Day 1 - 9 June 2011 - Cape Tribulation

Out on the patio we’d sit,

And the humidity we’d breathe,

We’d watch the lightning crack over canefields

Laugh and think, this is Australia.

Heard of the Magnificent Six? If you have the imagination to double that ominous force, you will appreciate the impact that faced Port Douglas when 12 friends from the $20 Walking Group landed on its doorstep. Who are the Awesome Twelve??? well:

Merille, Graeme, Kathie, Jeff, Col, Joye, Joan, Duncan, John, Jenny
(Missing are photographers Jan and Don)

1. Graeme and Kathie Woodley (Graeme is the self-appointed patron saint and founder of the walking group)
2. Jeff and Joan Mildren (Jeff is the treasurer of the party and has been a great unifying influence on the group... his influence based on his habit of collecting money before excursions... so everyone follows him to get some value... take their wallets, and their hearts and minds are sure to follow)
3. Duncan and Merille McAllan (who both have vast experience of birds, fish and plants)
4. John and Jenny Hodges (being the keepers of good taste and style... values the rest of us sadly lack)
5. Col and Jan Snodgrass (Jan being the group leader in photographer skills... when Jan points her camera in a direction, we all race to take the same shot)
6. Don and Joye Walsh (who are useful for fetching and heavy lifting)

The Awesome Twelve has 'previous' form. Remember the earthquakes in the South Island of New Zealand (2010)? Remember the mysterious disappearance of rats from Lord Howe Island (2009)? Both these para-normal events followed visits from the Awesome Twelve.


We travelled to Port Douglas on the previous day. Graeme, Kathie Joye and Don saved money by catching an early JetStar flight. A charter bus met us at Cairns airport and arrived at Port Douglas at 11:00 AM. We did a quick reconnoitre of the shopping strip in time to welcome the arrival of the rest of our group commuting at a more civilised time (Jeff, Joan, John, Jenny, Col and Jan).


The rest of the day was taken at a steady pace...swimming pool, naps, reading etc. in preparation for the Cape Tribulation safari on Thursday 9 June. The greatest excitement activity in the afternoon was negotiating car hire deals to display this highly prized skill. Col arrived late so he was at some disadvantage. He visited the Avis shop where he had previously made his reservation. To his disappointment, the car he had booked was not available... the upgrade vehicle Avis had intended to offer Col had been gazumped by Jeff in a bout of frenzied negotiation... so Col had to settle for an upgrade on an upgrade with a 4-wheel drive X-Trail... well suited to some of the rough bush tracks we would later travel. Jeff felt happy with his upgraded Calais until he realised its low ground clearance would cause him worries. Graeme, was most eager to display his superior negotiating skills and ran from one car hire shop to the next, only to suffer disappointment in seeing the pool of available cars evaporate before his eyes. He had to finally accept a Mitsubishi at a price that did not reflect any upgrades. He was distraught but put on a brave face!


This first outing displayed the logistical difficulties that plagued our activities for the whole week. You see, we had no fixed plan, and needed to carry a 'chinese whisper line' of 12 individually minded people. At some points of time, we agreed on a plan that was understood by all... only to have a sub-group meet to amend the plan... but not have all of the 12 people informed. 


On the day's trip to Cape Tribulation, the majority of our group worked to the plan of bringing our own lunch. Joye and Don worked to the earlier (redundant) plan of finding a restaurant on the Cape. They ended up dining on the charity of those who could spare a few crumbs from their bulging hampers.


The first evening we dined at the up-market 2-Fish restaurant. We enjoyed the warm balmy evening especially when we started getting news of the cold southerly front that had hit Sydney. 

Sugar Cane in flower

From a 9:00 AM start, we travelled north along the Captain Cook Highway to the punt at the Daintree River. No-one in our group had seen sugar cane that had gone to seed... but this time each side of the highway was a continuous stream of waving white flowers and seed pods. We thought the crop may have been ruined by Cyclone Yasi. Later, we were told that cropping is scheduled to take place soon after flowering. Near the end of our stay we did see cropping activity. It is a big industry with thousands of acres under crop.

