We met another couple who we had made acquaintance with at Portland Roads. They were told by Coen police that they are likely to close the road tomorrow. They were concerned that big trucks were cutting up the road ( and they definitely were doing that) and they were considering limiting the traffic to less than 5 tonnes.
Next stop for us was Musgrave road house. There was water everywhere! Take a look at the airstrip,
We ordered something to eat, but then the owner came in and said that Saltwater Creek close to the roadhouse was coming up and if we didn't get across within half and hour we might be stuck with him! We had a tense 10 minutes while we waited for our food!
Once we were over saltwater Creek it was on to the Laura River. It was still raining all the way to the Hann River road house. The sultry skies did make for some nice scenery though, despite our knowing that the rain appeared to be in the Laura River catchment.
Something interesting happens to people who are facing a common challenge. In this case the threat of being trapped by the river made people very friendly and chatty. Everyone had an opinion on the rain, the approaching low, and had predictions as to how long the rivers would stay up should we become stranded.
When we reached the Hann road house there was a group of about 15 people, all talking and speculating, and drinking . Everyone except the manager was engaging in good natured discussion and telling yarns. The manager however seemed sullen and uncommunicative. We had decided to stay at the Hann until the river dropped, expecting a lively social time of it. However we decided we didn't like the atmosphere and so we would go on closer to the Laura River. When I explained to the manager that we would go on and possibly be back tomorrow he angrily said that I should just go, and he didn't want to discuss anything. He sarcastically said we would be camping in water but he didn't care.
So on we went with the mood of the adventure considerably dampened.
About 15 km north of the Laura we found a gravelled track going to a gate. It didn't look like a driveway so we decided to camp there. But we wanted to face the other way so Joe decided to make a three point turn... And got the back tyres into black soil where they promptly sank up to the axle.
Even though it was raining Zef was very keen to try the winch. We hadn't used the winch before so this was a new experience for Joe too. So then boys got out the winch and the remote. They couldn't get it started. I, being female decided to check the literature which came with the winch and in so doing I found the red key labelled "winch isolation key". I thought that might be relevant. However we couldn't find where that was to be used. Luckily mark Fawcett at Earthcruiser answered his phone at 8.30 pm!a and told us where the key point was. After that it was easy!
24/11/13 Next morning we headed for the Laura River! wondering what we would find. We found at least 50 vehicles including a number of trucks. Two trucks had loads of cattle. The river was more than 2 meters over the bridge! People had their tents out, and camp fires going.
Laura River road house was into it with a small 2 seater chopper (usually used for mustering) delivering hamburgers and other supplies to the stranded vehicles. Some of them did not have food with them. We heard they even took a child for a joy ride. What a different attitude from the HannR iver Roadhouse!
We were directed to the rodeo grounds! where there are large "no camping " signs. There are covered areas used as semi permenant camps by rodeo attendees. The caretaker was quite happy to have stranded campers use the area, so we had a great covered area next to the EC. We unpacked and settled in for the duration. At that point we understood that there was a low coming and that it was likely we could be there for days if not a week,
Our neighbours turned out to be people we had first met at Portland roads and again on the Cape developement road. They had set up in a covered area too and had their tent out. They had company and we were invited in for a cup of tea. The conversation was sharp and fast, about bird watching, travelling, and fording streams ( naturally!) These were people we would enjoy anywhere.
Periodically someone would drive down to the water and come back with a situation report. And the trend was down! As it reached 800cm above the bridge we started to get excited. The cattle trucks which had unloaded their cattle in the rodeo yards, started loading them again, and there was talk of the trucks crossing within an hour!
We decided to pack up in case we could go and while we were doing that we started to hear talk of the trucks going across. Then there were 4wds tailgating on the trucks. We got down to the river as quickly as possible to see the action. There was talk of a low coming across the Cape that night -if we didn't get out now we might be in for a prolonged wait!
And then the level was 400cm. Land cruisers were crossing. We could go! We got across at about 4 pm, with the river level at 400cm above the bridge, with a strong flow.
Most of the vehicles got a cross, but there were fuel tankers with empty tanks which were waitin for a lower level . They were afraid that their tanks would float. I don't know whether they got across or not. There were trucks with no load which loaded up their escort vehicles to increase their weight, and they went across. The cattle trucks went.
One of our new friends (couple) were debating whether to go or wait till morning. - I don't know whether they got across. I hope they went that evening because the river rose again very quickly.
We got across in the bottom of that chart before the final rise. The level has not yet gone down to a level at which we could have crossed. Anyone who didn't go that evening is still waiting there!
We were jubilant of course when we got across. We camped (in the rain) at a lookout that night.
From Laura it is bitumen all the way to Cairns. What a relief!
In the end I don't think we left the Cape a day too early!
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