Port Douglas

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20th February 2010 Port Douglas
After a couple of hours sleep we woke for some breakfast, (35 dollars) we ate too much. After another couple of hours kip we explored a bit of Port Douglas. Walked out through the back of the hotel, across one street and we were on 4 mile beach. There were only a handful of people on the beach and a lifeguard. Picture showing the sea temp today was 30 degrees C. Good surf, with stinger net in place for swimmers. Walked down into town, bought some sandals (both) and went for coffee to work out which trips we should go on. Back to hotel for shower and have dinner. Not a good advert, as we asked if we should book. We were the only ones in for dinner!!

21st February 2010 Port Douglas
Up and out for 9.00 am, saw the concierge (Roger) who helped us plan our trips, two are weather dependent as you will see later.
Our plans are:
22nd Feb - Fly (Heli)/ Cruise to the reef
23rd Feb - Daintree rainforest & Bloomfield Falls
24th Feb - Karunda scenic railway/Sky Rail/ Hartleys Croc farm
Off into town for some breakfast, (cheaper than hotel). Sunday they have a market, for local produce, arts & crafts. Some very interesting products on sale and fresher & cheaper than at home. There was a guy crushing sugar cane, we see a lot of sugar cane fields in the next few days as sugar is the predominant crop grown in North Queensland. We had some fresh pineapple also locally produced which was very refreshing given that it was 28 degrees C with high humidity & rising. Lin bought a couple of hand painted reef fish for home before it started to rain. It was just a few spots to start with so we retired across the street to The Wharf Street Bistro/ Courty hotel for a couple of Pure Blondes (Midis). As it became heavier, it became lunch and another couple of Blondes.
Lunch was a long affair, there was a good saxophonist playing, which helped pass the time, which included a lot of people watching. There portions of food are huge and some of the combined fish platters beyond belief. We both agreed they would feed four in our eyes not two. Rain eased long enough for walk back to hotel, on the way bought some towels for reef cruise tomorrow. Had a nice long swim in hotel pool, which finished with a couple of glasses of cabernet in the sun by the pool.
Quick wash & brush up before back into town for dinner. Chose a restaurant called ‘2 Fish’, as name implies it only sells fish (although there was one steak dish on the menu). Started as you do with a couple of cold ones (Cairns beer, another micro brewery. It was a lively little number. Fish of the day was ‘Nanniguy’ (not sure about the spelling) a local reef fish. Very nice, in a lemon butter sauce with vegetables. Lin had a desert of Bavois with some nutty creation on the side (Greek I think).
We got back to the hotel before it started to rain again, and it rained all night. Not looking good for tomorrows heli flight.

22nd February 2010 Port Douglas
As I have just said, it rained all night and by morning we had had over 350 mm of rain in 14 hours. It had stopped when we went down to see if the trip to the reef was still on. The cloud was quite high, so we were still optimistic when we were picked up at 10.30 to go the briefing before going on to the helipad.
As we waited at the helipad, the weather closed in and it was clear (sorry for the pun) we were not going to fly. Back to the hotel for plan B. We all agreed that we should try again for the flight on Wednesday 24th Feb, which meant rejigging the schedule. We had planned to have our last day in Port Douglas as a relaxation day. Now it was to be the Railway/Sky Rail/Croc Farm trip with a pick up of 07.00 am. Also another alteration to our Daintree trip was that the roads had been washed out above Cape Tribulation and we we would have to miss out on the Bloomfield Falls part of the trip. This was meant to be a 07.30 pick up.
So a free day, wrote up blog (Perth) which you have read, walked into town for some lunch, rained all the way in and back. Decided to eat in at the hotel (by ourselves again). Early night as early start!!

