Launching at Cape Preston for the Monties

 I'm in the very early stages of planning for a trip to the Monties, in company with another bloke who's done it a few times. Trying to work out the dates, WRT to tides. Obviously want to fish the neaps.  Does anyone have an hard info re the level of tide you need for a) crossing the creek and b) actually launching. He's a bit vague on what constitutes high and low enough. ie, cross the creek at 1.6m without having to drown the vehicle? launch at anything over 2m, or does it need 3 metres? He's only normally lauching his 615BC, and says the higher the better? But what would be a minimum? Tides for the estimated departure date. 

 

 

 

 

Not ever having been there, my plan was to drive the 950 k to the Fortescue roadhouse the day before, accom for the night, get up early to be at the creek crossing at low, then wait for the tide to rise enough to launch? His approach is to drive over from Tom price overnight, cross the creek in the dark, then launch on high the next morning. But we'd have to wait until around the 16th to do that, and we are getting back into the big tides shortly after. any opinions?

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Posts: 4561

Date Joined: 01/02/10

Go mid tide and you won’t

Fri, 2019-01-18 15:06

Go mid tide and you won’t have much issue with the crossing. Only time I’ve seen water there was at the top of a big tide and it was only half up the wheels. There is a fairly deep channel leading out of the mouth. Stick to the southern bank and you can follow the sandbar all the way out. There is a steel peg right on the end of the bar that indicates (mostly) clear water. There is a reflector on top that makes it easier to get in and out at night.  

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Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

VaSSagO's picture

Posts: 126

Date Joined: 09/12/09

I am with you...cross at low

Fri, 2019-01-18 15:46

I am with you...cross at low tide in the morning however I reckon you could launch a 615bc even at a ~1.5m low so you wouldn't have to wait around.

Last time we crossed when the tides was ~1.6m and there was no water in the creek and retrieved at ~1.0m ok (6.5m & 6.2m allys, just needed a bit of a tow to get the cars back up the creek bank).

Camping at Fortescue is not pleasant in my experience.

daze out's picture

Posts: 75

Date Joined: 07/09/11

higher the better

Fri, 2019-01-18 16:49

hi mate, the creek only floods at high tides . Mid tides is still well out of the water.
You have to be aware that the ramp is river rock and very steep. I have pulled 3 cars out that have put the brakes on whilst launching and have kept sliding into the river on the loose rocks.
I try to launch at mid tide (at least) and take it steady!
will be easier with 2 cars as a precaution but the higher the water the better. (Just means you miss the turn of the tide at the Montes)
you don't want to hang around the boat ramp any longer than you have to, sand flies are nek level at the moment.

There is a straight road after the creek crossing but before the boat ramp that you can get the boat and gear ready to launch so you're not doing it in the mangroves.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me, I launch there a fair bit so might be able to answer some questions if you've got them.

Posts: 358

Date Joined: 12/05/12

Are you traveling via Nanutarra? 950kms

Fri, 2019-01-18 17:01

 If travelling via Nannutarra put in at Onslow 

daze out have you covered and is spot on 

IMO VassagO is pushing the low water boundaries well done being successsful 

 

ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

Was really trying to avoid camping at the mouth.

Fri, 2019-01-18 18:07

 Doubtless it would be a typically sandfly-ridden Pilbara mangrove hell.  been there, done that. Sounds like the tides on the 10th, 11th, or 12th would be ok for a morning launch.

ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

I'll be launching my Reefrunner,

Fri, 2019-01-18 19:45

 will require a little more water than the BC, maybe, just like to keep the bottom of a glass boat off the rocks, naturally.  I reckon we'll just get out there in the morning, and take it from there.  I plan, at this stage, on taking 250 litres of fuel on top of the 225 under deck. The 150 merc all loaded up will go a bit over a nautical ile per litre. I'd bank on 1.5 litres per nautical mile all loaded up, then closer to 1 for 1 after unloading all the extra fuel and water on the beach.I can get 100 litres of water in the bladder, so that should do for 6 or 7 nights. And the rubber ducky and little outboard, as I plan on camping and cooking on board, just going ashore to socialise in the evenings. Means less weight in camping gear to carry. With the little tender, I can anchor as far out as I want, and my mate is pretty keen on not having to start the day with a swim.   New solar panel on the roof to keep the fridge battery powered up. 

Excited.