Defaced Road signs - forget the road bump -
think of the dead Cassowary 

The punt at the Daintree river marks the border to the Daintree National Park. Let's hope the punt is not replaced by a bridge... the punt trip acts as a psychological barrier that marks a change from commercial landscapes into the ancient wonders of the primitive rainforest. We were told that Daintree fossils give evidence that it is the most ancient rainforest on earth... and still has some of the oldest plant species. We were all on the look-out for Cassowaries... but came to the conclusion that there were more road signs for the bird than there were living animals. Some of the locals have also came to that conclusion by the graffiti on the road signs. (This piece of art has been patented and printed onto t-shirts.) Kathie and her car were the lucky ones who saw daddy cassowary with his 3 chicks crossing the road on the Daintree Road close to the northern side of the punt. In fact, Kathie was the lucky one who also saw green turtles on our trip to the reef.


We reached the end of the tarmac at Cape Tribulation. The road is narrow and winding... not at all like the 4-lane highway Joh Bjelkie-Peterson planned for the area. Cape Tribulation was named by British navigator Lieutenant James Cook on 10 June 1770 (log date) after his ship hit a reef as it passed over it, north east of the cape, at 6pm. This made Cook pull away from the coast, looking for deeper water. At 10.30pm, the Endeavour hit a reef almost sinking Cook's ship, on what is now named Endeavour Reef. Cook recorded "...the north point [was named] Cape Tribulation because here began all our troubles".

Healthy mangroves on the beach

The beach was lovely, the mangroves were healthy... this is the spot where the mountains meet the sea. We had our picnic lunch (as it turned out) plagued by bush turkeys and bush hens.


After lunch we took a walk on a board-walk through rainforest with a thick underlay of fan palms. The walk took us out to the beach where we talked to a group of 'beach-bums' practising their para-surfing skills. One of these apparent 'beach-bums' had a PHD, had just left an important post in Japan where he provided interpreter skills, and was now assisting in running up a 'forest surfing' tourist attraction. We were reminded 'not to judge any book by its cover'.    


We made our way back to the motel well satisfied with a long day of sharing one of the world's unique environments.
For our evening meal, the Woodleys and McAllans purchased roasted chicken and salads. We sat around the pool at the motel and reminisced over the adventures of the day.

Day 2 - 10 June 2011 - Habitat

One of the most enjoyable features of our stay were the breakfasts. The motel had a large pool area with catering facilities. It provided a 'free' breakfast... and because of the price, attracted 100% attendance. This gave a coordinated start to each day and provided an opportunity to 're-cap' on the activities of the previous day.



Pool envy at the Sea Temple Resort!

The prime activity for Friday (10 June) was a trip to Wildlife Habitat located near the highway intersection at Port Douglas.

Before arriving there, we drove to the beautiful Sea Temple Resort so that the golfers in the group could book time on the golf course and some of the ladies could check out the massage facilities. The place was luxurious...

Habitat is organised around three areas.

We joined a guide who gave details on rainforest birds

First, we walked through the Rainforest area that offered a lush, tranquil environment where native species such as the endemic Boyd’s Forest Dragon, Eclectus Parrots and the endangered Southern Cassowary can be viewed in a natural setting. A meandering walkway allows the visitor to experience different levels of the rainforest and the varied microenvironments encapsulated within. At ground level displays of fish and amphibians are illuminated providing a glimpse of these cryptic creatures whilst high in the canopy exquisitely coloured pigeons and parrots perch amongst the foliage and fruits. If you want to update your collection of close-up snaps of colourful rainforest birds... this is the place to go. Try and get good photos of rare species in the wild and you need a lot of luck. At the Habitat, you can take your time and be guaranteed a perfect picture. Many of the birds are so used to people, you can shove your camera in their face and they ignore your rudeness. There was a wide variety from which to choose. 

In the second area of Wetlands there was an array of wading birds can be viewed foraging for fish and crustaceans in waterways that wind beneath boardwalks and beside pathways.
The Wetlands exhibit was special because it allowed a glimpse of a significant ecosystem to unfold.  This area depicts the amazing diversity of our natural wetlands that are important fringing areas and provide a link to many ecosystems. Here a host of macropods, fruit bats, black necked storks and a multitude of bird species can be found. This bird sanctuary seems to rate pretty highly with the bird life. There seemed to be more 'free' birds from the wild trying to get into the netted area than there were birds trying to get out. 