23rd February 2010 Port Douglas
Up and ready to rock and roll for the Daintree rain forest. Plenty of repellent on and met Roger (concierge) in foyer. Departure time came & went, Roger phoned the tour company who informed him it was an 08.30am pick up (his error). We had a nice Danish & coffee on the house.
Daintree tours picked us up on time, two guides (David & Ben), big 4x4 bus type vehicle (raised). On the way out of Port they showed us some roosting bats (there should be pic). Headed out of Port, through Mossman towards the Daintree river. We passed miles & miles of sugar cane fields here as Mossman is where the cane factory is. It is all moved by narrow gauge railway which runs along the side of the road. Crossing the Daintree river is like going back in time. Its an old cable ferry thats been there for time immemorial. Then further up into the forest over Coopers creek (passed all the tourists that were stranded in cars both sides) the creek was high from the heavy rainfall. Arrived at Cape Tribulation in sunshine, slapped on a load (and I mean a load) of Bushman repellent. When Lin went to the loo she came back with a picture of a huge spider. Had a walk along the beach area with the rain forest coming right down to the beach. Climbed onto the boardwalk and walked to lookout through the mangroves. Back for coffee and cakes at the parking area. Temps were mid 30,s and high humidity but no rain. Back onto bus and then back towards Coopers creek, before arriving there, stopped in a lay by and were escorted through a Mangrove swamp to a waiting boat for a trip in the Coopers creek estuary hoping to see Estuarine crocodiles. The boat driver (dry old stick) took us across the estuary to a sand bank where Gladys (a 5 metre female croc) was sunning herself. Then up the estuary through the mangroves (very informative) where the crocodiles build their nests alongside turtles. Saw no more crocs but on the way back, Gladys was still there, she had moved so it wasn’t a plant. Our bus was still waiting at the same layby, it was a bit worrying that when we got on the boat, neither of our two guides got on with us. Anyway back over Coopers creek, some of the same cars were still on both sides of the creek, trying to work out how to cross without getting swept away. We called at the Daintree Ice Cream farm on the way for setting up lunch. Odd place to have a farm, but all the fruits are here on the farm. Sampled Mango, Watlle seed, Coconut & raspberry ice creams, very welcome in the heat.
Lunch was at site in the rainforest, Jijadbah (I think). We were taken into the forest, along boardwalks, the whole route has been very well done with good sign posting and information sites. Ben took us on this part of the trip while David set up lunch. Both guides were very passionate about their subject and were knowledgeable about the rain forest and its surround ( a lot about Captain Cook). Back for lunch as it started to rain for the first time, lunch was under tin canopies, lots of mosquito burners, thank goodness, salad, meats, cheese (still all looks the same), olives and bread. Good spread, but as usual far too much and there were no hungry back packers to hand the leftovers too. It did not stop raining throughout lunch and beyond, managed to pack up without getting too wet. We went back to a look out point (over Cow Bay) which was closed in with weather on the way up. Guess what it was no better on the way down. On down out of the rainforest back towards the Daintree river for our crossing back into civilisation!!. Our final call of the day was to Mossman Gorge, during the dry season, visitors swim in the many rock pools. Not today, this was a wet day and the recent rains had turned the gorge into a raging torrent, the pictures speak for themselves. This land is owned by the Kuku-Yalanji people, the indigenous tribe of the area. Whilst it was busy with some larger parties of visitors, there was a tranquility about the place even though it was monsoon like weather.
Back on the bus, along with our fellow trekkers, (14 altogether) for the 20 minute trip back to Port, bade farewell to our guides and went for a shower, to wash away the mossie repellent.
Walked into Port to decide for something to eat, and passed a restaurant which is situated about a 100 metres behind all the shops on Macrossan Street - this place had been recommended to us by someone in the UK. We decided to try the place as it is in a rain forest setting, a perfect end to the day. It is quite a posh place, but they let us in anyway. We had a fantastic meal and rather go into detail, if you Google - Nautilus, Port Douglas and go to the website you will see what we mean. (Dont look at the prices)
Very laid back place and was a perfect end to the day.
24th February 2010 Port Douglas (My 60th birthday)
Up to check weather for our helicopter flight to the reef. If its a no go the we were able to cruise to the reef and cruise back. The weather looked set fair so we decided to go for the flight with a pick up for 11am. With time to spare we walked into town and back, and were back ingood time for the pick up.
The weather was good and we were taken to the helipad for an 11.15 am flight. Our pilot (Nigel) flew in over the trees on time. Strapped in (we were the only passengers), I was in front with Lin directly behind. Took off, over the trees and out over 4 mile beach. Port on our left side and the heading North towards Daintree and the river where we had been yesterday. Flew out to Cow Bay before heading northeast to the Agincourt reef. Hopefully the pics do the trip justice, I have loaded as many as I dare!!.
Landed on Agincourt reef, on a very smelly pontoon (guano - bird shit to you and I), before landing did a 360 of the pontoon (Quicksilver) where we would spend the next couple of hours. After transfer, and briefing, we went on the submarine boat for 30 mins to look at reef. Fascinating with a good commentary, if you could hear it above the other tourists babbling, until an irate person told them to shut up. Out of a quiet environment into the hustle & bustle of the tourist industry. Lunch first (form an orderly queue) NO!! Every man/woman for themselves. So just a few bits and pieces to eat, after a wander round the pontoon, under water viewing platform. There was not even enough time to get out on the reef as the boat left at 3.00pm. A bit disappointing because of the commercialism of it all, 2/300 people with a turn round of a few hours. Usual photographs of getting into crafts, out of crafts, into water, out of water and then for sale on way home. Not our cup of tea. Back in Port for 5.00pm, had a cold one in the Central Hotel (bar) then back to hotel for a swim before heading into town for a meal. Ate at 2 Fish (my choice), main course of Red Emporer fillet and then back to hotel for a nightcap courtesy of cousin Chris (Voyager Cab Sauvignon). Certainly did the credit card some damage today, but a great way to celebrate a 60th birthday.

