The pointy bit

A 1200km strip of road connects Cairns and Cape York – a journey that takes around seven days in a 4WD.

The trip has been described as “dry, dusty and often rough as guts”.

The jewel at the final destination is the northernmost point in Australia, marked with a sign that was once riddled with bullet holes but has recently been replaced.

It’s a bucket list spot for selfies and we were lucky enough to get there the easy way – cruising aboard Le Soleal …

The ship’s zodiacs landed at the base of the lookout and we clambered 250m up the rocky hill to admire the view.

It’s a location that inspires reverence, which is perhaps why a group of Christian missionaries were perched on the hillside during our visit, strumming their guitars, singing songs of praise and seeking conversions.

Back down at the carpark I was struck by the contrast of the red dust of the road with the white sand and palm trees.

All too soon it was time to trek across the mud flat to return to the ship.

The crew told us the ill-fated story of Edmund Kennedy, who led an expedition to explore Cape York Peninsula in 1848.

Kennedy set off with a party of 12, but only his Aboriginal guide made it to Cape York. Two were later rescued, but 10 died at various points along the way, including Kennedy who was speared by a local tribe.

The folly has been described as one of Australian exploration’s greatest disasters.

The team took 28 horses, three carts and a flock of 100 sheep, but faced thick rainforest and mountainous terrain unsuited to their equipment and livestock.

They battled to travel two kilometres a day and were constantly plagued by illness and leeches.

The trip took seven months from Rockingham to Cape York.

And it sounds like the stuff of nightmares.

About the only hardship I encountered during my trip was a muscle spasm in my calf while swapping my running shoes for reef shoes to walk across the mud flat.

It was my second muscle spasm of the trip following one in the clam garden at Lizard Island.

Thirty seconds of writhing followed and I resolved to add more salt to my chips at lunch to see if that helps …

In the afternoon, the ship cruised through the impossibly aquamarine water surrounding Thursday Island (and Wednesday and Friday Islands – who knew?) to clear customs – via pilot boat – before heading to West Papua.

I settled into a chair on the top deck, content to watch the stunning scenery slide past, before joining an aqua aerobics class during a tropical downpour.

A French 75 cocktail followed at sunset, then we enjoyed dinner with a retired doctor couple from Denver (including an amazing coffee-cup-shaped cake for dessert).

The evening concluded with gazing at a spectacular full moon rising over the Arafura Sea.