Demanding Emu chases food bags

Finally, the Grasslands is an open-air exhibit that portrays both inland and coastal plains.  Here guests are enticed to interact with a range of macropods from the statuesque Eastern Grey Kangaroo to the petite Parma Wallaby.  The billabong is home to turtles, frogs and a range of waterfowl while also attracting a host of native bird varieties. Over forty species have been recorded utilising the exhibit as a refuge for breeding. Boardwalks overlook lagoons where both Estuarine and Freshwater crocodiles lurk beneath the murky waters or bask on the sunlit banks. A feature to this area is the Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, a rare tree-climbing kangaroo found only in the rainforests of The Wet Tropics.

We were amused by a Japanese girl who had purchased a bag of food to feed the animals. The Emu identified the bag and kept chasing the poor girl, trying to snatch the bag. The girl kept dropping food pieces as she ran in an attempt to slow the emu... but it picked up the pieces at a pace that still had the girl fearing for her life. She finally figured out that if she hid the bag of food, the emu would stop harassing her.
Joan, on the other hand, had polite and patient beneficiaries to feed... very genteel.

Well mannered feeders

That evening we visited a harbour-side restaurant to see if 'George' the giant groper fish would grace us with an appearance. Drinkers at the bar are encouraged to buy buckets of prawns and throw prawn shells into the water to attract smaller fish. George makes his appearance at 5.30 PM... a stickler for time. the crowd built with the excitement of anticipation. A roar went up from the crowd as someone thought they could see George lurking deep in the water. There were a couple of false alarms, but finally a giant dark shadow crossed the water. 

Joye watching out for George

Patiently waiting for George

At first I thought it was too big to be a fish. Its width for a start appeared to be 250 centimetres. We were told the Queensland groper can grow to  2.7 m in length and over 400 kg and George looked to be pushing that limit. At 5:25 PM restaurant staff produced a rope and tied the head of a tuna to the end. The rope was thrown into deeper water and we waited for George to collect his treat. There were several castings in the hope that the splashing would excite old George. But George was of an age that was beyond excitement. He had a bit of a nibble, gave the rope a few pulls but could not work up the energy to lift his 400 kg out of the water. Finally the attendant threw the tuna head and skeleton into the shallower water. The smaller fish fed with a frenzy. After a while George made another circuit, collected the skeleton and dragged it off for eating in the privacy of his own lair. In may ways, George enhanced his menacing reputation by remaining partly hidden. Giants should not be at the beck-and-call of pampered tourists.

Everyone in Port Douglas knows who George is!

Day 3 - 11 June - Kuranda

Most of the team had lined up for a game of golf. Col was being a caddy and Jan planned her own day. Joye and Don chose to drive down towards Cairns, catch the scenic railway at Freshwater station, spend lunchtime in Kuranda (the village in the rainforest) and come back to the coast via the SkyRail. We had spent a couple of days in Kuranda some 20 years previous... so it would be good to see what had changed.

We left Port Douglas at 8:15 AM and became caught up in the peak-hour traffic heading towards Cairns. During the drive we read the brochures and saw that the train departed the station at 8.50 AM... and gave ourselves little chance of catching that train. When we arrived, we saw the train still in the station. Joye jumped out and secured tickets while I managed to find a car-park right across the road from the station... a great start to a day that just got better and better.

The history of the railway is a rollicking tale in itself.  

The setting was the prolonged North Queensland wet season of 1882. Desperate tin miners on the Wild River near Herberton were unable to obtain supplies and were on the verge of famine. The boggy road leading inland from Port Douglas was proving impossible. As a result, the settlers at Herberton raised loud and angry voices and began agitation for a railway to the coast.

Upcoming general elections and increasing cold weather in the south saw visits to the north by leading politicians. All promising a railway. 

In March 1884, the Barron Valley Gorge route was chosen for the rail line to the Atherton Tablelands. The storm of indignation which followed from competing schemes anchored in Port Douglas and Geraldton was as enormous as the jubilant celebrations from the people in Cairns.

Construction of the Cairns-Kuranda Railway was, and still is, an engineering feat of tremendous magnitude. This enthralling chapter in the history of North Queensland, stands as testimony to the splendid ambitions, fortitude and suffering of the hundreds of men engaged in its construction. It also stands as a monument to the many men who lost their lives on this amazing project. The line was to total 75.1km and surmounts the vast Atherton tablelands leading to Mareeba.

