King Ash Bay 4-09-11

 

The day started well, we were not to leave until 9:00 since we didn’t seem to have an enormous drive ahead of us.  Tony, Jen, Michael and I drove down to the Roper Bar ( a concrete course way across a rocky bar in the river which apparently was the way Leichardt came on his expedition.  We drove across and back just because we could and Tony threw a line in (no luck)  Greg got up early and went fishing (no real luck, a couple of tiddlers).  We then drove up to look at the store (in a wire compound) and out onto the road.  Tony spots a buffalo in a paddock at least 300 metres away!  How does he do it.  John, Lanlan, Peter and Susan arrived now and they walked to get closer to the animal for photos (well Tony, Peter and John did, the rest of us stayed well back).  LOL (laugh out loud).

Peter C loses his driving light.  An oncoming car noticed it and stopped one of us to alert him to it.  Unfortunately it was too late, the damage is too severe.  Peter’s number plate has become detached in a river crossing.  We are certainly knocking up the damage.

Took off down the Savannah way to a set of ruins and a lagoon ……….Peter D pulled up at the ruins and…puncture – the third tyre blown for him now.  The Lagoon was beautiful and the tyre was quickly changed and off we went.

Crossed some beautiful rivers and some extremely interesting country.  There are piles and ‘rivers’ (large) of rocks everywhere, the landscape is littered with rocks, it is a puzzle as to how this feature was formed.  The rocks are not huge, maybe on average 30-40 cms across.  Really weird.

Oh dear!!!!  CB radio message.  Peter D has another flat tyre (no.4 now)  he is devastated as you would imagine.  Greg, Wanda, Dean and Karen are travelling with him (we have spread out a bit due to the dust clouds being thrown up) and Greg helps to change the tyre. 

Initially we all stop to wait until Tony says that we should move on, there is no purpose waiting since he is getting all the help we requires.

We drive on a bit further and…..John gets a flat tyre, Tony comes back and Peter C and he change the tyre.  We are now a little concerned that we have had a flat which should have given the others time to catch up.  We drive on.  This road is extremely punishing on the tyres and the cars, lots of corrugations and very sharp stones.  ( Dean has since read in a little book provided in the NT on 4wd, that you should have 2 spares when you travel this road!!!!).

We are becoming increasingly worried.  We come to the intersection to Boroolaloo and wait again, it is now getting later and there is still approx 100 km to go.  Tony tells, John, Lanlan Peter C, Jill P, Michael and me to continue on to King Ash Grove and to secure sites for everyone.  He will wait for the others.  We are really concerned at leaving Tony and wondering where on earth the others are.  We go on.

Come to King Ash Bay, 5:20 ish and are appalled, this is full of caravans and fishing boats.  We really don’t think Tony will like this at all.  Still, no choice so we find enough space for all of us and set up.

This place has a bar and restaurant!!!!  Plastic chairs under sails.  We decide to take our cars to the restaurant and park them in a prominent position so that we will be seen by the others as soon as they arrive.

Time drags on, it is now 6:30 and getting dark, still no sign of them.  Michael and John go out every 5 mins and call on the CB radios.  Finally we decide that we had better order dinner (roast night).  About 7 ish, Michael calls again and they answer, they are about 11 km out!!  Relief.

They are all stressed and tired, but OK.  Peter D had got another flat tyre, 3 in one day!!!!  Greg had managed to patch the last puncture and they crawled along the last 90 kms, stopping every now and again to pump it up. Tony has put his spare onto Peter and Susan’s car. Peter D now has quite a problem, all of his tyres are now goners.  He and Susan have to decide if they can travel on with us.

Tony and Jen waited an hour and a half for them at the crossing.  Tony was just weighing up whether or not he should drive back when they appeared.

They walk into the restaurant.  thank God.

The roast dinner was just what was wanted and the day is finished on a happier note.  Early to bed.

Quote of the day:

Peter D to John:  When you come to the dark red dirt, the river crossing is just around the bend.

John:  What bloody good is that information to me?

Silence!

Then

Peter D:  Oh I forgot you were colour-blind!

We made 22 or 23 river/creek crossings today.