We finished up packing CRUZIE set off the the biggest adventure to date. We had no real idea what to expect or even if we would tackle the Old Telegraph track or chicken out and turn back at the first crossing.
We set off excited and nervous. Full of anticipation at the same time as preparing for the worst. We did not want to damage the car but this track was rebound for 'testing the best and drowning the rest'. We got to the first crossing in under 20mins, Palm Creek. This was the 'baptism of fire' test for wether you would dare tackle the OTT. We waited looking at the original crossing a cortical drop the entire length of a car walled in by sheer rock. This was not the crossing for us but we sat, waited and watched as 2 cars attempted it.
A decked out old patrol and a brand new Triton. Both sustained heavy damage, the patrol added some panel damage and the Triton lost both front and rear bumpers. Us, along with a line of other vehicles prefering a slightly less abrasive option drove around for other crossing options. We found the chicken tracks and processed down. It was there we met our new friends also looking for a travel buddy, someone else to negotiate the rugged track with. We paired up and headed down into the still very aggressive approach into palm creek, there was then a sweeping left turn up travelling up the creek for 40m then a substantial wet muddy climb up and out. Contrary to our plans CRUZIE sustained some 'panel love' to the rear quarter panel. They say the first one is the hardest to bare. I guess that means the rest should be easier 😂😉🤞
We then made several more crossings (Ducie, South Alice, North Alice, Delhunty and Bertie without incident. Infact we were travelling well. No snatch or winch required so far. Then we arrive that the infamous Gunshot Creek. It didn't take long to identify the iconic sheer vertical drop 1&1/2 car lengths deepfollowed by a bonnet high creek crossing. We however opted for the slightly more tame entry into the creek but still had to make the same club out. We were the only 2 cars that day to make it out without assistance, go CRUZIE!!! We celebrated and enjoyed the afternoon watching a number of other cars attempting the same pass.
A beautiful swim and wash in the creek. We had dinner with our new friends on the mat and after the kids were in bed even had a good chat after the sun had gone down.
GUNSHOT TO CANAL
We waited most of the morning hoping for someone attempt the original crossing, but there were no takers. We waited looking at the original crossing a virtical drop the entire length of a car walled in by sheer rock. This was not the crossing for us but we sat, waited and watched as 2 cars attempted it.
It was time to conquer the rest of the southern end of the OTT. First up was Cockatoo Creek crossing, then Sailor crossing which marked us completing the Southern end of the OTT. Reports last night were that the Northern end was more challenging.
We arrived at Fruit bat falls for lunch. We found a nice hole in the rock we could all sit in and watched the water ripple over the flat rocks around us. Wading through the water on our way over there were reports that we had just passed a snake 🐍 passing the oppersite way 😬.
We weren't far from Elliot and Canal the two possibilities for camp tonight we had narrowed down. We checked out Elliot first and then returned to canal were we had a good swim and in the Crystal Blue waters followed by campfire dinner, as we had no other form of cooking.
CANAL TO SAMS
We back tracked to Elliot to go have a morning swim. Clint sunk the drone in the water trying to take some cottage near the creek where there happened to be and overhanging branch. It was later revived after a day of drying out on the car dash. In the same location there is also Twin Falls and the Sausepan falls.
Micah had his finger jammes in the car door but was okay after some TLC and an icy pole.
Before we made our way to Sams creek Chris popped a side wall on his tyre so we changed it over on the track. We had the se tyres so we now were down to 1 spare fore the 2 of us for the rest of the trip. We were set up camp along with a campfire to cook. We found a little water hole down stream after some exploring which was the best swimming we had had. All 4 boys spent the entire afternoon playing sticky boat races down the creek inspire rafts of other kids to join in.
Claire made damper, we wrapped it on a stick, cooked it and stuffed raspberry jam in it. Mmm delicious 😋.
SAMS TO LOYALTY BAY
Our friends we running low of food so the plan was to back track out on the the bypass. But Clint and Chris razzed each other and we ended up pointing our cars further up the OTT to just 'check out what it looked like'. 3 challenging crossings later including Mistake, Cananbal, and the famous Cypress bridge crossing made of felled logs tied with rope.
