Left at about midday Sunday for Rainbow beach where we were catching a barge to Fraser Island from. Fraser Island is the largest sand Island in the world and has no roads, only sand tracks through rainforest and on beaches so is only accessible by high clearance 4WD aka. THE PAJERO!
It's pretty remote so we had to stop off to buy camping stuff and stock up on food and booze for the three nights we were there so it was getting late by the time we got to Rainbow beach! We checked the final barge time and it was in 15 minutes so we didn't have time to go to the petrol station to top up fuel for the island and I just had to belt it towards the beach so we could catch the barge! We got to where the road becomes beach and hto get the barge you have to drive literally up to the waters edge across soft sand but we hadn't taken any air out the tyres for sand driving yet so we had to stop to do it. Aaron went to hold the barge but it started leaving while he was on it so we had no choice - we stormed the beach with one half deflated tire and still in 2WD. We got stuck straight away! But then engaged 4WD, reversed out and made it to the waters edge, drove up the ramp and had to deal with the embarrassment of the burning clutch smell, a smell we would become more familiar with on Fraser.
Saw Dolphins from the barge which was a first for me and we deflated our tyres properly. Once we got onto the island it was a long drive along the beach on nice easy wet sand where we saw a huuge dead turtle and an eagle!
Once we turned off the beach the driving was more tricky - inland sand tracks are single lane soft sand and bumpy as fuuuuck! We made it although we got to the campsite at Central Station after dark! Sunset is like 6pm here so some reason! Made tacos and hit the hay :)
Monday we woke up, went to Central Station to look for fuel, there was none but we walked down to a creek which was incredible - sand at the bottom and had crystal clear drinkable water so we went in and drank some obv.
(it's really hard to see but there is actually a stream in this photo - the water is just so clear!)
Next stop was Lake Mckenzie - a beautiful perched lake that is only fed by rainwater so has completely clear water and sand that's as white and pure as the stuff at Whitehaven beach in the Whitsundays! Stayed for a while, swam right out into the middle of it and had a few bevs in the lake.
We left Lake McEnzie for Eurong where there was fuel and we saw a dingo on the way!
We topped up in Eurong for an outrageous 197 cents per litre - still better than England! Then onto the beach again to go up to Dundabarra where we stayed the night. Passed the sand cliffs on the way - formed just by the wind and rain over time. Also stopped at the Maheno - a 1935 shipwreck on its way to the scrap yard in Japan when it ran aground on Fraser Island.
Dundabarra was nice and on Tuesday morning we went on a walk that took us to some sand dunes which were so cool. We literally came out of a rainforest into a desert.
We left Dundabarra to drive up the beach further to Indian Head and this is sadly when the Paj had enough. The clutch gave in and we were stranded on a 75 mile long beach at the North of Fraser Island.
I'll rattle through the next bits because lots happened very quickly.
- We flagged down a tour group convoy
- The guy we spoke to was called Gas
- Gas towed us back to Dundabarra campsite
- We gave Gas the rest of our beers (...two beers)
- We climbed a hill to get phone signal on one of our phones
- We rang a guy to tow us down the beach to Eurong
- He couldn't get into the campsite with his flatbed truck so Vinnie towed us onto the beach
- The tow truck only took two people (you can't sit in the car while it's on the truck)
- Aaron and I hitchhiked down the beach with some Americans and some Aussies
- We actually got out and had a lil tourist excursion at Eli Creek - another unreal fresh water river that you can float/walk down
- The car got put down at Eurong and we stayed at the resort there overnight
- We all got smashed and I don't remember anything but I tried to steal a Scottish flag from someone's window, we saw another Dingo aand we got high on the beach
This morning (Wednesday)
- The same guy took the Paj down the beach to Hook Point where we were to get the barge across to the mainland
- Anina and Paddy hitchhiked today coz we did yesterday
- At one point the tow truck couldn't fit because of the tide and driftwood had blocked the way so had to get out and lift a tree stump out the way while the tow truck squeezed past
- We didn't want to pay for the tow trucks barge fee there and back so got dropped where the barge picks up from
- Anina and Paddy got a lift down the beach with some Germans who then pulled us onto the barge, pulled us off the barge and drove two of us into town. Absolute heroes. Wouldn't even accept our money!
- Dave picked up the Paj once it was on the mainland beach and took it to the workshop it's at now at for a new clutch which will be fitted when the new part arrives 'first thing in the morning'
We stayed at a hostel in Rainbow Beach near the workshop last night and plan on surfing today (Thurs) while the Paj is fixed!
WHAT AN ADVENTURE
FAAAAAAAAACK
Predictions...
- New clutch fitted tomorrow and Gary decides not to charge us because I'm such a cool guy
- New clutch fixes grinding in the gearbox
- New oil filler cap falls out of the sky
- Coolant and oil topped up for free
- Chip in windscreen disappears
- Tyres automatically reinflate themselves to save us a job
That is all.
PS. I'm not dead
No comments:
Post a Comment