The climb begins near Redlynch 5.5m above sea level, and continues to the summit at Myola with an altitude of 327.1 m. In all, this section included 15 tunnels, 93 curves and dozens of difficult bridges mounted many meters above ravines and waterfalls.

On January 21st 1887, John Robb and his men tackled the jungle and mountains .... not with bulldozers, jackhammers and other modern equipment, but with strategy, fortitude, hand tools, dynamite, buckets and bare hands. Great escarpments were removed from the mountains above the line and every loose rock and overhanging trees had to be removed by hand. 

Earthworks proved particularly difficult. The deep cuttings and extensive embankments that were removed totalled a volume of just over 2.3 million cubic metres of earthworks. Slopes averaged 45 degrees and the entire surface was covered with a 4.6 m – 7.60m layer of disjointed rock, rotting vegetation, mould and soil.

During construction, navvies’ camps mushroomed at every tunnel and cutting. Even comparatively narrow ledges supported stores – some even catering for the men’s need for groceries and clothes! Small townships were thriving at Number 3 Tunnel, Stoney Creek, Glacier Rock, Camp Oven Creek and Rainbow Creek. Kamerunga, at the foot of the range, boasted no fewer than five hotels. At one stage, 1500 men, mainly Irish and Italian, were involved in the project.

By April 1890, Stoney Creek Bridge was almost complete and the project was paid a vice-regal visit by the Governor of Queensland, general Sir Henry Wiley Norman. To His Excellency’s astonishment, John Robb prepared a full banquet atop Stoney Creek Bridge with tables, food and wine dizzily suspended many metres over the gorge. History records that there were no speeches that day due to the roar from the waterfalls.

Trade at Port Douglas died off rapidly and the town became a quiet little retreat.
With a reliable supply of goods and freight, the Tablelands bloomed into a wealth of rich grazing land. And Cairns was destined to become the modern, international tourist centre it is today, still expanding in leaps and bounds.

Kuranda had changed very little since our last visit. It has retained its village environment and avoided high-rise development. It has emphasised aboriginal art and still has a 'hippy' feel. We grabbed some exercise with a 3 klm walk through the local rainforest... a walk we had enjoyed some 20 years previous.

We returned to the coast via the SkyRail that spans 7.5kms over pristine rainforest providing a glimpse of the most botanically fascinating and diverse areas on earth.

Gliding just metres above the rainforest canopy in a gondola, the Skyrail journey immersed us in an intimate rainforest experience where we could see, hear, smell and become part of the tropical rainforest environment.

We were able to alight at two rainforest mid-stations, Red Peak and Barron Falls.

We joined the golfing group for tea and heard of unbelievable feats of courage, good luck and misfortune as each player explained why they had not played a better game.

Our evening meal was organised by Joan and Jenny with Jeff and John providing bar-b-que skills. The poolside setting provided the best dining experience in town. We were fortunate to have a motel with such facilities. 

Day 4 - 12 June - Market + Bike Ride

Machine to extract sugar juice from cane

Today is Sunday... time to check-out Port Douglas Markets from 8am to around 1pm at Anzac Park, right on the waterfront overlooking the Coral Sea. The markets are a delightful mix of local art, craft, souvenirs and fresh produce. They are a great place to find scores of interesting items. Locals come from all over the Far North to sell their products to inquisitive tourists and locals alike. Here you'll find original arts and crafts, jewellery, pottery, tropical clothing, fruit and vegetables, glassware, books, home-made foods, unique Australian goods, souvenirs and more. 

The markets are also a chance to meet the locals, including the artists, street theatre performers and buskers.

Our group has some serious shoppers... ready to take on the most challenging of markets. Some of these ladies wilt at the thought of putting on walking boots, but have the stamina of centurions when it comes to trying on different shades of dancing shoes.  Those of us not so gifted in the shopping department paid a quick visit to the markets and then progressed to collect some hire bikes for some cycling adventure. 

First challenge was 4-mile beach. It has a 2 metre high tide that leaves a wide beach with hard grey sand... ideal for bike riding. We had the wind in our faces that required a little more effort to push our way along. Col and Jan were still in recovery mode after their gastric attacks in Sydney during the previous week. Initially, they thought half the distance would test their energy levels... but after 4-miles they were keen to keep going. 

