Cape trip advice and tips

[Lucky_Phill]

Howd'y folks,

I am getting serious about a Cape Trip next year.

I know I have another thread on the forum about his from some time ago, so thought I would ask for updated info.

Opinions are most welcome.....

For those that have traveled this area in the last 12 months or 2 years, Just need ya thoughts on things like:-

What did you take but in hindsight could have left at home ?

What did you leave at home and should have taken ?

Tent set up ?

Cooking equipment ?

Mapping... books ? GPS ? Maps ?

As I am looking at taking in the East Coast as well as the West.... suggestions on whether I should take a tinnie or not ?

Roof topper or trailer mounted ?

What tyres did you run... ?

As there may be more than 4 vehicles going, should at least one have a winch ?

Did anyone really need diff locks ?

What sort of food did you take ? tins, cryovac, dry foods, or buy most on the way, in towns ?

Are there any suggested places that you consider a " Must visit ". ?

I am hoping to take in Bathurst Head, possibly via Starke Trek.... Captain Billys Landing...... Marpoon..... Vrylia Point, Seisia and the Jardine and Lockhart rivers.

If you have url links to reports from other webpages, all good.

I have watched a fair few Youtube videos, so all good there, unless there is a stand out, but pretty sure I have seen most of them.

Any other tips or hints would be appreciated, also if you are keen to tag along.... you're welcome.


Dates............ TBA, but looks like an early run as El Nino will give us a hot, dry summer season


Cheers LP

[scuttlebutt]

I do a couple of trips up north each year.

Boats - I take a cartopper tinny. Only take a trailer boat if it's bulletproof. A trailer will also make it harder to manoeuvre through tight tracks.

Tyres - In my opinion Mud tyres are more trouble than they are worth. Use A/T's and get a winch for emergencies. Mud tyres are noisy, uncomfortable, wear out like hell and you can still get bogged. I've still only ever used the winch for putting my boat on the roof.

Maps - On my most recent trip I bought a little Garmin Etrex 20x. Loaded it with Garmin's version of satellite imagery called "Birdseye" and it was invaluable for walking to isolated waterholes.

Remember crocs are everywhere. I bumped into a 10 footer at a freshwater stream where we had been collecting drinking water.

[snapperbasher]

See below Phil..... Are you planning on doing the OTL? there is so much to see up there and I'm seriously thinking about going back next year but not sure yet. Any other questions fire them at me....

Howd'y folks,

I am getting serious about a Cape Trip next year.

I know I have another thread on the forum about his from some time ago, so thought I would ask for updated info.

Opinions are most welcome.....

For those that have traveled this area in the last 12 months or 2 years, Just need ya thoughts on things like:- I've been up twice in 3 years Phil, First time was just the 4wd's and went back with the boat 12 months later.

What did you take but in hindsight could have left at home ? Heaps of spares but you could bet if I didn't take them I would have needed them

What did you leave at home and should have taken ? Wheel Bearings for the car.....had to get them trucked in to Karumba and change out myself...not a fun exercise.....

Tent set up ? OZ Tent 30 second tent....... wouldn't have anything else....

Cooking equipment ? Small gas stove with 2.5kg gas bottle...... can cook for a month with one bottle.

Mapping... books ? GPS ? Maps ? Took the Hema Australia 4wd atlas...have since put Hema mapping on a Samsung tablet.

As I am looking at taking in the East Coast as well as the West.... suggestions on whether I should take a tinnie or not ? Wouldn't bother for the Eastcoast....the SE trade winds don't let up over winter......20knots at least pretty much everyday...... Westcoast definitely......Hence why I went back with my boat.

Roof topper or trailer mounted ? Roof topper if you are planning on doing the OTL.

What tyres did you run... ? BFG Muddies....wouldn't run anything else.....(Just My Opinion)

As there may be more than 4 vehicles going, should at least one have a winch ? Only if you are doing the OTL

Did anyone really need diff locks ? Only if you are doing the OTL....I did it without and only had trouble on one crossing (palm creek) no doubt would have got up with Diff Locks.

What sort of food did you take ? tins, cryovac, dry foods, or buy most on the way, in towns ? Cryovac and Tins.....can buy food all the way including in Bamaga and Seisa....prices are not much different to here.... don't pack too much food

Are there any suggested places that you consider a " Must visit ". ?Pennefather river......especially if you have the tinny.

I am hoping to take in Bathurst Head, possibly via Starke Trek.... Captain Billys Landing...... Marpoon..... Vrylia Point, Seisia and the Jardine and Lockhart rivers. I think Vrilya is still closed

If you have url links to reports from other webpages, all good.

I have watched a fair few Youtube videos, so all good there, unless there is a stand out, but pretty sure I have seen most of them.

Any other tips or hints would be appreciated, also if you are keen to tag along.... you're welcome.


Dates............ TBA, but looks like an early run as El Nino will give us a hot, dry summer season


Cheers LP

[gunna]

Ask plenty of questions here

http://www.capeyorkforums.com/forums/?q=index.php

I found them really helpful when I went.

[Feral]

Mate went a few weeks ago.
the mystery of a cape trip sort of bit the dust for me when he rang me from the caravan park near the tip on his mobile phone.......hardly the remote wilderness anymore.

Fuel, he reckoned fuel was horrendously expensive, some places double normal prices. Be careful where you fill up. Other than that he reckoned it is a pretty easy run these days.

[Blackened]

Phil,

Buy a drone, learn how to fly it and you can get some incredible footage of the trip.

Dave

[nathan dumschat]

Man phill havent you been up yet, I seen this post on here for seems like two years now, I have been up the four times in four years great place, Last trip I did this year for a month with a mate. I did 7282 ks for home to home I live 20 minutes north of Noosa I burnt 1268 lts of diesel that cost $1800,56 cents. towing my 5m quintrex tinny on a HD trailer with 60 4/ yam on the back at 1,350 kg BMT loded. behind my old 1HZ diesel 80 series wagon loaded as well. I got 16 mile to the gallon or 5.74k to the litre. I bought all my tucker and fuel at Weipa as I only stayed at Pennefarther River for the month as I have seen 90% of the cape already over the last 33 years of going up there, and Penny is a great spot, It took 36 hours drive strait through I took it in turns driveing with my mate Dave about 5 hours each, it cost us around $2000 each for the trip. And I am off again next year, hopefully for another month or two,Craig