There are no SHIPS BLOGS associated with this PHOTO GALLERY…..I must have been lazy those two weeks?….:-)
We arrived from Cairns on a long day trip.
Port Douglas is in a river estuary and though small, very nice. The Barramundi is THE fish for consumption in Australia. It’s like a hamburger to an Aussie.
We were en route to the Daintree Rain Forest and saw these flowering sugar cane stalks. Apparently, it is unique to have these flowers on Aussie Sugar Cane? Don’t know…but it was pretty.
Aussie Cane
Daintree Rain Forest
This was an eco reserve for cassowary’s and unique fauna to the area. It had a long pathway throughout the reserve. We unfortunately, never saw a cassowary (sort of an Aussie Ostrich). They can actually kill a person if threatened.
Part of the exhibit was the continental drift theory and the original land of Earth – “Gondwana”
We were hoping…but they were shy.
Cassowary’s – use caution.
A local added an extra sense of warning. The birds are quite endangered and only in this part of Australia.
Stingers are “Box Jelly Fish”. Not always present, but when they are…stay out of the water. They are one of the most poisonous creatures on earth.
Emergency treatment if stung.
Oh and did I mention the Crocodiles?
Cape Tribulation is adjacent to the Daintree Rainforest and to round it, caused Captain Cook – Great Tribulation….
Not so much….:-)
Daintree/Cape Trib
We took a hire car on the hour and a half drive back to Cairns to do the Kuranda Rail & Village trip. The way back would be on a sky rail like Diseneyland.
The station at the bottom.
Our ride arrives.
Chugging up the mountain.
Waterfall views.
Arrival at the top.
Welcome to Kuranda Village. This is a big Aboriginal Arts & Culture center.
Local faire…..
There is a story behind this, but I can’t remember it? Maybe something to do with WW2?
Skyrail Cableway back to Cairns.
Views of Cairns and environs.
The Cairns Airport with the city off to the right of the bay in the distance.
This was a water-skiing jump pond. Lots of boats and jumpers were at play.
Arriving at the bottom.
Not many peoples can claim a 40,000 year history in one location…..
Night before our departure to Cooktown from Port Douglas Marina.
Geology en route to Cooktown.
Endevour Reef is near here where Capt. Cook almost lost his vessel. He was able to limp into this inlet 1n 1770 and 9 months later with a repaired vessel, would leave the Great Barrier Reef system to head further north. The town and river were named for him, “Cooktown”.
Cook Inlet is like many of the river estuaries along the NE coast of Queensland. Tidal, mangroves, lots of shallow spots and Crocodiles!
Replica of Mathew Flinders vessel which he circumnavigated and charted Australia from.
Note the most important thing to watch out for….. “The Sailors”…:-)
Visiting for a week – Flinders replica….
Cook Inlet …. Note the boat on the far right is on the bottom and starting to lean over. The water was often just a few feet below our hulls here at low tide.
Cooktown has been found!…:-)
This is believed to be the actual spot where Captain Cook and crew landed when they careened Endevour here for major repairs.
Landing Place – Cook Inlet.
These signs are all over Queensland and NT beaches and estuaries.
Cook Inlet anchorage.
The man himself! (On the right)….:-)
In the early days, this part of Australia was a bit like the US’s Wild Wild West.
Cooktown Museum.
Cooktown Post Office. It’s been here awhile.
Actual anchor and canon recovered from “Endevour” at Endevour Reef where Capt. Cook dumped weight to get his ship off the rocks.
Cook Inlet Hight Tide.
Cook Inlet Low Tide….. Next – See you at Lizard Island.
