Day 17

Waking up again to the sound of waves, the sun on my face, and the soft sand underneath me was something special. If only every day could be like this. The only downside to everything was the black blanket covering my swag bag, formed entirely of large black flies. They were everywhere and every time I moved, about a 3rd of them would buzz up in the air, fly around and settle again in a slightly different position. Getting out of the swag, they once again found my skin - landing and starting what would be a very familiar feeling for the day of nibbling. They settled, tasted, then bit down. Quite what they enjoyed so much about biting us I couldn't tell, but we must have tasted good. A surge of effort, to pack up and keep moving to keep the flies off meant we were packed and ready ages before we'd be able to start driving on the beach. We headed down to the waterline, to just look and appreciate the view. As I had driven all of the previous day (the 3 hours or so we actually spent driving!) Doug would be taking his turn behind the wheel. When 8am (local time) finally hit, we set off. We were heading up north over the beach to see the Pinnacles - sand shaped and coloured by rain and wind which looked like exquisite rock formations. Doug finally experienced the difference with sand driving, and how the hard packed wet sand was easy and the drifts of soft sand could tip and skew the car massively. Spotting the Pinnacles, we then had to navigate from the water line all the way to the top of the beach, across soft sand. Parked in front of them, we wandered up and marvelled at the look. Finishing here, we had a decision to make. We could travel 35km further up the beach and experience Indian heads and Champagne Pools, before driving 35km back down the beach and cutting inland to get back to the ferry. Or we could head 30km South and be better positioned for the ferry run. We decided North was pushing it a little bit too much, we needed some relaxing time (we've had precious little of this all the way around), so we'd head South.

First stop would be Eli Creek, so we set off south, back towards where we'd camped. Doug started to get a bit more used to the handling and how sand effected everything and the car stopped leaning so dramatically as we went over soft sand on 2 wheels. Eli Creek flashed past, apparently we weren't stopping here. Next on the agenda was Lake Wabby - which meant we had to cut in from the beach and head through the inland tracks. Doug would finally get a chance to see what the terrain was like. As we approached the turning from the beach, we came level and swung round hard, slowly approaching the junction in case someone was coming down. Almost making it, we got bogged. More speed required. We backed up after clearing sand from behind the wheels and hit it again, and then again, and again. Different gears, different 4wd drive modes. Eventually, a tour bus came down the track as we were bogged again, unable to reverse. I was just starting to let some air out the tyres. Out of the bus hopped the driver, and then 3 or 4 lads eager to show off for the girls and push a car. Giving up on the tyres as I was hidden from driver view - I joined at the front as we pushed the car all the way back to hard sand. Once the bus was out the way, we tried again. First gear, and Doug finally understood what I had been talking about with a screaming engine, the revs were so high it whined like a little girl but cleared the soft sand at the start of the track and pulled up the hill. Getting bogged again, I hopped out, cleared the tyres once more and Doug wellied it through the next spot. I stayed out the car to see we were through, and spotted another bus heading down to join the road. Doug slowly managed to get into a passing bay, seemingly slow  - turns out we were in 4WD Low, in 1st gear. The driver stops next to us and chats to Doug out the window. Apparently, he might not be able to get past as we're not quite in the passing bay, but he'll give it a try. Secondly, if we're struggling now, we need to drop air pressure, as the track just gets steeper and steeper. I jump out and continued to lower tyre pressures as I had started earlier. Once complete, we switch to 4WD High, and reverse out the passing bay. On some solid ground, the revs are screaming again as we build as much momentum as possible. Spotting a flat bit, i coach Doug through the gear change, and the engine relaxes a bit. Still increasing speed and holding our momentum, we make it all the way up the track and start heading into Lake Wabby. Doug seems to have terrible luck today, encountering far more vehicles heading the other way to us. As we progress though, I hope I see the beginnings of understanding of what my driving was about yesterday, and why the training had given me the confidence to handle it. There wont be an apology, and it wont even be discussed - we're both far too proud for that, but I think the understanding is there and that's enough for me. When we arrive at Lake Wabby, Doug is drained, but seems to have enjoyed it. We pack up some bits and start the walk. Its about 2km from the car park to the lake, and the walk offers a viewing opportunity of the moving sand dune threatening to fill the Lake. We descend the hill, and the rainforest's wildlife come out to say hi. We eventually reach the sand dune, and start the treacherous slippery slide to the lake, its a steep dune and there is no flat spot to put down a towel, but we both head into the water anyway. Large fish swim around us, and then smaller fish come to join. The cool water is a perfect way to relax and de-stress after the drive, and we I experiment with the depth, walking a step at a time and sinking to the bottom with my hands up to see how far up the water comes, when I can no longer sink to the bottom easily I give up, barely 3 meters from the shore. This is the deepest lake on the island, and if we had scuba gear we'd be able to dive the 14m to the bottom. Another hour and a half stop, and we give up on the sunbathing and head for the car. The climb back up to the car park just highlights how fit we need to be in Canada, we've got a long way to go.

