Sturt had made up his mind to explore the creek upstream when a violent thunderstorm lasting just 30 minutes promised water ahead. He decided to proceed to the north as he had originally intended, and explore the creek later. Accordingly on 13 October 1845 Sturt and his men moved north. That day they travelled 36 miles, crossing another tributary or channel of the Cooper, and crossing through what was obviously the creek's flood plain.

Sturt pushed north, making use of the water in pools on the ground that resulted from the thunderstorm. Eventually these began to dry up and he reached the edges of the desert that he had turned back from before. On 21 October, at 25 degrees 54 minutes south latitude, 139 degrees 25 minutes longitude Sturt again turned back for the sake of his men and his horses. He would return to Cooper Creek and explore it more thoroughly. By the time Sturt reached the creek two of his horses had failed him. His prudence in his care of his men and horses in these conditions was later praised by the Royal Geographical Society in London.