Punsand Bay and Bertie Creek... ohhh, Bertie Creek!

We left on the Wednesday after an incredibly slow pack up, which included saying goodbye to more MySwag members who were shooting off south to start their trip home.  We drove the short distance up north to another park, just near the Tip, called Punsand Bay.  One of the big drawcards for us was the reported pool that they had.  The girls, being swimming obsessed, had not been in the water for weeks.  It was definitely hot enough for this as well.

In getting there, the park was a bushland setting, and pretty scrubby.  We setup the camper, and headed off to the pool.  We discovered this to be a small above ground jobbie, and a little run down.  It did provide an opportunity for the girls to get wet, and practice their swimming.  The water was, surprisingly, very cold!!!  We go as far north as we could go within Australia, and the pool water is STILL COLD.  You’ve got to be kidding!  Needless to say Glenn and Amy kept out of it as much as possible, and the girls turned blue.

Daggy pool at Punsand Bay - the kids were happy

After this, we had an early dinner, and early to bed.  Going to sleep, we could hear the roar of the gathered crowd at the Bar, all watching the NRL Origin decider, which Qld won by the skin of their teeth.  It would have been fun to be a part of it, but us parents with young kids were committed to bed!

Jess enjoying the dirty sand at Punsand Bay

We were happy with the quick one day visit to Punsand, so drove out the next day, heading back down the Development Road.  The dust was still quite bad, and the traffic reasonably high, so normal caution was taken.  We drove past the Nolan’s Brook turnoff, past the Canal Creek turnoff, past the exit from the southern section of the OTL, all with us acknowledging them, and remembering the last time we were there.

We headed for a bypass road for the OTL, about mid-way through the southern section.  This bypass road was probably the worst corrugated of all the Cape roads we’d been on so far, but thankfully wasn’t too bad, or wasn’t too long.  It dropped us back onto the OTL between Bertie Creek and Gunshot.  We did a quick few km’s south, arriving at Bertie Creek crossing.

It was a little weird being back on the OTL, but nothing too problematic.  We did get out and walk around the northern bank trying to look for a camp, which all seemed a little bare.  Glenn walked across the creek and found a fantastic campspot down a side track.  We did have to have a good look at this creek crossing we’d obviously done with the group previous, but that was following someone, and they all seemed to blur after a while. 

The crossing was fine, and we rocked up to a fantastic camp spot, with the Bertie Creek flowing low and fast all around us in a horseshoe.  The ground was level, and there was no-one around. 

Whilst all the girls swam, Glenn setup the camper, and joined them for a dip.  It was lovely clean water, not too cold, and nice little rapids to play in.  Just as we started to get dinner ready a little while later, Glenn was MOST upset to see another camper arrive, and even worse, set up!!!!!.  ARGH, why are you spoiling our peace!

Swimming at Bertie's Creek

After getting over that, we hit the sack listening to water flowing all around us.  If you were paranoid, you could have dreamt that the camper was being swamped and swept away.  Just as well we’re not paranoid.

The following day we just hang out around camp.  Lots of swimming, coffee’s, swimming, lunch, swimming.......  you get the picture.  We did get a little drizzle, (as we had throughout a lot of the Cape trip), but it was still warm, and no inconvenience.  The previous campers had left that morning (thank god), but Glenn was even MORE annoyed when another camper turned up around 3.30 that afternoon.  Knowing full well that it was the Cape, it was busy, and this was the OTL, all that didn’t diminish the disappointment of seeing another camper ‘interrupt’ us.

Glenn preparing the camp fire for the night

Looking back to our camp from the creek

Bedtime stories by the fire

The next day we decided to go for a drive up to have a good look around ‘Gunshot’.  Given we could take more time, Glenn got to ‘play’, and drove up.  We crossed Bertie again, and another easy creek crossing, and made our way up the track.  There was quite a long section where you had to drive on a fair tilt given the left hand track was heavily eroded down.  Weird, but nothing Slim couldn’t handle.

When we got to Gunshot, with no signs of butterflies given we weren’t driving it, we got out and wandered around.  It was great to see all the alternative tracks that were available, including some of the original, now near vertical tracks into the creek.  As mentioned, we did watch 4-5 cars do one of the accessible alternative tracks, which seemed a little bit of a strange thing to do, but no doubt a badge of honour.  A few of the cars got a bigger badge than others, inflicting various forms of damage on their car.  It was interesting though to see the car nearly vertical before it hit the bottom.

Satisfied that we’d see it, we wandered back to camp for another swim.  Whilst back at camp, mid afternoon, you can just guess what happened, AGAIN.  Yep, more bloody campers rolling into “Camp Interuptus”.  This was additionally annoying because we were literally about to strip off for our bush shower.  It did mean we had to take an extra hour in setting up a shower tent, showering, and packing up!!.. Pah.

Glenn had been convinced that we were being ‘interrupted’ by a certain type of people, that being “Nissan drivers”, given the first two nights saw Nissans turn up.  They must be a type of people that would do that, so he thought!!!!.  The theory was blown apart a little however when on the last night two cars rolled up, one a Nissan, one a Toyota 100series.  One explanation is that the Nissan driver had tricked the Toyota driver to stay there, convincing him it was all ok.  

Side-note, I’ve never been into car racism, but the MySwag trip got it all going.  Thought I’d give it a go.  Can’t say it’s a passion, but what the hell, a bit of fun!! J

It was extremely pleasant to spend some time soaking up the bush and the track through this part of the OTL.  As said, it is all too hard to take it on board when you are on the move with the group.  This was definitely one of our best camps on the Cape, and the trip so far.  Thanks Camp Interuptus!!