Cape
Tribulation and the Daintree - 130 kilometres north of Cairns
This was more a funny day out than a fun
day out. It was spoiled just a little by overcast skies which later
developed into rain. To reach Cape Tribulation you drive north from
Cairns, past Port Douglas and straight on through Mossman until you
reach the Daintree River. Stop there, especially if the ferry is at
the other side. For $16 return, the ferry will take you to the opposite
bank. Continue driving north through beautiful rainforest until you
run out of bitumen - and there you are, Cape Tribulation. Note that
you have run out of bitumen but not out of road. To reach the most northerly
tip of the Australian mainland, Cape York, by car involves a drive of
a thousand kilometres over dirt roads. How bad those roads are seems
to depend on who is telling the story. We decided on a different method
of reaching Cape York, but that’s for another day.
Left:
Waiting for the Daintree River Ferry.
Right: The Daintree “River
Train”
The name Tribulation was bestowed by Captain James Cook in 1770 when his bark, Endeavour, bumped into a reef. The reason for his choice of name was, in his own words, “ . . . because here begun all our troubles.” In our opinion the Tribulation area is in danger of becoming over-commercialised. Its attraction is in its natural beauty and its remoteness. Today there are all the usual businesses springing up; accommodation, cafes, camping, tours galore, jungle adventures, discovery centres, horse rides, museums, boat hire, shops and more. Because the area is so large and these operations are well scattered, it isn’t yet too ‘tacky’.
At the beach car park we
came across a family of cassowaries
At the beach
car park we came across a family of cassowaries There was mum,
dad and two chicks. Signs warned of the dangers of approaching too close
to these large, colourful birds when they have young. They are capable
of inflicting fatal injuries if provoked. Sad to say, from about twenty
pictures, not one was really worthy of reproducing here, but I’ve
selected the best. The right picture shows more clearly the cassowary’s
peculiar crest which looks quite rubbery, and also its bright pink,
red and blue head and neck colouring. Only one of the adults sported
the long, dangling wattles, presumably the male.
The Cape Tribulation beaches were lovely, rainforest running all the
way to the water’s edge except where there was sand. We sat on
the beach and ate our lunch, watching families enjoy the calm water
as rain clouds rolled in. Behind us a most irritating young fellow was
knocking down coconuts, and a good deal of foliage, from the tall palms.
The rain started as we left the beach to set off for the Daintree Village. What we expected of this village I’m not sure, but certainly not what we found. The place consisted of a large parking area with a museum on one side, some tourist-type shops on the other and boat access to the Daintree River at the far end. Amongst the shops was a cafe where we went for an afternoon drink. Outside the cafe door sat an extremely scruffy bloke - looked like a bikie - who was obviously fairly full of grog. He was holding a loud and slurred conversation with a brassie blond sitting several metres away. Inside the cafe Pam requested a cup of tea. The cups, tea bags and hot water were pointed out to her. She had to make her own. Everybody was referred to as “Darl” by the strange-looking woman behind the counter. I think the best thing about the Daintree Village was the road out.
Some
Amusing Modifications to Road Signs
On
our way to Cape Tribulation we had passed some ’modified’
road signs. We thought they were
funny though the authority responsible for their upkeep might have a
different view. See what you think.
Left:
I re-modified this picture to show how the signs looked originally.
The top sign warns of speed bumps ahead and the lower sign of cassowaries
on the road.
Right: The signs as we saw them. Some quick
wit had seen the potential and applied a little black paint. It must
have given many people a chuckle.
Left: Couldn’t
help smiling at this one.
Right: Make your own caption.
STUNT DRIVER AHEAD, perhaps?
Meanwhile,
Back at Cool Waters Caravan Park
Click for their website: www.seecairns.com
On arriving back at the Cool Waters Caravan Park, Andrew, one of our
hosts, showed me the weirdest creature I’ve ever seen. It was
a male Rhinoceros Beetle (Xylotrupes gideon). I knew that you’d
demand some pictures, dear Reader, so naturally I’ve obliged.
