Snorkel required for the OTT in July if avoiding Nolans & Palm Ck?

Hi Mark,

Is your Paj a diesel?
If so, a snorkel is the single most wise investment to add, even if not crossing big puddles.
Just the cleaner air you will get will pay for the snorkel in no time at all and should you need to cross a deeper creek or river, the ability to do so without ingesting water through the air intake under the front wing, will be a very wise move.

If you have a petrol engine, the above comments may not be as critical to the longevity of your vehicle investment.

I did the Cape with a standard 06 Hilux 4x4. you can do the same.N

Mark,
In answer to your direct question, no a snorkel is not needed for water crossings, if you plan to bypass Nilans (and the one just south of Nolans)

Another for not needed, but nice to have.
Keep in mind though that the $500 saved on a snorkel will seem cheap compared to recovery costs up there.

I did it last year in a almost stock BT50 (new tyres and a snorkel) and the deepest the water came was to the top of the tyres. I drove the OTT, from Bramwell to just short of Nolans Brook with no issues at all... apart from being stupid and driving through Gunshot against my better judgment.

Just before Fruit Bat Falls there was a muddy water creek, but that was probably the deepest I came across. Walk it first, or watch someone else have a go. Driven with care or a bra over the grill and you should be OK.

Chilli beach, it is an easy road in and you can do it in 2WD. When you drive into Chilli from the Portland Roads track, you come to a T intersection (right to Chilli beach). Turn Right and drive about 1.8km north and there is a fisherman that sells fresh fillets. Dusted in flour, fried and eaten on the beach. yum.

Well I'm going to be the naysayer and say I wouldn't recommend it. You would be fine to do the southern section, including Palm Creek, there's not too much water in any of the southern crossings.

The northern section not so much. I can't recall the name of the crossing between Fruit Bat and Elliot/Twin Falls but that one is deep. Canal Creek can get pretty deep too. I guess the only other one to really worry about other than Nolans is Logans Creek.

Obviously water levels change year to year, but if you check youtube for some videos from last year you will see the ones I have highlighted above were quite deep.

Of course if you're happy to backtrack and use the side roads then there is nothing stopping you taking them on a case-by-case basis and just turning around if you see one you don't like. If you have the time to approach it that way then you will still have fun and see heaps without forking out on the snorkel.

Just fitted a TJM AIRTEK snorkel to my 2014 Pajero. $850 by TJM in Cairns.. It also means that you have to have a slightly smaller wiper washer bottle. The airtek is really the best one to get. If not for the creeks then just to get clean air. Cape road can be like Bourke Street at rush hour.

In 2006 a mate had water over the bonnet of his vehicle in one hole as we drove into Chilli Beach. We weren't far from the campground and what looked like a long stretch of shallow water, actually had a large hole hiding in the middle of it. I veered right around the edge of the water and it was only about 300mm deep where i went through, so missed the big hole my mate found. The Cape changes from year to year or from start of tourist season to end of it, so to say something was easy in whatever time period someone visited it may not be the case for you.
Can you do the Cape without a snorkel...possibly yes you can is the short answer, but you'd need to walk any water you find up there or watch someone else drive through it first just incase

IMO you would want to feel confident that you can do the trip that you want to do and not have it compromised because you wanted to save the coin and did not fit a snorkel

You are going to spend a lot of $$$ in fuel etc to get there so make sure you don't go home feeling you missed out on something

That does not answer your question but that is the question I asked myself and I fitted a snorkel for the trip

We did Cape last year - Snorkel is required regardless of Gunshot and Nolans.... We had water over the bonet in and out of Elliot Falls in one of the small crossings. To tackle it without a snorkel is poor planning - sorry to be blunt. We sore cars being written off in Bamaga daily for water in the kick panels because they stalled and drowned. Why take the chance and ruin a holiday.

I did the OTT as a single vehicle in my standard 2012 Ranger Wildtrak July last year with a snorkel. If you can afford the snorkel then fit it. It is not just for water but dust too. If not keen on deep water you can bypass Nolans ,Gunshot,Palm creek and the killer Logan creek just before Nolans. You can still see those infamous crossings by going via bypass tracks which adds a bit of distance overall but if I do it the OTT again I will skip Nolans as I have the T-shirt now. Dont kill your car and trip just to say I have done the Nolans swim. If the water is low then you should do it. Just remember a snorkel doesnt protect the ECU and electronics in the car if you get stuck in deep water .
Have fun and enjoy watching others ruin their trips at Gunshot and Logan....and keep the mechanics in business ...

Have seen a few comments advising to Walk the waterholes..

Haven't seen any warnings to be careful of Crocs...
Just because you may be a long way inland, or it may be a small isolated waterhole, don't take it for granted that there won't be a croc in there....
Freshies won't be a problem, but you never know where or when a Saltie will turn up.

Over the years driving around the Cape, I've also been confronted with the odd Scrub Bull..(wild cattle excaped from properties & living in the scrub). They can be nasty, very agressive & will not think twice about charging a vehicle..

Be aware & be careful....

Cheers, Bryan

Mark, not much said re road to portland roads. We came out that way having reached PR via Frenchman Track. Encountered the longest water crossing (Wenlock or Pascoe - can't remember which) at Cape York on that road. It was also fairly deep but less than Logan's etc.

Don't short change yourself mate, get a snorkel. It's such a great trip to do that you want to do it all, and do it without stress (especially if got SWMBO and kids with you). And on that section of the OTT between the PDR and Nolans, there is a bit of stress all day in any case - and we were in a group of 3 good 4wds with experienced people. Cheers