Mike and Casey leave the boat early to get a taxi to the airport to pick up the hire car they arranged online last night. Mike leaves me with strict instructions to be ready to leave at 9 am which makes me want to head straight back to bed just to be annoying, but I am a good girl and am ready by the allotted time. Not only that, but I have contacted a tour guide, Dan Irby, the guy recommended by Judy and Jared, and he gives me instructions on how and when to find him.
It’s a bit hazy when we leave but still sunny, and the road winds prettily around the coast. I can’t help but snigger as we pass a place called Yorkeys Knob. There are the usual photo opportunities on the way but I only manage to get Mike to stop once. This drives me mad. I know that photo opportunities should be taken there and then – it could be dark or raining on the way back, but I am not doing the driving.
As we drive north along the highway (this is a two lane road, the main road north and hardly a car on it) we pass acre upon acre of sugar cane fields. There are rail tracks running along the road side and the harvesters dump all the cane into the open wagons sitting there waiting.
As we start to head inland a bit, the sky clouds over and the weather takes a turn for the worst with a very slight drizzle hanging in the air. We arrive at the ferry station an hour early and turn around to find somewhere to get a drink. We stop at a crossroads cafe, an interesting place where we are the only customers but the girl behind the counter is making enough food to feed an army. We order hot drinks and muffins. Interestingly the muffins turn up heated and we are offered cream and jam. I take the cream but leave the jam and my banana muffins are wonderful. A trip to the loo leads me through a room which is where obviously the locals drink at night. It really looks like I am in the outback here (or at least in a barroom scene in the film ‘Deliverance’ although this is artistic licence as I don’t think there is such a scene!).
Getting out of the car at the pick up point, I realise the folly of wearing flip flops. I was just thinking of rain when I got dressed, not mud. Oh well, it washes off.
As we walk to the floating pontoons, there are more signs to terrify the tourists.
Just as we arrive at the pontoon, Dan arrives to meet us. He is a great character, a softly spoken American who looks like a cross between the British naturalist, David Bellamy and one of the guys from ZZ Topp. His boat is an open aluminium box with an outboard motor with 360 degree swivel seats. As soon as we sit down, the drizzle picks up.
He explains that if it had been a sunny day, we would have seen a whole host of crocodiles on the banks of the river, sunning themselves to store warmth, but as it is not, they will be harder to find but not impossible. Within minutes of uttering these words, he spots one. I think it looks like a log but as we approach, it’s easy to see who is right.
As we head further towards the estuary, the rain starts in earnest and the wet weather gear goes on. We are in the middle of rain forest here and it is determined to live up to its name.
After that one large croc, it’s a while before we spot another, but we see kingfishers, waders, eagles, bats and a whole host of other riverside dwelling creatures.
Eventually we see another crocodile. It is smaller than the first one but exciting to see just the same. We catch it just as he slides into the water but he keeps a beady eye on us before diving under the surface.
We go up one of the river’s many tributaries where I hope to see even more crocs but they don’t co-operate and all we see are mangroves and crabs.
I’m seriously considering saying that we should call it a day regardless of whether we have had our two hours’ worth or not. It is now pouring with rain and even with umbrellas we are getting soaked when suddenly spots another one on the banks of the river. He is careful not to get too close and spook him into turning round and going back into the water.
Photo: Crocodile number three
The trip is now over and he takes us back to the pontoon bedraggled and dripping with water. While the others go back to the car, I wait in the relative shelter of the ferry booking hut. I have seen the mud slick that the car park has turned into and I’m not walking through it in flip flops.
We decide to go to Port Douglas for lunch and head for the marina, usually one of the liveliest spots in an area but discover that this one is in its death throes. We have a relatively hurried (and late) lunch as they have a private function starting in an hour, then wander around the marina shops, but they are tourist tat and not interesting. Driving out we hit the centre of town which is much livelier and wonder what’s so wrong with the marina.
Finding our way out of town proves to be a problem. They are not very good at sign posting. Heidi suggests that this is because most Australians do not travel very far themselves. It could certainly explain the lack of road traffic.
we end up at the top of the hill where we have a panoramic view up the coast. Mind you, since we were actually looking for the lighthouse, it gives an idea what the sign posting is actually like!
We eventually find our way out of Port Douglas and make it back to Cairns, taking a brief detour to visit the supermarket to buy some more of the wonderful bread mix that is produced here that I used to be able to buy in the UK – Lauke German bread mix – wonderful stuff. Of course, all the photo opportunities that I had on the way out this morning do not present themselves as the clouds follow us back down the coast. Still, Yorkeys Knob makes me snigger again. How juvenile! We stay in for dinner and watch the film ‘Australia’ which is fitting.
Our position is: 16 deg 55 min S, 145 deg 46 min E
Distance so far: 10953 nautical miles
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