We landed back in Cairns on Wednesday 10th August, and anchored in Trinity Inlet. Challenging wind against tide problems put us pretty close to two other boats. Then pulling the anchor up in the morning was hard, as we seemed to have caught a wreck or something. Did I want to jump into the fast flowing muddy water with crocs watching from the bank? No.
Fortunately it came free. Phew!
Then into Marlin Marina for the big clean-up, and hand-over to the next syndicate members. A pleasant meal in Yaya's Greek restaurant with them.
We stayed three nights in Cairns and fitted in a visit to the Cairns Botanic Garden.
Cairns Botanic Garden
Pink trumpet-flowering tree
We caught up with George's cousin Rachel and her family for a picnic on Trinity Beach.
Rachel
Trinity Beach
We picked up a rental car from Jucy, filled it with supplies, and headed north to Cow Bay, just south of Cape Tribulation.
AirBnB bach at CowBay
Off-grid in the rainforest
Fan palms on the Marrdja Boardwalk at Daintree
Mangrove roots in mud
Swimming hole at Emmagen Creek
Biking on Cow Bay
The Curtain Fig
The Atherton Tablelands, with fog over the Barron River.
We drove from Cow Bay, near Cape Tribulation, south towards Evelyn on the Atherton Tablelands, to stay in an AirBnB called Usnea. The most beautiful AirBnB we have ever stayed in. Run by Ben (a sculptor, originally from Germany) and his wife Joan, an Aussie naturalist.
The Wunderkammer, Joan's study, with a wealth of beautiful objects. She did a PhD on cassowaries.
The summer-house
Everywhere beautiful decorations.
Ben's sculpture
Fig-tree roots by a creek
Waterfall at Usnea
Cauliflory; flowers emerging from the trunk of a tree.
Fungi
A satin bower-bird's bower
Sarus cranes near the Bromfield Swamp
Victoria's Riflebird (Lophorina victoriae)
We visited Herberton Historic Village. Impressive.
Dispensary
Hardware store
Dolls
Old cars
Steam pump at Herberton
Marble pit at Chillagoe
Old smelter at Chillagoe
At sunset
Limestone karst towers
Caves at Chillagoe
From Chillagoe we drove to Mission Beach, stopping at the Mamu Tropical Skywalk on the way.
Mamu Skywalk cantilevered lookout
View from the Skywalk tower
Mission Beach
Kennedy walking track at Mission Beach
Tully Gorge
Cliff in Tully Gorge
All over North Queensland, on what is called the Cassowary Coast, there are notices like this. Actual cassowaries are hard to find. But we finally got a sighting.
A better sighting in Currumbin Bird Sanctuary.
Port Douglas
Mossman Gorge. Well worth a visit.
Mossman Gorge swimming hole
