Kind of glad to be leaving Vrilya Point this morning, really looking forward to the air conditioning in the car. It is so hot here and you can’t swim in the water! We have to go back over the log bridge at crystal creek. When we got to the bridge there was a mini excavator sitting in the middle of the track. We had to do a bit of maneuvering to get lined up for the bridge which meant going over a steep bank so when a lady with a baby said we could move the excavator Michael jumped at the chance to have a play. The water in the creek (as the name suggests) was crystal clear so we stopped on the bridge and filled the camper water tanks up with it. Michael, Jules, Jacob & I had a swim in the beautiful clear, cool water as we were confident there was no crocs around. :/
Next we headed for the start of the Old Telegraph Track and the first creek crossing Nolan’s Brook. This was the deepest and most challenging crossing on the whole track. We made ourselves lunch then spent a lot of time walking around in the crystal clear water trying to find the best track across. There was a few routes to choose from. This creek had a very soft sandy bottom with deep channels which I’m assuming are from other vehicles. About two thirds of the way across there was a deep section that couldn’t be avoided but the bottom was a bit firmer so after a good hour of frolicking the boys starting prepping the vehicles. For us towing the camper as this was our first deep crossing we took our clothes and Jacobs bed out of the camper and tied to the roof rack of the truck. We also put everything up as high as possible in the truck. Recovery gear was prepared, winches out and ready, water bra on and we were ready to go. By this stage we had a couple of spectators who were heading north. Michael went first as he’s not towing anything. Graham went down to the waters edge ready to pull him out backwards if needed, the key here being to move fast if someone stops as they will be filling up with water. See Michael’s crossing here. Michael made it through without a hitch so then it was Graham’s turn. He made it without a problem but we must of made it look easy because even with our advice the ‘spectators’ got into trouble. The first one just made it through but the next one didn’t. He was bogged, revving his engine trying to get moving with nothing happening. We had to yell at him to turn it off, then we had to yell at his co-travelers to pull him out, they were all just standing there looking at him. By the time they started moving, Michael had grabbed his snatch strap and swum it out to them to pull their friend out. Nolan’s Brook is not for the ill prepared or over confident as one of the female passengers said. Once the vehicle was snatched out they opened up all the doors and let the water run out. Everything was saturated, sleeping bags, pillows, fridge. We started getting ready to leave as we had lost a number of hours at just this one creek crossing and it was getting very late in the day. Next thing Michael yells out ‘Send Graham over!’. The flooded vehicle, a near new Nissan Navara wouldn’t go. Graham had a look and found water in the air intake, fuel tank, the common rail and fuel filter. While Graham worked on getting them going again we got to watch another few groups attempt the crossing (south to north). The next group were prepared. They had there recovery gear ready, the first bloke made it through then sat on the edge of the water way while the second person crossed. The second person didn’t make it but his mate was ready and had the snatch strap attached and had him pulled out within 30 seconds, now that’s how it’s done. This was the pattern for all the attempts we saw while we waited for Graham. One would get through, the next wouldn’t. Some were turning back not even going to attempt it. Finally Graham had done enough to help out the swamped people and he left them with instructions and a few things to still do. Graham got a big bottle of Jim Beam as a thank you (not the 750ml, the next size up whatever it is) and we were on our way. It was late by now so we needed to find somewhere to camp. Came onto another crossing which Graham and Michael walked through as there was a choose of two routes. A short one straight across with a short but steep and slippery looking exit and a long one that drove down stream before exiting. They decided the long one would be safer so as to avoid the steep slippery exit and Michael ploughed through. This one wasn’t as deep as Nolans Brook but it was still deep enough for the Nissan to do a bit of floating, luckily he made it through unscathed and made for some excellent viewing. See the video here Michael crossing Logans Creek. A group who decided not to attempt Nolans Brook were now pulled up behind us as they were backtracking a little way so they could take an earlier exit off the tele track. The first vehicle said the short crossing was actually easy and offered to go through to show us the path. So we shot through that one and what looked like it would be a steep, slippery bank was no challenge at all for the mighty cruiser and camper. See our dash cam footage here Graham crossing Logans Creek. Unfortunately both Jules and I missed filming Graham at Nolans Brook crossing which was quite devastating as it turned out to be the best crossing of the trip! Shortly after, we pulled up camp just on dark near on the north side of Cypress Creek.
The next day was spent traversing the OTT with plenty of easy creek crossings and a lovely swim at Twin Falls. We camped the night on the south side of Gunshot as we thought we would have to winch up Palm Creek and we didn’t have enough daylight left for that.
