http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , Australia , Queensland , Cape York en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:22:50 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:22:50 UTC Our day trip to Thursday Island was another trip highlight. We were lucky to strike a calm day as it had been pretty windy other days and the strait is well known for being a bit choppy. It takes about an hour to cross to the island and we were entertained along the way with a video about Torres Strait and one of the crew even came around with a map and a personal description of the area A 90 http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-333596.html As soon as I got back to Cairns from Cape Trib after the festival I got on the computer and made a load of signs to put up in hostels asking for a lift up the Cape York Peninsula. The next morning I got up early and prepared myself for a day of walking round the city in circles forgetting where I had already been and desperately looking for some shade from the midday sun I don't really like wal http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-333551.html We set off on our Cape York adventure on 26 August leaving our caravan at Mt Carbine for the duration of the trip. Our first stop was at Laura to see the 13000 year old Quinkan aboriginal rock paintings at Split Rock. Very interesting but almost overshadowed by Blursquos close shave with a snake he almost trod on one walking down from Split Rock Our first night was spent at Mary Valley http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-333543.html No animal is half as vileAs CrockyWock the crocodile.On Saturdays he likes to crunchSix juicy children for his lunchRoald DahlThe Australian Saltwater crocodile is an impressive beastie believe me Irsquove seen one. It was patrolling the shallow waters of a deserted beach off Cape Grenville in Far North Queensland. I was standing on dry land at the time but my next meal my bed and my t http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-329296.html Now you know yoursquore something really pretty special when folks start referring to you by just the one name. Thus we have such luminaries as Madonna and Kylie The Queen Britney and Elvis doubly special as hersquos also simply The King. Noone ever interrupts midsentence to ask ldquoIrsquom sorry Jesus Whordquo And then therersquos the Big Man himself. As far as Irsquom awar http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-325828.html PS Part 1 There were two pages of photos on the last blog in case some missed them.The last blog finished with us saying goodbye to our camping mates in Seisia and heading down to Vrilya Point.Vrilya Point is on the west coast of the cape 88km south of Seisia and 27km this part takes an hour off the northern bypass and is another track without a signpost which we missed and had to turn back fo http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-306268.html We left Port Douglas full of high expectations and bravado and we have not been disappointed although the bravado did disappear somewhat at our first challenging creek crossing on the OTL local buzz term for the Overland Telegraph Line.Before reaching the start of the OTL we bush camped at a few spots. The first was just inside the Lakefield National Park at Six Mile Lagoon a very pretty li http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-303967.html Punsand Bay Lockerbie Bamaga Seisa Day 214Monday 24 September 2007Easy travelling day with minimal kmrsquos. Stopped at Lockerbie one of the original cattle stations owned by the Holland Family and had a good ol chat with Kerry Myers the lady that now owns the place. This station was formed originally in partnership with old Frank Jardine before being taken over completely by the Ho http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-208348.html Punsand Bay North towards New GuineaFishing CharterDay213Sunday 23 September 2007Fishing Charter www.ifishalot.com.auWe finally booked ourselves onto a fishing charter sharing with a bloke who was also staying at Punsand Bay and whom we had met previously. Left at 700 am and immediately headed 14km out towards Papua New Guinea We had no luck initially although the fish finder Sounder http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-207948.html Punsand Bay The TipDay 210Thursday 20 September 2007 Lazed around camp walking along the beach sussed out about fishing charters and the trip to Thursday Island. A large charter vessel called the ldquoLady Mrdquo was anchored in the bay and in the morning the occupants came to the beach. As we were directly in front of where they landed we spoke with them and they were all from Mandur http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-207939.html Endeavour River Escape Lakelands Musgrave Roadhouse CoenDay 204Friday September14 2007Finally off to the Cape Travelling via the Peninsular Developmental road everything up here is a ldquosomethingrdquo Developmental Road perhaps QLD needs to move on. The road initially has stretches of gravel of varying quality interspersed with brilliant sections of bitumen that are spaced at v http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-207857.html Roadhouse life really took a uturn when Pete our new boss arrived and Jeffers the Alchie got booted out. The atmosphere instantly brightened up and Pete proved himself both extremely helpful and laid back within hours of arrival. Over the course of the last couple of weeks we've heard some stories that have litterally had us in stitches unlike Jeff's droning that would send most to sleep withi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-181427.html Reading back over my last entry I can't quite get my head round the distance I've travelled and the change of scene that I've experienced in such a short time