We were not turning back we continued onto the famous Nolans. Currently we had had a lot of rainfall so the creeks were flowing a bit higher and there had been many people we had passed telling stories of how their cars had filled with water crossing Nolans. What surprised us was that their was an unmarked crossing on out map called Logans it was a long crossing thelat mistakenly thought was Nolans. There was noone on the other side to snatch is through so we waited for someone less attached to their car. We found then. An old 100 series Toyota. They made their way through on our advice and were their on the other bank to make an emergency snatch if required. CRUZIE made it through Logans. All vehicles made it though without issues except an old hilux which got a bit of water through.
On to Nolans now only 10mins further. We were now the last in line. There were 4 crossing option we pick out line it was just above waist high with a sandy bottom. There was an audience waiting of the se dozen people we had continually bumped into over the past 3 days. Someone was already set up to snatch everyone through. By the time it was our turn the crossing was almost shoulder high. But CRUZIE made it through Nolans with no leaks woohoo.
That marked completion of the OTT. Chris and Clint dubbed themselves the "Tele Brothers". We celebrated and watched the next batch of vehicles come through And had a swim. Clint enjoyed the tour swing before heading further north.
We crossed via the Jardine river ferry with the friendliest operators and onto loyalty bay for some further celebrations.
LOYALTY BAY
Today we made out way around Seisa and Bamaga airport viewing the plane wreck from WW2. We got Grandy on the phone whose dad spent 2 years at the tip fighting the war as an aircraft gunner. He knew of the those who had crash in the wrecks and lost their lives. It made the experience so much more real. We also visited the radar tower and had lunch their.
We had a long play on the beach back at camp and watched the sunset.
LOYALTY BAY TO PUNSAND BAY
Today was the day we had all been eagerly awaiting for. Today was the day we were going to do the tip. We packed up camp and travelled still with our friends in toe to Punsand bay stopping by the croc shop for some souvenirs.
A couple of stubby holders, pack of cards and a couple of postcards to send home.
Punsand bay had a beautiful beach which again we unfortunately couldn't swim in. We hung around until low tide at 3 pm whicheant we could walk along the flat Sandy entrance to the tip rather than scaling the rocky walk. We approached the sign. Clint cracked a couple beers and we enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment.
It meant so much more having taken the Tele Track. We took plenty of pictures to document the moment and added some rocks to the rock stack.
We celebrated the Pinacle of our adventure back at camp with the best pizzas on the Cape.
PUNSAND BAY
Today's adventure was seeing the canons at Somerset.
We found a nice spot on Somerset beach to settle down for a couple hours over lunch the 4 boys found some friends there to play imagination games.
After lunch the rain set in and we headed off to do the 5 beaches track. It was a terrific track. The boys somehow slept in the car as it bounced around. The only thing that took away from it all was the amount of rubbish the sweeps up onto these beaches. We found the 6th Secret beach and headed back to camp. Back at camp once the rain had subsided the humidity hit us so we played in the pool.
Then we got some drinks and enjoys them of the 'Tinny Bar' overlooking the beach.
PUNSAND BAY TO CAPTAIN BILLYS
We came, we saw, we conquered. Now it was time to set back down the cape.we would take the PDR (Bamaga Rd) we went back across the ferry and received a token souvenir from the ferry operators on our back windshield.
The rest of the road back via the PDR was the worst we had come across. You would regularly find yourself bracing and hitting the bump stops for unannounced out holes amongst the shin high corrugations. Clint, twice needed to attend to some bolts that had dropped out of the steering guards.
We made it to Captain Billy's landing camp ground by the afternoon. Clint was exhausted from the drive and just lay on the beach. The boys and their Mum's went beach combing for shells.
It was our last night in the tent. It was a 30yo tent that we had been gifted by John and Janie in Darwin. There was already a gaf fee taped hole in the mesh from a foot hole; broken tie; torn bag and the fly was leaking which hadn't been an issue until now. As we went to bed we prepared for and incoming storm. We strapped an additional tarp to the roof which only partially covered it...It was a long and wet night.
CAPTAIN BILLYS TO BRAMWELL
It was a wet night and was going to be a wet pack up. The only saving grace was the shelter with a table under it to prepare breakfast.
The tent was wet, leaking, torn and it was now time to retire it. It had served its purpose.
It was a sense of relief and achievement making it back to Bramwell. We were all looking forward to sleeping back in Sandy our camper. She felt so luxurious. It was a big job to unpack a repack everything.
We had fun singing and dancing to the live country music. It was a great way to end our trip to the tip. The same way it had started.
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