Tip Top!

Anybody who has stared down at the northern tip of QLD through Google goggles would understand why this chunk of land is particularly nerve racking for a pair of paddlers. The Escape River flows through a rich network of mangrove-lined channels, almost devoid of any human presence. Yep, if we are going to see big crocs, this is the spot.

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Having heard of a pearl farm on Turtle Head Island, we headed in to the Escape River to see what the place was about. Nearing the beach, we were greeted with the booming voice of Rusty, the pearl farmer, "GET OUT OF THE WATER! CROCODILES!". I have never seen Lain paddle so quickly, I think the boat was well above the high tide mark before she even stopped to look behind her. Apparently we landed on one of the favourite beaches of the local, and very aggressive 4m croc.

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Thanks to the generous hospitality of Rusty and Bron, we spent a fabulous night at Torres Pearls, playing games and learning all about pearls, and the ins and outs of north QLD life. Despite having spent 6 weeks in croc infested waters, Rusty's stern warnings about our vulnerability did not fall on deaf ears, and pushed our croc-dar back to high alert.

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A day later, and after some rough seas and a dreamy, calm trip through the notoriously violent Albany Passage, we finally reached a point on the map that seemed impossibly far away just a few weeks ago. We rounded Cape York with whoops of delight and ear to ear grins, feeling like we have achieved the first main goal on this long journey.

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While posing for a couple of cheesy photos at 'the sign' at the tip, Lain glanced back to our kayaks and noticed that they were joined on the mudflat by one of the local crocodilians. The 2.5m croc was guarding our kayaks with a juicy little turtle in its enormous jaws. I suppose we couldn't have paid for a better guard dog. When we eventually paddled away from the beach the croc was only a few metres away, perhaps wondering if kayakers taste better than turtles.

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Talking turtles, back on the idyllic Little Boydong Island, several days ago, we had the incredibly good fortune to witness one of nature's most beautiful miracles. Sitting around the campfire at night we noticed a steady stream of baby green turtles flapping frantically down the sand to the water. Hundreds of baby turtles, beautiful, strong, determined, all silently taking their first flips into the wide blue ocean - incredible. I honestly imagined that events like this are reserved exclusively for determined documentary makers and marine biologists. We felt like we were the luckiest paddlers on the planet - truly in awe of the beautiful places we have been able to make it to.

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In every day life, 240 volts, cold beer, supermarkets and phone reception are not luxuries, just part of the norm. We'll be resting here on Thursday Island for a few days. Gear needs drying, cleaning and repairing. Muscles need relaxing. Skin needs scrubbing. Blog needs updating. Some friendly trawlermen generously gave us a couple of buckets (I'm talking LARGE buckets) full of their latest catch, prawns and bugs. Fresh seafood and beer should help to put a couple of calories back into these rapidly thinning bodies.

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The next stage of this journey is a daunting dash across Torres Strait. I think we'll need all the rest we can get over these next few days so we are lapping up this last little patch of Australian society.

Pictures: Fresh croc slide on Little Boydong Island, Lain with one of the turtles that didn't make it, Juz and Lain at The Tip.