We made our way through the back streets of Port Douglas towards the highway intersection. Along the way we called into an open house viewing and checked out the housing market with the local real-estate agent.  At the highway, we had bike lanes to get us started without having to worry too much about the traffic. We had some inexperienced riders amongst us, so it was with some trepidation that we continued down the highway. Some of the bridges were narrow and some of our riders wanted to take those sections very slowly... not always the best way to maintain your balance. Not to worry, we all reported in at the intersection with the side road that took us towards the hills. We found a shady glen in which we had our lunch and started off along a beautiful shady road.

Col and Jan started to worry about their energy levels and decided to make their own way back to Port Douglas, shortly after lunch. We clocked up an extra 5 km in a circuit around beautiful cane fields, clear bubbling brooks, narrow wooden bridges and reasonably level roads. We biked back,  traversing the stressful stretch along the highway amongst the speeding cars... finally gaining sanctuary amongst the back-streets of Port Douglas. At this point, we caught up with Col and Jan. We arrived home leg-weary and bum-sore from the long bike ride. 

That evening, we made our way to the Beach Surf Club for a meal. Someone had heard someone else say that a few years ago they enjoyed their meal there... and that recommendation was good enough for us. Unfortunately, most of us found the standards not up to flavour and presentation of cuisine we had set at our self-prepared meals. This was probably our least best selection in restaurants for the week. Still we met the waiter who could memorise an order for 12 people (no pen or paper required) and we caught up on the latest Port Douglas surfing jokes. 

Day 5 - 13 June - Botanical Ark http://www.botanicalark.com/

A little bit lost as our adventure unflods

Fruit picked on the property

Today, the pressure was on Jeff. Only because of his personal recommendation did the group agree to pay an exceptionally high price for the pleasure of seeing someone's garden. We all assumed the morning tea would have to be pretty good. We left our motel at 9:00 AM in convoy with Jeff in the lead. We had smooth sailing up to Mossman... found the correct exit from the highway and headed for the hills. The bitumen ran out and the bridges became more dilapidated. Soon the front cars were scraping their way over the bumps in the road. Col and I with more than a touch of self-righteousness switched our car to 4-wheel drive and showed our impatience at having to wait for the slow vehicles up ahead. We negotiated one last steep hill to come to the end of the road. There were no signs welcoming visitors to garden inspections, nowhere to serve a luxurious morning tea... Jeff's credibility was being tested. Our only welcome was a savage dog on a chain showing his eagerness to tear us limb from limb. We decided to re-trace our steps.

One type of ginger plant bloom out of a wide variety

There were not too many gates to choose from. None of them offered hope of a splendid garden. We drove into one through a short scrubby area to find a tropical visita unfold before our eyes. We were met by an academic looking man who walked us to the homestead that lay the other side of a picturesque pond. We were served some morning tea that did not fulfil the typical 'luxurious' perception. But we quickly keyed into the theme being presented to us. All the cakes and sweets were made using exotic plants grown on the property. Everything tasted delicious; many with flavours not familiar to me.


The proprietors, Alan and Susan Carle, told us the history of their development of the property. They commenced  more than 24 years ago, first a subsistence farm, and more recently (1990) as a private ethno-botanical gardens. They found that many varieties of ginger plants had blooms that lasted six weeks and were a novelty to many city dwellers. They would pick selected ginger plant blooms very early in the morning and transport them to Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore where florists in the large hotels had no problem selling the produce. They travelled the tropical regions of the world and specialise in plants that indigenous rainforest cultures have and still use for their foods, spices, shelter, medicine, cosmetics, fibres, oils, dyes - in fact for all their everyday needs. The business grew and prospered right up to the time of the Air Pilots' strike. The business stopped for the period of the strike.

Each tree in the garden had its own amazing story

During that period, Alan and Susan decided their preferred future lay with collecting a seed bank of rare rainforest fruiting trees and establishing a garden to show scientists and visitors the wonder of rainforest plants. 

They emphasise the link between plants and people and demonstrate it with some of the most unusual tastes and sights imaginable. They aim to educate visitors to some real values of tropical forests to help save some of those forests for their peoples.

The History of The Botanical Ark
When they first acquired the land in 1982 it was virtually treeless. They purchased it from cattle farmers who burned the land each year to keep the shrubs and trees from growing back. What they inherited was lots of grass, weeds, erosion gullies and an immense amount of work.

