We are taking a week's break in the Beachside Caravan park at
Mooloolaba. Yesterday, in company with our friends Jim and Frances who are with us in the park, we drove to Noosa North Shaw, up Teewah Beach to the foot of Double Island, over Leisha Track, along
Rainbow Beach, out to
Inskip Point to
check the Fraser Island Ferry, down Freshwater Track and
home via Noosa North Shaw. The weather was brilliant. Really a great day.
So if you have been thinking of doung all or part of this trip there is no better time than now. Sand at on ramps, although loose, is damp and compacts easily. There is a hole at the bottom of the Noosa North Shaw in ramp and a hump at the bottom of the off ramp that should not be taken to fast but otherwise OK. The beach is not particularly wide and is being swept by high tides, to the sand dunes most of the way, twice a day. So natures
grader is repaiting wash outs. It was only necessary to slow for a couple.
Leisha Track was easy at both ends and with 90 minutes of ebb tide still to go
Rainbow Beach provined plenty of width of firm sand right through to
Rainbow Beach Town. The drive past Mudlo Rocks was easy with only a few scattered rocks standing proud of the sand.The southern end of
Rainbow Beach was a bit wavy but soon levelled out. Under the mid day sun the sand cliffs looked brilliant. Colours right through the spectrum.
Sand at
Inskip Point was loose but firm. It was possible to drive almost anywhere on it without risk of bogging. The ferry was reasonably busy but only one was operating.
Freshwater Track is an interesting and enjoyable drive. It is a bit rough in
places with unrepaired wash outs but if taken at the official sped limit of 20 kph was fine and fun.
There were a lot of campers as we drove up the beach and even more as we came
home, including a number of caravans including one large one. Drivers who ignore the 50 kph signs as you pass the camping areas are a bit of a worry as are some of the
places where people park.
My mate never deflated tyres on this beach, didn't yesterday, and had no problems. I used my new deflators ($21 on Ebay) to drop pressures to 28 psi (my gravel read preference) and only had a problem when I forgot to engage 4WD when I left Freshwater. That brought me to a sudden stop when I hit loose sand near the Noose off ramp. But I learned something new. Jim suggested that I back up and use the compressed sand of my track to clear the loose stuff. Low reverse did the trick to get me back to firm sand. Then H-1 and H-2 took be through the soft sand and up the ramp.
This was only my second time on sand. I had a ball.
Cheers, Kevin.