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Published: July 22nd 2010
Hi All
Finally made it to the "glorious tip", the last three days have seen us cover about 800kms of red dirt along the Peninsular development Road aptly named as it sure needs a hell of a lot of development. We have discovered that the road signs (when there is one) have a whole new meaning up this way ie DIP mean Doom Impending Pit, as they are car swallowing depressions that your car may not emerge from. Also a bend sign means you better slow to a crawl as the roads is about to disappear at right angles then drop into a creek or other hazard. Reduce speed means you'd better stop or your gonna wear a grader and sections of tar are for overtaking- this you have to do at 150kms/hr as everyone wants to be the first on the dirt so as not to travel the next 100kms in a cloud of red dust which you inevitably do anyway. Road conditions aside there are some very pretty places to camp along the rivers and creeks but unfortunately you can't swim in them for fear of being devoured by crocs. So bathing is limited to ankle deep water. We
have camped at Hann Crossing, then the next night at Archer River both pretty river settings, then a night at Elliot, Twin Falls - a beautiful place where two creeks converge with separate falls and the bonus is you can swim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately for us is was raining so our camp was very damp and we were cooking over a fire in the rain. The 6 million fruit bats also detract from an otherwise pristine setting. The fun of camping.
Yesterday we packed up in the rain and continued north across the Jardine River ferry $88 please for a punt that fits 3 cars and takes 30 secs to cross, then into Seisia our home for the next three nights on the west side of the tip. The Bushies are camped on the waters edge while Tim, Cal and I have opted for a villa and a real bed for a few nights.
Late yesterday we jumped in the fourbys and drove the 34kms of horrendous dirt corrugations to the tip. You endure the road then park and then it's a 2km hike up a rocky headland to get to the ever elusive sign. But we got there and have photos
to prove it!
The actual site is like any beach headland except that as you look north you have the Torres straight look east the coral sea and west the Gulf of Carpentaria quite amazing really.
The next few days are for exploring up here, hopefully a bit of fishing etc. It's still raining on and off- not that it rains in the dry season- and it's extremely windy, but I'm sure we will manage, it beats working.
Thanks for all the messages it's great to hear from home, you get so out of touch. Will be in Cooktown in a few days so will get back to you all then in the meantime we will sit back and have a few beers to get the red dust out of our mouths.
Cheers
Lee and the gang.
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Mandy
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Hello to all of the happy campers.It sounds like a wonderful adventure you're having- I didn't realise it would be so dangerous though! School news:The boys won the Knights Knockout and are off to Sydney in Week 3. Yesterday was the athletics carnival and Fahey house were the WINNERS!!!!(by a mile!!). Sorry Cal-Chisholm came last and Tim, Polding didn't do much better-fifth!