not to mention the job I find myself in It is all so so so different from anything I had ever imagined. But first let me cast my mind back and fill you in from Noosa.... Shit Laura and I had a terrible night at the hostel there people http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-174990.html The following day we traveled out to Weipa the road greatly improving due to its upkeep by the Comalco mine. We joined a mine tour the following day through the bauxite mining process which involves taking off the top soil loading 19 metres of ore into trucks and then onto ships finishing with land rehabilitation that somehow overcomes a decline in altitude of up to 9m and took plenty of pho http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-174843.html The following day we caught the ferry to Thursday Island learning about how to catch dugong and turtle from ldquoAuntie Jordquo who sat next to us. It involves harpooning them with a short spear attached to a rope and floats and then following them around until they get tired not terribly humane but apparently they taste good Our time in Thursday Island TI would have to be one of the hi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-174830.html After a great night with Bruce in Coen we began our drive to the top. Coen is a little town just about in the middle of the Cape which services nearby cattle stations and travelers. It is sometimes called the capital of the Cape which is a tribute to how little civilization there is up here because there isnrsquot much in Coen. We crossed the Archer and Wenlock rivers on our first day without a http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-174826.html Good morning everyone been a long time since travelblogs last week Don was away for five days doing a charter for aboriginals from Woorabinda Community not far from Mt. Morgan travelling to the town of Laura which is 200klms northwest of Cooktown on aboriginal land for an aboriginal festival which is held every two years for all tribes in Queensland. For all you kiwis average temp. there was http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-174005.html We finally left Cairns late on 3 May. All real estate agents should be shot. After promising to be there at nine she arrived at 2pm after some coaxing and then proceeded to take no less than 3 hours to do the inspection requiring a livid Christine to follow her around with a cloth wiping things we had already cleaned. Nevertheless we got every cent of bond back and maintained our record of not http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-172176.html Vancouver since October 2006 has been work and more work Haven't yet seen the party scene nor the snow scene. Went snowboarding once and couldn't sit right for 3 weeks its been a while since I've been back. Some Photos of my trip so far. http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-132565.html Well on the 27th we are off again January that is California here we come Mark and I of course.... Hope you will keep an eye out for our blogs friends CheersThe Pitts http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-114796.html When last I wrote we were in Cooktown and left there onThursday 14th Sept and headed back to Cairns and the beautiful and green Crystal Cascades Caravan Park. As I mentioned in the last blog we had booked on a tour to take us up to Cape York and we left the van and car at Crystal Cascades for the duration. Were picked up at 7.20 am Sunday 17th Sept and joined another 15 people for the journey. http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-93351.html Waking up early to a grey sky maybe it will clear up today but very little wind was a blessing. Today we begin our long journey trust me we won't get in until about midnight on Thursday night with the children.Our travels begin with a Skytrans plane. Little reliable and swift these white planes with red stipes fly regularly the Cairns to Cooktown route as well as to most other points on http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-68032.html Hi AllSince this should be the last update before we leave I am adding our vert rough itinerary.June 21 Leaving Cooktown via Skytrans flying to Cairns overnighting in CairnsJune 22 Flying Virgin Blue to Sydney then flying Virgin Atlantic to Hong Kong getting in very lateJune 23 Hong Kong first full dayJune 26 Grayline tour to ShenzhenJune 28 Disneyland Hong KongJuly 5 Virgin Atlant http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-67400.html So for all of those who have emailed me yes the picture is now on the netWaiting for the 21st when we fly out of Cooktown via Skytrans first of the 6 flights for the ENTIRE holiday. Yes the bags are packed we are double checking all the bookings next week we will confirm the flights all those lovely things to think about Hee Hee the girls are excited beyond the normal range each mornin http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-65951.html Okay 28 days to go.....Disneyland tickets bought China visit booked and visas organised and only 4 WEEKS to go todayHooray http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-61415.html So now we are counting down the days. For those who want to know our ROUGH itinerary it is on the map here httpwww.travelblog.orggmapsmap1cT.html 5 weeks and counting http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-59898.html I had decided that if I got to Cooktown and it was still raining I was going to quit there instead of continuing to Cape York. Well it was raining so I waited a couple of days and it looked like it was getting better so I went to the top it continued to rain but I'm glad I went anyway. Days 7682 CairnsDay 83 Turtle CoveLanded on a nice little beach that I had to watch for high tid http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-York/blog-58936.html