Buying ice on the way to Cape York

bruce and anne
travelled around the cape 2 years ago. crushed and block ice available everywhere we looked and needed. archer river, weipa,jardine river,bamaga only place we didnt look was lockart river community store
regards peter

Ice no problem, I was up there in Aug - Sept last. In Cairns buy some dry ice and also freeze some water in 2L milk containers - with dry ice lasted 7 days in a Evacool esky. Any of the Towns Ok for Ice, Laura, Weipa, Bamaga and Lockart River(near Chilli Beach), Punsund Bay (at the top). Cannot remember if Archer River had ice - thgink they did. Most have party ice and not block ice - party ice only lasts a couple of days. If ya drinking heaps have a separate esky for beers as the cooling of a couple of drinks sure burns thru the ice - if ya can buy cold drinks and put them in esky straight away - if they make it that far. Keep the stubbies in the plastic - not loose in esky as the corrugations will result in lids coming off - lost approx 6 beers. Also the cans can rub against each other and rub holes thru them. Cheep beers at Weipa then when at the top go to Thursday Island (cheaper than Bamaga etc).
Have fun !

Thanks Peter & Beddo for the info on the ice up the Cape.Bruce

GEOFF - Follow up on water availability - well we took around a 30L container for water and we had the frozen milk bottles for water aswell. Trying to remember where we got water - Weipa, Archer River ?, Portland Roads (Iron Range NP) - spring water at well at Portland Roads great water, Punsund Bay. The rivers - Delhunty River no probs about drinking (we did), Twin Falls had taps etc but we did not fill up here, many of the streams are running well with crystal clear water - plenty of sand about and would guess is well filtered.
Climate in September - we are from Sydney way and found ourselves in shorts from Cairns up, didn't find many sandflies or mozies either - but we noticed if you go near any of the mangroves for fishing etc then you will. We went to Undara Lava tubes and then we put on some jeans and a sloppy joe (heard around July August can get near zero here) but it was still around 20 degrees at night. At Cape York probably around the mid 30's - was not too humid either - found the OTL the best place for the kids as you were able to swim - clear water(no crocs - well you would see them) - Delunty was great for little kids at the crossing as you could sit in ankle / almost knee deep water on the creek crossing and watch the kids - sand & rock bottom - plus there were a couple of holes aswell to sit in - Twin falls great swimming but too many people for me - the crossing one past Delunty I thinks was another good one if you had Li Lo's - runs a bit quicker and small rapids, Hope this helps.
Chilli beach is pick the weather as it can be windy - if so camp in the rainforest campgrounds - we were lucky I think we got there as everyone left due to the wind and then it stopped and we had 2 great days, Have fun Jeff (BEDDO)Cheers, Beddo

Surf KZN185

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