3rd August 2010 to 9th August 2010

3rd August 2010

Deb due to have her last three weekly chemo today, so we all hope she copes better this time than last. She will be glad to see the last of these and can see a light at the end of the tunnel. We all are pulling for her and wishing her all the best with her radiation. Go Deb!

On a lighter note - Lisa got word yesterday that a photo with caption she submitted in a Competition last month WON! They get a 50 litre Waeco fridge/freezer for her effort. What luck! They are so excited as they were thinking of changing to a bit smaller one - & here it is! $1250.00 worth!

Pack up camp; leave Mt. Molloy about 9.30 and after quick stop at Black Mountain Lookout, arrived in Cooktown 12.30pm. Ross had address of chap who will allow us to leave our small van on his property while we go up to the tip and back. The chap (Steve) came and said we could spend the night here if we wished as it was getting bit late by the time we were ready to leave - so decided to do just that. Great guy, so friendly. Enough room under the large awning for trailer and all four of us with our chairs and table with electricity to boot! Watched couple of dvds then bed.

4th August 2010

Another beautiful day! Lisa set herself up and started working under the awning while Ross sorted out more gear and Don & I drove to town, sightseeing. Steve came early and after talking to Ross, agreed to help him weld a stand onto back of new caravan to hold bikes, wood etc., something Ross has been wanting to do since buying it. Steve talked us into staying few more days to finish off work to van - all agreed and was touched by his generosity. After h/hour, all drove to town about 6pm for fish and chips for tea. Very nice too.

5th August 2010

Days and nights are noticeably warmer which is quite ok with us. Lisa started work again - Ross, Don and Steve back hard at it on the rack while I did some handwashing and finally sheets all round. Fast drying up here with helps also. Ross's job finished, so decided we'd repack vans and leave here tomorrow for a visit to a local camp spot called Starcke River Goldfield.which after a week up there, back to vote then head north for the tip. Lisa made cheese, sundried tomato & bacon damper rolls for tea - very nice too. Clever girl!

6th August 2010




Lisa only did small amount of work this morning, as we were all busy packing up ready to leave Cooktown for our long awaited trip north. Steve suggested we go short distance north/east of Cooktown to the Jeannie River to fill in time till we can come back and vote in Cooktown on 11/12th August, then head up to the tip. All agreed. Left Cooktown 11am, over Endeavour River and arrived at beautiful Isabella Falls 11.45am. Only people who have been here before would not stop at such a lovely water crossing/waterfall! Between 6 to 8 4x4’s there at any one time – all wading through water and taking photos. Took our photos and quick cupper before heading off again 12.30pm. Not too bad a road - few deep ruts and muddy patches which Don handled easily. Enjoyed the ride as it kept our interest all the way. Finally, at 3.10pm, arrived at Starcke River, where we crossed and went up other side, parked and decided to camp the night. Late lunch then all went for a walk before going down to river for our daily wash. Fire going for cooking tea, sat and watched the stars (unbelievable our here) before early to bed. No traffic out here. Covered approximately 100 kms today.

Did I mention yesterday that Don has lost his false teeth? We have looked everywhere, even back where we had fish & chips last night for tea, but we can’t find them anywhere. Luckily, covered under insurance, so will just have to go ‘gummy’ till get another set when get back home.

7th August 2010

Left camp 9am and very soon found the going a lot more challenging than yesterday! Ross was ahead of us and we watched him manoeuvre his vehicle and off-road caravan over some pretty ‘hairy’ places (I held my breath a few times before this trip was over today) before coming to a very steep, deeply guttered decline down to a rocky river crossing. No way would Ross be able to drive his van down there, huge rocks to go over, no way! I wanted to turn back there and then, but no, Ross was convinced he could do it without damaging the van or vehicle, so away he went. He did it with very little effort, it seems. Looked hard to me, but then again, I haven’t done any serious 4x4 driving before this and he has done a 4x4 driving course. Don followed him across, us girls walking and videoing their clever efforts. Little did I know that that was one of the easier!!! Some twice as bad were yet to come!

Check out some of the pictures here - http://picasaweb.google.com.au/rosscoe68meister/StarckeRun#

Unsuspecting – we plodded on – now about 10.15am.

Many a crossing from then on, the boys had to get out and work out a strategy with which they would attack each one. Some they had to straddle some extra deep ruts; others creep over huge boulders and one time as Ross was going up an extra difficult incline from a creek crossing, we watched in horror as the passenger wheel was jutting some 2-3 feet in the air and the van balancing the other way. Don ended up standing on the bull-bar while Ross drove it out – quite spectacular, but scary at the time! Dons wheel also went high off the ground, but he wasn’t pulling a van behind him, so got through a bit easier. Few others took some serious thinking about before negotiating them, but finally at noon, we arrived at our destination – the Jeannie River Falls. It had taken us 3 hours to drive the 20kms from our last overnight stay! We were very pleased and proud of our drivers to have brought us safely through a most exciting day.

After setting up camp on rocks above the waterfall we had lunch and kids took off to try their luck at catching some fish. Mainly mullet, but just want to catch anything and they’ll be happy. No such luck today so Lisa decided to make some honey and banana scones (cooked in the camp oven) which we ate and enjoyed. Ross imported all our photos and videos onto his computer and we sat and watched, re-living our whole day before an early night. Again, no other vehicles around, so very, very quiet.

8th August 2010

DAY OF REST!!! Kids were up and gone fishing by the time Don and I staggered out of the back of the 4x4. Lisa keeps telling me that I'm having a good time - so I must be!!?!! Unfortunately they got no bites and got the throw net snagged on a log in the river below the falls where there are crocs, so had to wait for a lower tide before trying to retrieve it.They sat for about an hour trying to mend it....almost as good as new. After lunch kids hopped into their 4x4 and went looking for an easier way out of our camp site - yes - much easier and quicker, luckily.Off fishing again and this time they snagged a good sized mullet, but unfortunately, snagged the net again which thoroughly destroyed it this time! Ross reckoned it was a $100 mullet we ate that night! Watched dvd before early bed. Good strong breeze blowing just about all day today.

9th August 2010

Kids off fishing again and this.time Lisa caught a lovely sized Giant Herring but that was all for the day. Don & I off to the deep pool for a swim in our clothes - easiest way to wash them. Kids cleaned and tried to fillet the fish for tonights meal, but unfortunately, full of little bones and had to discard it. Another quick swim before lunch when it started to sprinkle - just a taste of more to come as by 4.45pm it really started to rain!
After home made pumpkin soup and bbq tea (in between showers) we sat under an awning and played cards till about 9.30pm or so.