Holidays 2016 - Fishing Cape York

This trip is going to be a fishing trip!  We had a fantastic 4wd holiday in 2014 to Cape York where we completed the Telegraph track, Frenchman's Track and The Old Coach Rd to Maytown out of Laura. 2014 we visited Weipa and took a fishing trip with Lee from Weipa Sports fishing and caught the most impressive Spanish Mackerel - yum and Queenies - Kiss and release. 

2014 - Weipa Sports Fishing

2014 - Weipa Sports Fishing Spanish Mackerel

2014 - Queenies

We set off this year with a slightly different set up to the Kimberley's as the boat HAD to get bigger to stay in proportion with the Crocodiles and our Adventure level .... Gone was our 68kg, 3.8 mtr Blue fin with 15hp Yamaha, in was our 115kg high sided 3.89 mtr Stessco Squire reinforced stern with 25hp Yamaha.

After much research and multiple trips to different boat manufacturers, this was we believed our best set up option for weight, size and power. Options on the boat: We bought over the Lowrance HDI sounder from the old boat as we were comfortable with its usage and found GPS very accurate.   We use this in conjunction with Navionics Boating on the IPad and the reference book 'North Australia Fish Finder 11' which we have found to be exceptional value and full of accurate useful information. We carry a 5wt VHF radio, flares and EPIRB. Yamaha installed a regulator on the boat engine which now charges a 1.5 amp hour battery to run the lights, Navigation and the addition of a bilge pump. Last year we found we were struggling to keep up with the electrical needs of the boat, car and camper due to having no 240 power in the Community, which meant the generator was running a lot. This also now means we don't have to take the battery out of boat each day to charge it. 

We had installed the 150 kg roof rack when we bought the Mazda. We put it to a rugged test last year going to Kimberley's and had no problems, however reality is we have put an extra load up there this year, so we went to our engineering company and had further reinforcing put into the canopy. This took some space from the sides where we held jerry cans but everything in remote fishing and camping is about compromise. The boat loader was same as we took to Kimberley's.

Travelling to the Tip as is customary our 1st stop was to be the Clermont bakery. This required free camp overnight at Clermont and being there on a week day as bakery shuts on weekends. 

Clermont Bakery - Yum ... just some of the food

Two more free camps and we are just outside Laura. A thorough check of the gear before the corrugations really begin we find a small hairline crack in the boat loader. Not unexpected because it had already done the Gibb River Rd and we believed that because it only had two points of weight distribution there was one section in the design that had a high probability for failure. Was the extra weight of the new boat from 68kg to 115kg going to be a problem for the whole trip? The good news is it happened now and not further up the Peninsular Development Rd. Being so close to Laura we had phone/internet reception and was able to find a engineer/welder in Cooktown who was able to do design and repairs immediately. And even better felt he was a good price. Cheers to Cape York Engineering.

Boat Loader repaired 

A day in Cooktown didn't affect our plans as we were still 3 days ahead of schedule.

We went to Vrilya Point last trip and had contemplated taking the boat however reports were the track in was closed. We spent an overnight at Crystal Creek about 4kms in where you have access to clear fresh water in the creek. We were the only ones there and surprised when, early in the morning a 4wd was coming from the other side. Old Mick had just come from Vrilya Point and we guided him across the log bridge as he needed to put a tyre on each log to cross, it was incredibly hairy. The bridge had deteriorated severely in 2 years. A cuppa and chat with Mick he had been at Vrilya 2-3 weeks and there was lots of campers/fisherman there who weren't catching much.  He was on his way to Weipa. 

Log Bridge - Crystal Creek

At the Jardine River Ferry we had to decide what we were going to do for 2 days as we weren't booked in yet to Seisia Holiday Park. A quick phone call to Seisia we were able to book in another two days. As we have so much gear to set up and unload, predictions of mild winds which were only going to increase to severe during our stay, we were keen to set up and get in the water.