Clarence River Cruise - Step 1 - Heading Upstream Past Harwood.

The Harwood Bridge was booked to be raised at 14:00. One has to phone a day ahead (6682 8388). It requires the traffic on the Pacific Highway to be stopped so once we'd mentioned to a couple of other crews that it was all arranged, they decided to come along too. Breaker, Breaker we got ourselves a convoy!

Leaving Iluka behind.

Stumpy little prawning boats moored along the river banks. Lots of them!

 

Once an important transport link, there is still evidence of seriously large vessels in the river. 

A single riverside sugar refinery remains at Harwood.

Rumba taking the lead.

  Nervy moment.

What if the bridge hasn't been raised high enough?

 

So far, so good. Promise II following.

     

The Clarence River has extensive flood plains with rich alluvial soil, much of it devoted to growing sugar cane. From the look of some of the housing, everything is pretty sweet up here.

 

We anchored for the night within sight of the Harwood Bridge behind Ulgundah Island. This river is full of surprises including 100 charted islands one of which, Woodford Island, is the largest inland island in the Southern hemisphere!