Last Saturday I went for a drive and a "look around", and started my way back along the 4WD track going east from Punsand Bay to "The Tip" (Pajinka) of the Cape York Peninsula.
I drove past the last remnants of the old Post Office not far from Punsand Bay and, shortly afterwards, made a detour along a side track which I thought might lead back to the beach further along from the camp ground. The vegetation started closing in soon after I left the main track though, so I stopped and decided to walk further along before it got too closed in for me to be able to turn around. Less than a hundred metres further along the track was completely blocked by fallen trees and palms that closed in over the top of the track. I saw a small snake, not sure what kind, as it slithered quickly away from the noise I was making as I walked through the deep leaf litter of the rainforest.
It took me a little while to get the "Troopie" turned around and I was on my way again towards Pajinka, which is the Aboriginal name for the area at the tip of Cape York, and the name of the now-dilapidated and over-grown cluster of cabins and camp sites at the end of the road. Thick vines now drape over the buildings, fallen trees lie all around and a thick carpet of leaves cover the ground and the roof tops.
I parked in the shade of the trees when I reached the end of the road short of The Tip. I was fortunate that the tide was out so that, even though I had not really intended walking all the way back to The Tip, I had to venture out across the extensive sand and mud flats, now exposed by the low tide. Walking across the broad expanse was particularly inviting, especially barefoot along the sand banks and through the shallow pools of sea water. Walking barefoot it is easier to lift your feet out of the mud which the mangroves thrive in.
The low tide exposed a few man-made objects which were now stranded hundreds of metres from the high tide mark and totally encrusted with oyster and mussel shells. I walked out to take some photos and, in the end, walked a little way up the rocks of the headland and of course ended up at The Tip again.
I must have wondered around for nearly two hours before I climbed back in and turned back to drive to Somerset, where the Jardine family built a homestead in the 1800's and farmed copra and cattle. Frank Jardine was an early explorer and later family members pioneered the agricultural and livestock industries up in the Cape York area, as well as building a global organisation. See here for more information about Frank Jardine.
Somerset Beach is backed by some wonderful big trees at the edge of the rainforest which provide ample shade around the camp area, and there is a fringe of palm trees at the top of the beach itself. It was still low tide and the golden colours of the sand, shallow turquoise water, and the deeper greens and blues of the channel between the mainland and Albany Island are favourite Australian colours of mine.
After spending some time wandering around the Somerset Beach area, I climbed back into the Troopie and set off to do the loop around the beaches just south of there. First stop, not far away, is a grave stone, some memorial plaques and old cannon from the Somerset Homestead.
The roads between the beaches were narrow and mostly soft sand, with some tricky rocky patches. It's important to let your tyres down which makes it a lot easier on the vehicle and will, most times, stop you getting bogged. The beaches get longer as you head south and driving on the packed smooth sand was a welcome change. Luckily the road back through the forest had just been graded so the going was pretty easy once I turned inland again.
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