Checked out of the hotel in Cairns for an overnight stay in the Daintree Rainforest at Cape Tribulation. Cape Tribulation is one of the few places in the world where rainforest comes right down to the beach and meets the reef.
We drove North up the Cook highway to Mossman Gorge via Port Douglas then made our way into the Daintree forest National Park. The road crosses the Daintree river by a cable ferry. The cable ferry is just near a spot where a 5 year old was taken and eaten by a crocodile a few weeks ago. We only saw one quite small croc. lazing on the banks of the river. No one could believe the parents of the kid had allowed him to swim with his dog in a crocodile infested river! Apparently crocodiles are very partial to dogs and swimming with a dog is one of the most dangerous things you can do.
Some way into the Daintree we reached the Rainforest resort. There is almost where the surfaced road runs out. North from here its all 4WD-only dirt track right up to Cooktown and then on to the northern tip of Australia - Cape York.
The Rainforest Resort is a set of wooden cabins right in the forest a short walk from coconut beach. We were given a map showing where it is and isn't safe to go in the water (crocodiles). I decided I'd stay out of the water altogether just in case the crocodiles hadn't got the same map. Another reason not to go in the water is the marine stingers...jellyfish that have got a neuro-toxin powerful enough to kill. Stinger season runs from Jan to May, when the only safe place to swim in the sea in Northern Queensland is within a protective stinger net. Stinger season is just coming to and end now…end of May is the official end.
Soon after arriving a torrential downpour started which lasted all afternoon....Its not called Rainforest for nothing. The forest is now all dripping wet and smells fresh and is unbelievably green.
Took a walk down to coconut beach. The green forest meets the beach here. It really looks like the postcard definition of paradise...even in the rain.
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