We waved goodbye to the moving truck, and a night in Sydney and then flew to Cairns. We hired a car and drove up the coast, and across the Daintree River to our holiday cottage in the Daintree rainforest.
Day One was a bit showery, but it was fun to visit the rainforest in the Daintree Discovery Centre in the rain. Then we went to Cow Bay and had fun on the swing and exploring the mangroves.
Day 5 we said "Goodbye" to our cottage and went to the Daintree Discovery Centre, this time in the sunshine. Then we had time for a walk on a board walk and a last swing and walk on Cow Bay Beach before crossing the river on the car ferry and heading to Cairns for the flight to Sydney.
Day 2 started with stories with Dad and then a walk along the beach at Cow bay. We went on a cruise on the river, but the crocodiles were hiding! More exciting than spotting crocodiles was having to wait for a 2 cassowaries to cross the road. We visited the Daintree ice-cream factory and tropical fruit orchard before ending the day with games and more reading on the verandah.
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Day 3 We crossed back over the river on the car ferry and headed to Mossman Gorge. We had an unscheduled stop at Mossman hospital to check out a deep graze and cut on Harrison's leg from a fall in our initial exploration. It was all fine so we set off to walk around the gorge.
Day 4 We visited Cape Tribulation in the mist. Cape Tribulation was named by British navigator Lieutenant James Cook on 10 June 1770 (log date) after his ship scraped a reef north east of the cape, whilst passing over it, at 6pm. Cook steered away from the coast into deeper water but at 10.30pm the ship ran aground, on what is now named Endeavour Reef. The ship stuck fast and was badly damaged, desperate measures being needed to prevent it foundering until it was refloated the next day. Cook recorded "...the north point [was named] Cape Tribulation because "here begun all our troubles" I decided to re-name it Cape Jubilation - where our joys begin!
We then visited a swimming hole near Mason's cafe followed by a visit to the Insect Museum, which had some live insects as well as a remarkable collection of pinned ones.
Day 4 We went on the Ocean Safari to snorkel on the reef. Lots of fun and we saw a turtle! Then we had lunch at South Noah beach.
Day 5 we said "Goodbye" to our cottage and went to the Daintree Discovery Centre, this time in the sunshine. Then we had time for a walk on a board walk and a last swing and walk on Cow Bay Beach before crossing the river on the car ferry and heading to Cairns for the flight to Sydney.
