Day 14 - 30 May - 6 km north of Bertie Creek to Cockatoo Creek - 19 km

Rain stopped just before dawn. Woke up to a wet tent but other was mostly dry. Had breakfast, packed up and started back to the junction where we went- wrong yesterday only a about 500 metres back.

Being on the correct track meant being back on sand.  The 1st 2 hours were mostly walking and pushing the bikes. Tony going faster with his longer legs was out of sight when 2 4WDs caught up with me. Guy in the 1st car (Dale from the Croc Tent) stopped. We had a quick chat and he gave me an ice cold Powerade. What a hero   Wevha! He also told me that at it wasn't far to Gunshot Creek. He gave Tony an ice-cold Coke when he passed him as well. What a great guy.  He was travelling with the people we had met at Palm Creek.

Pushing the bikes through the sand was so physical and tiring.  sweat was just dripping off us constantly.  Lucky we have bodies of steel...or is that plastic???

 About 10.30 am we reached Gunshot Creek, not difficult crossing for us even though the banks were steep and heavily eroded. Different story for cars. While we were there a family group in 3 4WDs arrived. We watched their 1st car go through and up the steep southern bank. (part of this group were Barry, Ruth & Renee who we meet again in Seisia).

 After that we walked some long stretches of sand. Finally got some surfaces we could ride on and made it Cockatoo Creek. This was the biggest crossing so far, not as deep as reported but fast-running and wide. We unpacked the bikes and carried everything over separately. The current was so strong the bikes went horizontal in the water.

 The exit from Cockatoo Creek was very muddy and rutted, but we were able to push our bikes up fairly easily.

Cockatoo Creek had this great shelter and long drop toilets.  Luxury for us.  When we first got there, a tour group was using it, but after they left we took over the place and settled in for the rest of the day.

We hung out our tents to dry and cooked some Asian noodles for lunch, yum!






About 5.30 pm  2 4WDS with trailers made their way across the creek.  They had no trouble getting down the south entry, even though it was steep, rutted, muddy and rocky and no trouble getting across the creek, but they provided us with hours of entertainment as they tried to get up the northern exit.  The first Land cruiser couldn't get up with the trailer so unhitched, got the car up and then used snatchem straps to pull the trailer up.

The second car tried to do it with the trailer attached and had heaps of trouble.  Using winches, the other car, and anything else they could think of.  This went on for hours into the dark.  Eventually we went to bed, but they told us the next morning they got the car and trailer up at 10:00 pm.  Marathon effort.

They had to get it up because the Variety Bash, about 69 cars, was coming though the next day and they were blocking the only route out.