Cape Tribulation

    10/11/2011
   Everyone moving very slowly this morning after last nights dinner party, it’s also a VERY hot morning. A good day for relaxing by the pool, except we are heading north for a weeks liver rehab! We said good bye to Dave and Marilyn as they will have returned to Sydney before we get back to Clifton, more people we will have to look up when we go south. Phil and Julie are flying down to Woolangong for more birthday celebrations with family and friends who couldn’t make it to Cairns last weekend.
  We are now in Wonga Beach, on a very nice caravan park, beachfront setting. Unfortunately the beach itself is a bit scruffy, lots of driftwood and coconuts washed up and obviously no stinger net. The park has a nice pool so we did not miss out on our daily dip which was welcome today in the heat and humidity.  By 6 pm the temperature had dropped a lot as we sat under the awning having our sundowners and feeding the flock of peacocks that live here. There are long nosed bandicoots here which are nocturnal and we hope to see one when the sun goes down.

  11/11/2011
   We didn’t have to wait long to see a long nosed bandicoot last night, he strolled by our van as we were sat having our dinner. They are shy animals which are a bit bigger than a rat, brown furry tail and a long pointy snout. Unfortunately we didn’t have the camera to hand, so we are hoping he makes an appearance this evening, but it is unlikely as they are quite rare.
  Now that the shiny thing is behaving itself we have spent all morning and some of the afternoon getting up to date with this blog, we were over a week behind. Need to sort photos out next. When we weren’t computerating we flopped about in the pool though it’s not as hot as yesterday. Last nights rain seemed to cool things down a little.


  12/11/2011
   No luck with the bandicoot last night, probably due to an influx of weekend campers jumping about and generally making a noise.
  We are now camped a couple of K’s south of Cape Tribulation Bay, About as far as we can go in our van. The road after Cape Trib is dirt and is known as the Bloomfield Track which takes you to Cooktown. It is for 4WD vehicles only.
  This another very nice beach front caravan park with modern amenities and a small bar doing pizzas, beer and wine……… It opens at 7 30!………what use is that?!!
   From  Wonga we drove up to the small village of Daintree and passed the eco lodge  we stayed in in 2003. It had only been opened a couple of years when we stayed there and now it has a worldwide reputation ( nothing to do with us)  with only the rich and famous staying there. At Daintree we checked out the croc bothering cruise along the river for future reference, then caught the car ferry over to the Cape Trib road. Apparently a pet dog was taken by a croc yesterday as it stood by the ferry ramp, it was reported in the local paper.  We then drove up to Cape Tribulation, one of the most beautiful bays in Australia. It’s no wonder Captain Cook ran aground here, obviously not concentrating on what he was supposed to be doing, too busy gawping at the scenery I spect! We took loads of photos and just hope they will do it justice.

  13/11/2011
  We just had to go back to Cape Trib Bay this morning as we had spotted a lookout point on the map we hadn’t noticed before. The signs for the lookout are not obvious which is a shame as it was well worth the hike. At the end of the track there is an elevated platform looking out over the bay and the reef. The views are quite stunning.
  Driving back down towards the ferry we stopped to do a boardwalk which takes you through rain forest that is gradually taking over the mangroves…..should be finished in another million years! After that we took a short detour out to Cow Bay, yet another beautiful sandy bay, the sand more like talcum powder it’s so soft. At the ferry we chucked sausage sandwiches into the river but no crocs came, they only like hot dogs it seems!
  We are now over the Daintree River and camped in Daintree village ( not on the village green) with internet, mobile phone and a pub.
  Janes fold up chair has collapsed under severe pressure, ( Ripper!) unfortunately I was sat on it at the time so I get the blame. It’s not fair.