Their first priority was to implement soil conservation measures. Days of picking up rocks turned to weeks, then to months, and after many years their numbers are dwindling. They constructed an elaborate drainage system and began employing millions of earthworms to try and replenish the topsoil.

Next came the trees! Permanent plantings to hold the soil, sequester carbon, provide oxygen and fruit and nuts for generations to come.

Rainforests are being devastated around the world at a rate of a football field every 2 seconds. They occupy less than 5% of the world land mass, yet are home to more than 50% of the planet's plants and animals.

Alan and Susan had the goal of raising awareness of the issues and highlighting the biodiversity and economic benefits that rainforests offer.

Alan has travelled the world's rainforest paying attention to local food markets. When he saw fruit or vegetables that looked to be different, he researched the plant and found the site of trees. He would collect seeds and then undergo the rigorous quarantine restrictions. He currently has the only 'private' seed quarantine site in Australia.

We set out on a tour of his garden. Each corner had a plant of specific interest... many with medicinal properties that showed promise in replacing some of the old remedies now reaching the end of their effective life. He showed us a dam he had built that is part of a small hydro-electric unit that provides all his power needs. He showed us his tame pet perch that dutifully came to play a game of catch the leaf.

Alan and Susan have put a lifetime of work resurrecting 30 acres of rain forest. His example points to a future where more of our land will be converted into rainforest to provide the bounty of rich foods and medicines it so readily delivers.


Jeff proved to be a winner. All our group agreed that the morning had been entertaining and inspirational. The high price was well justified in meeting Alan and Susan and learning their life philosophy.

Silky Oaks Resort Dining Table

Next stop was Silky Oak lodge. Most of us had visited the resort previously and their food came highly recommended. This time the recommendations were accurate. Col and Jan were still on their diet of bread and water... but the rest of us made up for them. After lunch, we decided not to take the short tracks around Silky Oak Lodge, but to use the remaining sunlight to walk the more challenging tracks at Mossman George.

Fig Tree on Mossman George walk

Kathie likes to walk at a very fast pace. She raced on ahead and Graeme, Joye and I tried to keep up. The rest of the group took the walk at a more civilised pace. John gave Kathie 15 minutes start and bet the rest of the group that he could catch up with Kathie and her group. John somehow won the bet... he must have found a short-cut!
   

Cane Toad jockeys rising to the challenge

Tonight Joye, Don, Jan and Col were scheduled to provide the dinner. Everyone was well fed from Silky Oaks and wanted a spare night. In place of a meal, Col Jan, Joye and Don decided to visit the pub that holds the Toad Racing event. The meeting took place in a tin shed out the back of the pub. The spruiker organising the event had his spiel well rehearsed. All the participants racing a toad had first to kiss it... a major test for the young girls wanting to enter the race. The spruiker consoled them with the advice that they would soon be kissing uglier faces! The jockeys spurred on their toads by blowing party whistles at them. The tourists lapped up the entertainment and the poor cane toads lived to see another day.         

Day 6 - 14 June - Reef Snorkelling

A photo from the web...
but one that shows the brilliant colours of the reef

Those of us with sufficient confidence in our swimming abilities and resistance to sea-sickness (Kathie, Jan, Merille, Joye, Duncan, Graeme and Don) lined up at the dock at 9:00 AM to board the 40 seat Poseidon ship for a day of viewing the outer reef. As we boarded, we thanked our lucky stars for the bright sunshine and calm shifting breeze. Some of our group grabbed seats near the side of the boat to catch the cooling breeze on a 1.5 hour trip to the outer reef.

Graeme can be identified by his distinctive hairstyle

One hour into the voyage, the weather became more windy. Fortunately, there was no rain, but a cold breeze whipped the white caps off the waves and showered the passengers with cold water. On the way out we were entertained by the crew with 'academy award performances' showing use of equipment and safety procedures. Our ladies hired wet suits for buoyancy and to provide shelter from the cold wind. Joye also used a 'noodle' to help with buoyancy. We were issued with snorkels and flippers.

