driving to force my way past and they got the hint and moved to the side as they moved up.
I drove past the Hilux and turned around to get a better angle at an old entrance beside the one blocked by the Hilux.
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
The clutch was not disengaging making it hard to manoeuvre, I had to stop the engine, select my gear and start the engine again making anything hard a huge drama. [heat build up is causing it]
I made it through the water and its deep mud underneath and up on to the ledge, I knew it was far too steep to make it up with a big hole to the left but gave it one good crack anyway, the front made it up but the towbar hit and stopped me so I rolled back and hooked up the winch.
The clutch dramas made it a bit hard but keeping the wheels spinning helped the winch do its thing and I was soon up and headed to Bramwell Junction for some junk food and checked that the Hilux driver had made it back here to get help.
Video of Southern Telegraph Track https://youtu.be/QLt9U31spDo
video of Palm creek towing, rolled Hilux and winching out https://youtu.be/v0tSG-i50c8
I made it through the water and its deep mud underneath and up on to the ledge, I knew it was far too steep to make it up with a big hole to the left but gave it one good crack anyway, the front made it up but the towbar hit and stopped me so I rolled back and hooked up the winch.
The clutch dramas made it a bit hard but keeping the wheels spinning helped the winch do its thing and I was soon up and headed to Bramwell Junction for some junk food and checked that the Hilux driver had made it back here to get help.
Video of Southern Telegraph Track https://youtu.be/QLt9U31spDo
video of Palm creek towing, rolled Hilux and winching out https://youtu.be/v0tSG-i50c8
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
I hit the Telegraph Road south stopping in to Moretone Telegraph Station for a few pics then 20 kms or so later turned into The Frenchmans Track.
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
The heat build up driving slow made the clutch even worse so I stopped at the top of the Wenlock crossing and checked out the new entrance, an easy run ensued down the bank, across the fairly shallow sandy bottom and up and out the other side.
Re: Travelling down Cape York 5-9-22
The infamous Frenchmans Bog came up next and not being able to stop I ended up in the longest deepest section and diffed out tying to get up the other side and stalled in gear, problem was with it bound up I could not get it out and it would not start in forward and I could not get out the door. I smashed and swore at it until it released then I selected reverse and headed backwards, the steering took this opportunity to stop working and turned hard right, I couldn’t go forward to get it to steer so just kept pushing backwards against the bank until finally it went up the bank a bit and I was able to steer again and straightened up.
I stopped, put it in first and started again taking the right hand soft track and soon diffed out again but was able to squeeze out the door and hook up the winch and drag my sorry arse out of there, no water in the car or canopy but the trundle space got wet and my rattle gun and batteries got a dunking.
I stopped, put it in first and started again taking the right hand soft track and soon diffed out again but was able to squeeze out the door and hook up the winch and drag my sorry arse out of there, no water in the car or canopy but the trundle space got wet and my rattle gun and batteries got a dunking.