Mossman

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We decided to take it a bit easier today, cancelling our morning tour to relax and enjoy this amazing resort for the morning. Silky Oaks enjoys a lovely natural setting in the rainforest along the banks of the Mossman River. Swimming in the river is encouraged and when we inquired about crocs the desk staff said they are too lazy to come this far inland. For good measure they added that many locals swim farther downstream, so if they were wrong about the crocs laziness, the locals would likely be eaten first. The cabins are spread out enough that each seems totally immersed in the rainforest. After making good use of the internet (available only in the main lodge here) we had a lovely breakfast in the open-air restaurant overlooking the river. John and Sonia started the morning by enjoying one of the walking trails maintained by the resort that led deeper into the rainforest. Afterwards, John went for a swim in the beautifully clear water of the billabong, while Andrew and Sonia practiced their photography. Andrew was not willing to get into the river water, citing temperature and crocs as his reasons, but John agreed to continue his swimming in the pool where Andrew joined him for some goofing around. After exploring the grounds a bit we headed into town (Mossman) for some lunch at a local sandwich shop before continuing on to the Mossman Gorge. Our plan was a “Dreamtime Walk” with an Aboriginal guide, however something went wrong and they didn’t have our booking. Feeling a bit over-guided, we were happy enough to go see the gorge on our own. The views of the Mossman River were a bit more grand than from Silky Oaks, but not totally different. We followed a one-mile trail through the rainforest. Between the thick canopy and thick clouds, it was dark as twilight despite being mid afternoon. As we came to the end of the walk the clouds let loose and we were very wet by the time we made it back to the visitor center. Remarkably, the parking lot seemed untouched by rain, suggesting the deluge we experienced was highly localized. Back at Silky Oaks, we cleaned ourselves up and headed back to the lodge to enjoy the internet during cocktail hour. The young German bartender put in a lot of enthusiasm and work to make our drinks, although John’s “Manhattan” didn’t taste anything like a Manhattan and almost certainly contained ouzo. Sonia and Andrew decided to squeeze in a pre-dinner swim in the pool, enjoying the eerie blue lighting scheme. Dinner in the beautiful lodge dining area was lovely; John sampled the grilled Kangaroo appetizer and found it good but not something he would rush to order again.

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Photos

John in the Rainforest
Kneeling next to a basket fern. Most of these grow on top of tree limbs high up in the canopy.

Contemplating a Dip in the Billabong
Checking for crocs, despite assurances that there weren't any

Swimming at the Pool
The pool wasn't quite as grand as the one at the Sea Temple, but the setting in the middle of the rainforest was special.

Goofing Around
John and Andrew rough-housing in the pool.

Mossman Gorge
The beautiful Mossman River is fuller and faster here than at Silky Oaks, but both are stunning!

Strangler Fig
John and Andrew pose near a tree that has been killed by a well-developed strangler fig.

Mushrooms
We all know that John is a fun guy. Maybe that's why he looks so good next to these!

Night Swimming
Cool blue lighting in the Silky Oaks Pool