To help you to get an idea of his size, I got him to pose on a 20 cent
coin (the beetle, that is, not Andrew). Poms, a 20 cent coin is the
same size as your 10 pence coin. The beetle’s forked horn is made
of hard shell but I couldn’t guess its purpose. Opening beer bottles,
perhaps? The female beetle differs in that she doesn’t have the
forked horn and her shell is a matt black. Both genders squeak loudly
if disturbed but are harmless.
If you look at these pictures and decide that I’m having a lend of you and the thing is really made of plastic . . . well, I wouldn’t blame you. If I hadn’t seen it walking I’d think it was something dreamed up for a Star Wars movie. Hey, come to think of it, it does bear a striking resemblance to Darth Vader, doesn’t it? May the force be with you.
Above: A Rhinoceros
Beetle. Kids, why not put one of these into Mum’s bed? You know how
she loves a good joke.
While
I was looking at the Rhinoceros Beetle, what should come along but Emily,
Andrew’s pet Rainbow Lorikeet. Or rather one of them, for he has
two.
Emily the Rainbow Lorikeet. Beautiful, isn’t she?
The story of Emily is interesting. Andrew already had Remo, a male Lorikeet, which had the run of the place. Remo always confined himself to the area outside the rear of the office, never the front, so it was with some surprise that he was seen at the front. Somebody took his cage out and opened the door. Remo normally hopped straight in but not this time, so he was picked up and put into the cage. On re-entering the office it was discovered that Remo was, in fact, happily playing at the back. So who was in the cage? Emily (as the new bird was christened) was kept in the cage for a few days and then released. She’s been around the place ever since - company for Remo.
Pam
Takes To The Water
Gives Red Wine A Rest
The Cool Waters Caravan Park has a beautifully landscaped swimming pool.
The shallow end was so shallow that Pam, not normally one to venture
into water over her ankles, began to gain confidence. She went out and
bought a boringly modest swimming costume and slowly, day by day, she
ventured further towards the deep end until the water came up to her
neck!
The pool at the Cool Waters Caravan Park.
Then
came the momentous occasion when Pam took both feet off the bottom.
At the same time! She began swimming breadths of the pool and soon advanced
to swimming lengths. At one end the water was six feet deep and Pam
measures five-foot-nothing. Six months ago she would never have believed
it.
As Pam gained confidence, she was seen
many times in the pool.
As winter turned to spring and the daytime temperature rose into the thirties, that pool was a godsend. The best part was that we could enjoy it as much as we liked but somebody else cleaned it. Some mornings we’d set out early for a walk - eight o’clock is early - and return hot and sticky. The sun had quite a bite, even at that hour. Then, after a quick shower, into the pool before breakfast. Half an hour of lazing in the pool reduced our core temperature nicely. (Core temperature is the ‘in’ expression this season. It was started by good old Ross and Jan Taylor from Jimboomba, Brisbane. Cheers, Ross and Jan. How are the Happy Hours going? Are there still 180 Happy Minutes in one Happy Hour?)
Warnings On The Dangers
Of Alcohol
Talking of Happy
Hour, our lovely niece Hannah must worry about us. She sent us some
warnings about alcohol:-
• The consumption of alcohol
may leave you wondering what the hell happened to your bra and panties.
• The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you
are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.
• The consumption of alcohol may lead you to think people are
laughing with you.
• The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think you can sing.
• The consumption of alcohol may cause pregnancy.
• The consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like
a retard.
• The consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell your friends
over and over again that you love them.
• The consumption of alcohol may make you think you can logically
converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.
• The consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering
when you are not.
Thanks, Hannah, but many of those are the reasons why we drink alcohol - especially when we sing and dance like retards. And with exception of the pregnancy warning, I find that advancing old age has very similar effects. Now where did I leave my bra and panties?
This
is the end of Page 15.
On Page 16 we go north on a cargo ship, stand on Australia's northernmost
tip, and one of us is pronounced dead.