Wednesday 19th August

The turkey strutted along the watch tower in front of Tom and Pauline's tent as the force 10 gale clanked and rattled the sheets of corrugated iron set up as a barricade. The tent bellyed and wobbled like a island dancer and the dry leaves tried to scratched their way to a cosy bed with our two intrepid travellers. It was only the sky hook made of spider's d*** that kept the roof of the tent from being flattened unceremoniously on top of those two brave hearts.

Well after Mal wakes up and comes back to earth he can return to the truth of the matter - it was very windy night.

T&P were up early as we had agreed that we did not want to arrive at Sam's Creek to late in the day.

We were all packed up and away by 8.20am and ran South with the wind chasing us. T&P headed off ahead of us and we followed behind at a dust free distance. In actual fact the dust through the rain forest areas was very modest and while some sections were rutted and badly corrugated the road is quite workable.

T&P reported seeing the 4x4 tour bus heading for the cape and a grey kangaroo out for a morning jog, but he had left his lycra and i-pod at home.

Mal and Sue saw a black snake but missed seeing the tourist bus.

Bamaga, _ was noisy at the Dreamtime Shop/general store - the music pounded into Mal's headache - The PO queue was slow as Tom tried to buy a mailing cylinder, the girls had finished shopping by the time Tom was served. We grabbed a few things, mal had a curry pie with inadequate pastry and then we topped up at the BP and shuffled South.

It was kind of weird having made the critical turn around. The road down to the Ferry was rough but we arrived and without a minutes wait we ran down onto the barge and fronted the crown waiting to cross Northwards - including a 990 KTM - the first of a whole run of bikes we were to see.

We plugged on down the highway heading for Sam's Creek - after a false turn into a road for water trucks - we were on the road that cuts across to the Old Telegraph Track.

A few K's in we had to pull in tight to the left for two 4x4's with camper trailers. They confirmed we were on the right track, so we straddled the washouts, nearly scraped the rear tool boxes on a number of exits and kept on down till we found the campground. The creek was so clear it is really beyond comparison. We put up our camp and walked down to watch the first of the Northbound vehicle slither and scrape their way in and out of the clean water.

It has to expected but the telegraph track cops it's fair share of bogans and yobbos - the scattering of discarded toilet paper an beer cans basically confirms the story.

On the first night there were three young guys and their girlfriends who camped up the hill - they were quiet and well behaved.

The moon shone down and the stars twinkled and the campfire tapped it's long orange fingers to the rhythm of the universe.

Thursday 20th August

A rest day - slow to rise, tea all round we finally walked down to the creek ready for a swim - clear water - the waterfall a gentle tumble - Mal up to his chest in the stream - Sue and Tom exploring, Pauline relaxing - then Sue and Mal had a swim before returning to camp for lunch.

After lunch we returned for an afternoon swim and Mal did a sketch of the gorge with the waterfall. We collected firewood and settled in for a delicious dream pot meal largely prepared by Sue