Adventure 2.1 : OliveRiver/Cape Grenville - The Olive River
Part 1: 27th -28th June 2015
1997- Attempted walk from White Point - Beaten by lack of drinking water
2003- Attempted from Shelburne Beach by Quads & Pontoons- Beaten by the tides and mangroves.
2011 - Attempted via the Olive River - Beaten by outboard motor problems.
Cape Grenville has no particular attraction other than it is remote and requires the travel along yet another isolated beach.
With permission from the owners of Bramwell Station we drive out on a station track for 46kms to a small boat launching point on the Olive River.
The Oliver River crossing.
A Lake we call Black Swamp.
At the launching ramp the two polly boats are joined to add to stability.
Rob has also purchased a 6HP Outboard motor to complement mine...just in case the first gives us trouble as it did previously during an attempt.
We might seem a bit paranoid, but these are our crock protection screens !
Reject security screen doors.
Here is the crew -Left to Right
John Stewart
Elizabeth Burns
Lyn Bolton
Self ( Kym)
Jan
Robert Marks
Loaded with our packs, water, extra fuel, and a plastic cart for carrying the 60lts of water required for the 8 days.
We will do two trips down the 22Kms Olive River.
The first with most of the supplies.
Self & Rob with Elizabeth
....... and John in tow in his kayak.
...looking some what apprehensive in a non-crock proof rubber kayak !
Rob and I will return to vehicle base camp to collect Lyn and Jan while Elizabeth and John establish a forward camp at the mouth of the Olive River.
From the boat entry point, which is really just a mud slide between two trees the river is very narrow and criss crossed by fallen timber.
For the first 5kms, particularly at low tide, great care is needed navigating the boats around, over, and under, fallen trees.
It is a pretty river, surrounded by thick tropical forest.
Palms, thick vines and King Orchids stretch over the river.
About half way down the 22kms of River are these very rare Nepa palms.
This is their only known habitat.
Finally the River opens up.
Closer to the mouth we have the Easterly winds producing a heavy chop and we are constantly bailing.
2 and 1/2 hours later we drop Elizabeth and John and gear to look for a base camp, whilst Rob and I return for Lyn and Jan.
When we returned, John and Elizabeth had indeed found a good camp site.
The initial drop point proving unsuitable with sandflies and no access to the all important beach.
The Olive River at full tide.
After 6 hours of boat travel it was time to just lay back and contemplate a plan how to get to the beach which is still 2kms away through thick vine scrub !
Tomorrow is another day
