CAPE YORK TRIP day 20

5 July 2014

40 km South of Dunbar – 140 km south west of Musgrove (115km)

I don’t know how best to descrive today – challenging, dramatic, stressful, traumatic, or just plain interesting.  As Min said later in the day – the major challenge was to get the Skoda to Cape York.

The day started well  - lovely warm morning with a lovely breeze.  There was evidence of some dew.  The air felt so fresh.  We didn’t leave till 9:00am. 

Just after Dunbar station we came across the road works depot and Min and I drove it to see if we could find someone to ask about road conditions.  He told us that the road to Artemis would be okay and that they couldn’t understand why the road closure sign was still up at this end as the road was open from the other end.  He indicated that it was definitely okay to go along it.

So we conitnued on.  Hardly any vehicles on the road today – it is Saturday.  We flagged down people travelling from the opposite direction to check what they thought of the road conditions.  One guy gave us some really useful information.  It all sounded promising. 

It wasn’t long before we were at the Mitchell River crossing.  Some doubts set in whether we could all make it across.  It was a very long crossing but very fast flowing with a strong current and was not deep  except for the funny angle of the entry.  Min went across and thought it was doable but we were still concerned.  So we decided to have the Skoda attached by chain to the Oka just in case it got into trouble.  We all got across okay and felt we could handle them in future. 
 

Everything had gone well during the crossing except for the Skoda loosing its front number plate.  

We continued on till Min came to the bog hole that he had been warned about so we backtracked to the alternative track and got around it.  We went through 6 closed gates that required me to get out and open them and for Žydre to close them.  Scenery was interesting as we drove past termite mounds and thick scrub.  We crossed many dry creek beds.We came to a rather challenging dry creek crossing and everyone made it even the Skoda on three wheels as one was in the air for a bit during the crossing.  

Then there was another more challenging creek crossing that was sandy and rutted on the long entry to the creek.  Min got through in the Oka but the Skoda got through the hard part and then got stuck at the top just before the entry into the creek as two opposite wheels started to spin and not have grip.  So after Žydre and I checked the water depths in the creek the Skoda was towed across.  Bob went across well except for scraping on exit from the water and slightly denting one of the camper struts.

Instead of corrugations we had ‘cowragations’ (corrugations created by cows).  They were worse that corrugations.  We came across one lot very unexpectedly and the Skoda having bounced over a few decided enough was enough and after Flora braked it stopped – just wouldn’t budge.  Ignition worked but that was it.  Min and Bob decided it was a fuse and Min thought the problem was also somehow connected to the fuel.  It was very hot so Min decided to tow the Skoda till we got to some shade.  Having stopped in shade they looked and looked couldn’t find the problem.  All fuses in the engine bay were checked and then rechecked.  We had lunch and a decision was made to tow the Skoda till we made camp and then go over it with a fine toothcomb. 

The upside was that Flora saved 20km on fuel.  The down side was that it was hot in the car as the zircon was not on and it was hard work being towed in dust.  Because there was so much dust we couldn’t keep the windows open.  Everyone was thinking of what do we do.  Then we heard there was a car coming up from behind us.  We all had the same thought – what is the likelihood of a mechanic being in the car.  BiNGO – there was.  They stopped and three men emerged.  The younger one was the chief mechanic at a large car place in Sydney.  In minutes he had the problem sorted, a new fuse in place and we were on our way.  Apparently there were also fuses in the dashboard that were not just for lights etc.  It was the fuse for the fuel pump.  What a miracle was that – a mechanic on the same road as us. 

Thank goodness that the Skoda could make her own way over the following washouts as it would have been hard to tow it through them.  After a short drive we pulled up to camp for the night near a waterhole.  We were all so relieved, grateful and tired from the tensions of the day.

CAPE YORK TRIP DAY 19

4 July 2014

Karumba – 40 km South of Dunbar (229km)

Another beautiful morning.  After a leaisurely start we refueled and went to the bakery.  All of a sudden we heard a car alarm go off.  It was Bob and Žydre’s vehicle.  Just before a refrigeration truck had pulled up and apparently he scraped the side of their car and bent the mirrors.  Nothing serious but some time was spent exchanging details.  After morning tea we set of with some trepidation northward bound.  We had been advised to talk to the road crews along the way to get up to date information on road conditions.

So 38km out of Karuma we turned north east towards Dunbar and deflated the tyres for the dirt roads ahead as cows watched from the side.  We were surprised with the rubbish near this intersection. 

We continued on past thick scrub, termite mounds that were getting bigger and more dramatic and past hoards of cattle at waterholes.  As we went over one large creek crossing on a bridge Žydre and Bob spotted some fresh crocodiles. 

The dust from the road trains coming the other way was phenomenal.  Four such road trains passed us.  

For a road that is not a major road and so outback there was an amazing amount of traffic in both directions.  At times it felt like Pitt street. 

We camped in a lovely spot near a lagoon – maybe it was a creek – with white water lilies flowering in the water and blue and white flowers along its edge.  It was about 40km south of Dunbar. 

CAPE YORK TRIP DAY 18

3 July 2014

Normanton – Karumba (94km)

It was a beautiful morning.  It seems that the emu had adopted us.  It was waiting for us in the morning watching our every move.  As we left it even chased us.  We broke all records as we were on our way by 8:30am. 

Normanton was an interesting place.  It is small, established in 1867 and there is not much here.  They have about a dozen police to keep their residents in check. 

Our first port of call was the Information Centre.  Min then called several places to get road updates on the road to Cape York.  They have had rain out there two weeks ago so some roads are closed as even 4 wheel drives cannot get through the river crossings.  We will see how we go as we head north tomorrow.

We walked around Normaton seeing the old buildings including the Railway Station.  

The replica of the largest caught crocodile, Krys, is very imposing.  It was killed by a woman and by chance we are staying in the caravan park owned by her and her husband. 

It was strange seeing the old town well in the middle of the main street.

After lunch we made our way past the dryish wetlands – here the rain has been scarce but we still saw quite a few birds including brolgas and jabiru.

I was pleasantly surprised by Karumba.  

We are staying in very pleasant caravan park that is not crowded and the toilet facilities are just great.  We familiarized ourselves with the town, stocked up on barramundi and prawns then went to enjoy the sunset from the front of the Sunset Hotel in front of the coastline.

A dinner of barra kept us all happy and the sunset was like the icing on a cake.  A glorious day.

On returning to our campsite we were entertained by the green frogs in the toilet block.