See Joye making good use of her pink noodle

At the first of three stops, we had sunshine. The water was a warm 25 degrees... so there was an incentive to get into the water quickly. This was the best reef snorkelling I had experienced. The water was clear and the sunlight provided vision down to 4-5 metres. The colours and the variety of fish was spellbinding. Looking in any direction you could see 20-30 different species of fish... all displaying weird shapes and specialised behaviours. Looking into deeper water, you could see the scuba divers blowing bubbles that made interesting shapes as they raced to the surface. Crevices in the coral wall hid some of the bigger fish. The coral trout were especially interesting. Under water you could hear them munching on the coral and see them purge themselves of digested coral to makes the sand the fills all the tropical beaches.

For the first time in Joye's snorkelling experience, she felt relaxed and safe. The added buoyancy of the noodle allowed her to float around without the need to tread water. She came back on board inspired by visions of coral and fish... scenes she had not previously experienced first hand.

I exhausted myself chasing fish and seeking out new hidey-holes for different species. Then it came time to get back on board ship. This was the OMG moment. The wind felt freezing and it took a long time to make your way back to where you had stowed the towels and clothes.

Kathie & Jan - ready to chase turtles

Next, we had our luncheon to help generate some heat. We travelled for a few more of kilometres to the next stop. This was a smaller atoll of coral; one that could be safely circumnavigated. There was less enthusiasm in the way we all jumped into the water. Everyone now knew they'd freeze upon exit. The tide was falling, so there was less water clearance to swim over the coral. I thought it would be smart to swim counter-cyclical to the main group so that I could see fish that were less disturbed by the crowd. That was an excellent plan for half the circuit. For the balance of the trip, my tactics lead to many collisions with swimmers not looking where they were going.
There were many schools of bigger fish swimming just off the atoll. The range of soft corals with vivid colours seemed more extensive. Once more the environment was simply breathtaking. The reef is surely the jewel of Far North Queensland. The photographer on board was encouraging guests to dive and pose for a photo next to colourful clams or dive towards schools of fish. Some of the photos turned out to be works of art. Unfortunately the ones taken of our group had few redeeming features... flabby flesh... thinning hair... you get the picture.

Our final stop was right on the outer reef. You could see the waves breaking on the outer wall. The staff attempted to conduct tours of small groups around the favourite snorkelling spots. There was a pet green turtle that frequented the spot, but he chose not to make an appearance this time. Kathie was lucky in spotting her own green turtle. The rest of us had to settle for following white-tipped sharks making their way through schools of larger fish. Because of the time of day (not a feeding time) the other fish paid no attention to the shark. Everyone was exhausted by all the swimming and finally had to climb on board for the last time. We once more went through the thorough head-count process... then pulled up anchor and made our way back to Port Douglas. Time to enjoy another coffee and tasty slices.

If this excursion had been our only activity, the trip to Port Douglas would have been a success.

That night we dined at the Italian restraunt in Macrossan Street and tried to explain to our land-lubber friends the difference between swimming with the fish and seeing them in a travel brochure. They had enjoyed their time with a quick round of golf and travelling by car to Kuranda.

Four of our group (Jeff, Joan, John and Jenny) had flights the next day... so the Italian dinner was our last full-group event. They were hoping that dust and grit from the Chilean volcano would ground the planes heading for Sydney.... giving them an excuse for a longer stay. We all thought Port Douglas provided an amazing holiday experience... one that we will long remember.

Day 7 - 15 June - Daintree River and Forest Trails

For the six of the group remaining in Port Douglas, today was the last day of activities. Jan and Merille were feeling the need for a recovery day, following yesterday's energetic activities on the reef. The rest of us (Col, Don, Joye, Duncan, Kathie and Graeme) wanted some vigorous walking activity. We had heard favourable recommendations regarding walking trails located close to the Daintree punt... on the north side. Most of us had last seen Daintree village 25 years ago... so that was also placed on the day's agenda.

At breakfast, we said goodbye to the four returning to Sydney, and at 9:00 AM headed off along the Mossman road. Upon stepping out of the car at Daintree village, we heard a cheery voice from the local shop say "What can I do to help you". Joye confessed we needed someone to organise our day. The lady expressed confidence in performing such a task and marched us into her tourist shop. As it turned out, her husband ran an electric boat (very quietly) that could approach crocodiles without causing them stress... she could fix us up with a couple of tickets. And yes... the Forest Trail venue was previously owned by her sister, but she could also find us tickets for that. We were so lucky she had all these contacts. Graeme insisted that we needed a 10% discount off standard price... to which she immediately agreed... giving us tickets that showed the discount was standard for groups of 4 or more. We liked this lady's style. However, she did also give us return vouchers for our 2 cars crossing the punt! Bonus!