25th February Port Douglas
Up and ready in foyer for 07.00 am for our trip to the Kuranda railway. A means of being able to ride the 7.5 km Sky Rail

25th February 2010 Port Douglas
Our last day in Port Douglas, up and ready for our tour round the Kuranda rainforest. Picked up with a group who were doing different trips, but all starting at Freshwater train station for the trip up to Kuranda village. Got tickets and our schedule at station and boarded for the hour or so trip to Kuranda.
Some good photo opportunities as we wound our way up to the top, very warm in train temp already up in the 30 C. Very pretty train staton at top with the standard gift shop, we walked into the village to have coffee and look at the shops. There were other activities to go to, Koala gardens, Birdworld or ‘The Kuranda Wildlife Experience’. As we were on a tight schedule we had to be back on the Sky Rail to return to the base. It was quite a experience gliding over the tops for 7.5 km. There were two stops on the way down, Barron Falls and a change of car. The railway wasn’t busy so we were able to have our own car all the down. Pics show the enormity of the amount of water that has fallen over the last few days.
Down at base we transferred to the bus for the trip to Hartleys croc farm, not before we had the photos taken as we disembarked the gondola. (You wont be seeing that pic).
The crocodile farm is a commercial entity. It started as a tourist attraction, now it is a working farm with a tourist attraction attached to it.
We had lunch (croc was on the menu) fish & chips for us, then on the boat ride round the wetlands. The boat was completely closed in, and you can see why when the guys start feeding the crocs chicken heads. The water was so murky that you could not see them coming out. The temp was now a quite warm 36 C and very, very humid. We then went to the Croc Attack Show, with Haggred the main star. This young croc had some serious attitude. His main aim in life at this farm is to have one of the rangers for one of his three meals a day. Pics should tell the tale.
Last our was walking round the Koalas, Lizards, Wallabies and guess what, Gift Shop.
Bus back to hotel, goo swim after the hot day, nice glass of wine before dinner, in the hotel. A nice lobster, by the pool, what could be better.
Early night as 05.15 am departure for Hamilton Island

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Comments

[Des]

wondered what had happened!
Glad to hear all your news ! wondered where you were as you were lagging behind on the updates!...lol Warriors won and have signed Bruce Douglas as tight head for next season