I was pretty well out of food, with about another 55kms to go before any further supplies would be available. While struggling across Cabal Creek, the first crossing of the day just a km or so from Eliot Falls, some kind people gave me some energy bars and an apple, which were most welcome.
There were about 5 or 6 more creeks and rivers to cross before reaching the Jardine River, some 25kms further north. I knew that I wouldn't be able to cross the Jardine where it meets the Track – it's too wide, deep, and full of crocs. If the going had been a bit easier, and if I'd had more food with me, I might have done all the remaining crossings as far as the Jardine and at least taken a look at it before turning back; however by this stage I'd had enough of the old Track, and after the next creek, Sam Creek – another wide one:
... I branched off along another narrow, sandy track, to rejoin the Bamaga Road about 8kms later.
From here it was about another 35kms to the Jardine Ferry crossing. The road was corrugated and extremely bumpy, but at least the surface was reasonably solid, although there were still some stretches where I had to push the bike through sand and loose gravel.
I reached the Jardine Ferry at about 2pm and after enjoying a cold drink, some chips, and an ice cream I was ready to tackle the remaining 45kms to Bamaga. The Jardine Ferry is a cable-driven vessel which has to be one of the most expensive river crossings on earth, $112 per car for a journey taking about 30 seconds. Fortunately the nice man in charge let me and my bicycle ride for free.
Across the other side of the Jardine, the road gradually improved, until at last, on reaching Injinoo, an aboriginal community 3kms from Bamaga, it actually became bitumen. It was such a relief to be able to lock out the front suspension for the first time in days, and enjoy some flat smooth cruising for the last few kilometers:
I reached Bamaga at about 5.30 and had a well-earned cold beer in the tavern there:
The helpful barman advised that there was no campground in Bamaga but a nice place to stay was Loyalty Beach, about 4km further on. This proved to be good advice, I reached Loyalty Beach soon afterwards and found a nice spot on the beach for the tent, just in time to see the sun set over the Torres Strait, with a number of islands visible in the distance:
The campsite had a very nice restaurant and I enjoyed my first decent meal for ages, some really tasty mackerel with salad, followed by a big chocolate dessert.
So – the Tip is now just 35kms away. I'm not going to do any riding tomorrow though, I think I need to take a day off and get a lot of washing done, and try and get a bit of servicing done on the bike. It has put up with a hell of a lot of punishment and performed very well. I haven't had any punctures, the gears are still shifting okay, the wheels are still running true without any damaged spokes, and the hydraulic disc brakes are working fine. But I want to get the chain cleaned up, and remove as much of the fine red dust as possible, get it relubed, and generally check that all the bolts holding the rack and other parts on, are still tight.
Distance today 103kms, total so far 1112kms
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