100 million years of evolutionary adaption in the world's oldest rainforest

We met the husband and cruised down the river to the area where the crocs hang out. We had to wait for a big noisy launch to clear the site before we quietly quietly glided up to the shallows where one large (5 metre) croc was sunning. The husband did not describe the crocs as rapacious killers. He emphasised that crocs need only feed once every six months. They are lazy opportunistic feeders. Most aggression is shown during mating season... not in defending territory against other crocs, but in trying to impress the lady crocs. He said that as the number of crocs increased (following protection orders being applied) the size of the territories did not reduce... but the sites for crocs extended further upstream. The colder nights had worked in our favour in that the crocs were more eager to collect the sunshine to warm themselves... so sat higher on the banks.  He was most impressed by the efficiency and survival abilities. We went 200 metres further downstream and saw a bigger crock enjoying the sun. They looked so peaceful and content. Made you feel like leaning out and giving them a pat. I'm just joking ... OK.

The green tree snake is on the lower branch

An unexpected benefit was the number of green tree snakes we saw on limbs overhanging the river. They too were seeking the sun to get their metabolism running.

The peacefulness of the river made for a memorable experience. Duncan was able to identify different types of kingfishers flitting around the trees; the quietness of the rainforest (with a minimum of engine noise); the gentle rocking ofthe boat... all seemed a far cry from our usual city rat-race.

Next stop was the Forest Trails venue. We crossed the punt [for free] and made our way down country roads into the foothills. There we saw a narrow side road and made our way over another 3 kms of rough track. We came upon a tin shed .. assumed this was the start of the tracks ... so chose to have our lunch before we started. While at lunch, the owner drove her 4-wheel buggy down from her home (hidden in the trees). She gave us the history of the place; how she and her husband saved the property from the ecological vandalism by the previous owner (we did not declare our friendship with the previous owner's sister). She explained how her husband and she had a building design business in England but gave it up to enjoy the climate and environment of Far North Queensland. She showed us a the area of land on top of a ridge they were flattening to build their permanent home. (Their current home would be let as holiday accommodation.)

Kathie doing her 'Jane' impersonation

The trails were quite rough... just what we were seeking. Melaleuca trees were in flower and masses of Emperor butterflies were feeding off the nectar. We had previously not thought of butterflies playing a serious role in fertilising forest trees. We saw cassowary footprints in the mud next to some stream crossings and then several scats. We saw lots of evidence of ground being turned over by feral pigs. The owner had told us of the extensive damage that just one wild pig can do.

The place did not have the unique feel we enjoyed at the Botanical Ark ... but it did give a better feel of rainforests that were recovering from old growth extraction. It did provide some great 'Tarzan' vines from which to swing.

On the way back, we met the husband who was working the car punt. The Daintree community is pretty small and tightly knit.

We wanted to see Newell Beach where our son and family had holidayed on a couple of occasions. The short diversion allowed us to see the small beachside community that appeared to be a commuter suburb of Mossman and  Port Douglas. Other than coconut groves and the long sweeping beach, it did not seem to have many attractions, an ideal quiet location.

Investor returns were certainly in keeping with the name of the resort

Port Douglas owes so much to Christopher Skase. So much of his work remains the best aspects of the town. He may have built his landmarks with other people's money without proper disclosure... but he put Port Douglas on the map. We could not leave Port Douglas without paying homage to him at his famous Mirage Resort. They had replaced the 'Pixie-Blue' colour scheme but have continued to rely on Christopher's style. It is surprising how well the place has been maintained. We sat in the sun and had a cup of coffee and speculated on the importance of treating claims for emphysema more seriously.

Jan had purchased food for our evening meal. So for one last time, we congregated around the pool to re-tell our daring adventures (suitably embossed). We had to hurry because the second of this year's State of Origin  (NRL) matches bagan at 8pm. We were hoping to find a local pub full of maroon jumpers suitable for baiting and mocking... showing the religious zeal for which Queensland supporters are noted. Unfortunately, all the pubs were full of tourists, predominately from Sydney.

We stayed watching the football until half time. The degree of passion on display reflected the latest budget speech... lacking in commitment. I suspect the true Queensland supporters went to some trouble to avoid tourists on this, their most holy night.