We head back down to the beach, its the easiest way to travel a distance rather than cutting through the inland tracks and we know how tough that is. I think Doug is relieved to be back on the comparatively easy beach. It ends all too quickly tho, and soon we're back trying to dig through the deep sand to get back onto the inland tracks. Bogged again, a local shoots past showing how its done, drifting from hard sand in a gentle arc onto the hill to dig the wheels in and climb.  Its too late for us to try, but useful to know. A friendly local pops out from some bushes and gets first and reverse confused, confusing the hell out of us. Ignoring his advise, we eventually get up and through, and once again Doug is plagued with bad luck as he is constantly forced to stop to pass other vehicles. Coming round a corner, still well within the speed limit we draw to a stop in front of a well packed truck. It reverses and pulls over, allowing us to pass, but stops to have a chat - its a Ranger. Useful as a chocolate knife, they tell us the speed limit is 35kph - we were barely doing 30. Giving up, they tell Doug to take it easy on the corners before wheel spinning off. Hypocrites. We push on, and reach the lake. Its well flooded, and the Tea Tree trees growing around the edges of it have stained the water a rusty amber colour. The path is so well flooded we cant get very far, and fallen trees cover the path, obscuring the signs. Still, it's fantastic to see and we head back to the picnic area at the car park to have lunch. In our wisdom, we decided that with all the hot weather, the best lunch to bring was soup. Problem is, we forgot to bring any mugs or receptacles to make this soup in, so resort to using the plentiful supply of sports drink bottles we have littered around the car. It doesn't look too pleasant, and dunking bread in is a bit of a challenge but we manage an clean up after ourselves. Doug's had enough of the driving by now, fed up with the criticism from the rangers, the boggings, the vehicle passing dilemmas - he hands over to me. Back in control of the wallowing vehicle, I'm able to bring the speed up from yesterdays slow crawl, to a sedate plod - now that Doug has experienced it he is far more understanding and less worried. Our luck has changed with the driver, and the only vehicles I encounter are well positioned in naturally large passing points, so we barely loose momentum. The inland tracks go all the way back to the ferry port, and we arrive, 25 minutes before the ferry is due to arrive. It is good to see that others are having as many problems with the flies as us - there is a group of 4 standing around dancing erratically as the flies land and they try to shake them free and we wait, watching the free entertainment this provides. Eventually, the ferry arrives and we board, taking it on forward this time... unless we are using a different ramp at the other end it is going to be very interesting to reverse back out as it is almost as steep as this one. We watch as the ferry is loaded, this time as one of the first few on, we get to see what is happening with everyone else, and it looks like there are 2 lorries getting on as well! They reverse down, the drivers skill tested every inch of the way as they are guided into a spot. Once there, they re-inflate their tyres using compressors under the bonnets. I would not have wanted to meet one of these vehicles coming the other way on the inland roads.

As we dock the other side, there is a flurry of activity, as everyone is tested in reversing skills to back up off the boat, Doug drives for us - I wanted him to experience how sluggish and wallowing the cruiser is on tarmac. With no petrol station in sight, and no compressor under our hood, its a good thing we brought our own - but it takes an age to get the pressure back up. We get the car back and the office is swamped with people returning vehicles. When we arrived here yesterday morning, we had spotted they also did services. It was fantastic that they were able to fit us in at such short notice, and so I have the service to pay before we can leave. Its been given a clean bill of health and cheaper than our last service too!

I wanted to be back on the road much earlier than we managed, but I also needed to get more cash out. My reserves had run dry and I still couldn't use my card much (the payment for the service meant 2 phone calls for the poor guy to find out how to do it). Alas, the bank was just closed, the staff still milling around inside. This meant Doug would have to carry on paying for things! We pushed on, hoping to make it down to Noosa for the night, ready to start the Sunshine Coast in the morning. It was getting dark, and we still hadn't reached Noosa. We were left with a dilemma, there were no campsites along the way (everything shown on the map was missing), we hadn't eaten and still had about an hour to travel. I'd found a place using Google, which allowed late night check in again. We pushed for Noosa, and arrived about 8pm. Driving round and round in circles we couldn't for the life of us see where the caravan park was. Eventually, we pulled into a carpark and walked - finding a staircase down to where the caravan park used to be. A big sign told us the caravan park was no more and trespassers would be prosecuted. Doh. Stumped, we headed for food. There was a place on the corner we could eat. Our challenge was this. The Sunshine Coast is supposed to be fantastic, but we would have to back track to find another campsite/caravan park. We were still covered in Fraser Island sand, and needed showers, the beach near Noosa was an option, but you were supposed to have a permit to sleep there. Alternatively, we could head back inland, finishing our Sunshine Coast drive in darkness and unable to appreciate the beauty out there - and find a rest stop along the highway which allowed overnight camping. Doug was anxious to push on for Sydney, conscious that we didn't have a whole lot of time there already. I wanted to contrast the coasts, I knew and loved the Gold Coast, but hadn't experienced nearly as much of the Sunshine Coast. In the end, I decided we should push on. There was so much to see going down, we'd be pushed to do it all anyway and so the coastal comparison will just have to wait until next time!

I headed back inland. Off towards the major roads and faster tracks, eventually reaching what our map had marked as an overnight camping stop. As we drove in, it looked very quiet. This was explained by the sign tucked out of the way saying strictly no camping. DOH! Of all the times for the map to fail us, when we were tired, it was late, and we needed to stop for the night was not the best of them. We parked, and I declared that I hadn't seen any sign - we'd be gone early enough in the morning anyway. Doug, not quite at the same stage of rebelliousness disagreed, and decided he wouldn't pitch his tent, opting instead to stay in the car. I got out and considered it all. The swag would take 2 minutes to get out, put up and fall asleep in. I was ready to do that. But then Doug would have had no sleep, and he'd be grumpy and less able to take on the driving tomorrow.Reluctantly, I got back into the car. We set off for the next one on the map, hoping against all hope that it would be accurate this time. 50k down the road, we pulled off, and after a few navigational hiccups, eventually reach the marked rest area. Bliss - it was genuinely a rest area. The car park was packed with camper vans and there people milling around listening to music. We pulled over to the side, near a grassy area - it meet with Doug's standards, so we pitched tent and swag and promptly fell asleep - much further south than we would have anticipated and so a good chunk of the journey in. Bring on the final few legs!