Leaving windy Cooktown

We met such wonderful people in Cooktown. It’s a very pretty town & we just wish that we’d had more time to see it – no wonder Cook stopped here! We also learnt that it is a very windy place.

However, with all our delays, I was looking forward to getting flying & ticking off another major milestone of the flight. So far we’ve crossed the most southerly point, the most easterly point & now it was time for passing the most northerly point of Australia – Cape York!

Getting ready to leave Cooktown.

When we left Cooktown this morning, it was windy with low cloud at 1500 feet & intermittent showers. We soon found this was pretty consistent up the entire east coast toward the Cape.

It was also really bumpy & I had to watch the rotor when I flew on the leeward side of the hills. This made flying much more tiring as I always had to be working hard at flying my aircraft.

Refueling in Lockhart River

We  stopped off at Lockhart River to refuel the planes & ourselves with sandwiches & a cup-a-soup.

Arriving at Lockhart River.

It was still very windy. There was a sense of eagerness amongst the team to get going as we were so close to Cape York with it just over an hour away.

When I got flying again, the thought occcured to me that it was so isolated that, if something happened, & you put the plane down, either in the water or on the beach, the only things to greet you would be the sharks & crocodiles!

Its a funny thing as when I fly, I keep checking the gauges to ensure everything is working fine, but surprisingly I feel kind of safe & protected in my coccoon of my aircraft!

The coastline up to the cape.

The coastline up to the cape.

Crossing the most northerly tip of Australia!

I was down around 1000 feet as I rounded Cape York. It was pretty bumpy & I was swearing a bit as I was trying to get my GoPro cameras working so I could film my aircraft passing this most northerly tip of Australia.

Passing by Cape York.

Both support planes & mine passed Cape York at about the same time. I did a couple of orbits while Linda took some photos from the Piper Lance.

After we left Cape York, it was awesome to start heading west as it is a more protected area, the cloud base was higher, & so it was much easier flying.

Arriving into Weipa

It was interesting to fly into Weipa with all the bauxite mines visible from the air & to see how large they were! We landed with ease & got fueled up & ready for tomorrow.

Bauxite mine at Weipa.

Thanks so much to Trevor Snodgrass for all his help with our stay in Weipa. Thanks also to Peter at The Anchorage & the Albatross Bay Resort for kindly assisting with accommodation – especially given all the changes to our schedule.

We had a great dinner all together – with the team, Trevor & wife Pam – at The Anchorage.

Time for bed, it’s been a massive day & I’m exhausted. We will have an early rise to get going for the next stop along our journey tomorrow – Burketown!

Over & out,

Dave.