Keith climbed the highest point on Whitsunday Island with Lynn from Cutty Wren
… and surprisingly we had fog for days!
On our way through Solway Pass we had a close encounter with this whale and calf.
Whitehaven Beach is supposed to be a spectacular place but the cloudy day didn’t help…
…but we appreciated this joy-pilot’s laid back approach to quiet business!
Sailing through Gloucester Passage – note Christine still has a winter fleece on!
We enjoyed Bowen – a quiet sleepy Australian town…
The town has a wonderful collection of murals – these are just some…
The town has a wonderful collection of murals – these are just some…
The town has a wonderful collection of murals – these are just some…
The town has a wonderful collection of murals – these are just some…
We enjoyed a 4 hour walk exploring the area.
We enjoyed a 4 hour walk exploring the area.
Townsville was a bit disappointing …
…but we did enjoy the ‘Ephemera on the Strand’ art exhibition.
…but we did enjoy the ‘Ephemera on the Strand’ art exhibition.
…but we did enjoy the ‘Ephemera on the Strand’ art exhibition.
Magnetic Island was a favourite destination…
We did some more long walks…
…and saw this mother koala with baby!
And enjoyed the rare opportunity to relax ashore with facilities…
Orpheus Island is home to a Great Barrier Reef research facility run by James Cook University
Giant Clams and coral …
Hinchinbrook Channel offered spectacular scenery – but no access ashore!
The Hinchinbrook Channel is quite narrow and offers good protection from seas and wind.
Cardwell, where our friend Adrian worked for a while …
…before it was wiped out by Cyclone Yasi in January, 2011.
Dunk Island also got wiped out – the 5* resort has had to close (notice the damaged jetty)…
…not a single building was left undamaged.
These dancers from Papua New Guinea were taking part in the Cairns Tropical Wave Festival.
These dancers from Papua New Guinea were taking part in the Cairns Tropical Wave Festival.
These young aboriginal dancers told a Dreamtime story of crocodiles in the Cairns Tropical Wave Festival.
We also witnessed an Australian Citizenship Ceremony.
We enjoyed a trip on the Scenic Railway to Kuranda (in the mountains above Cairns)…
… the carriages dated back a 100 years or so.
We enjoyed a trip on the Scenic Railway to Kuranda (in the mountains above Cairns)…
…past spectacular waterfalls…
…and over scary bridges…
We enjoyed a trip on the Scenic Railway to Kuranda (in the mountains above Cairns)…
The historic Kuranda Railway Station is set in the lush tropical rainforest.
The return trip is via the SkyTrain above the rainforest…
The return trip is via the SkyTrain above the rainforest…
Christine didn’t enjoy the heights but the view was great!
We hired a car to explore the Daintree Tropical Rainforest National Park.
Then we explored the Atherton Tablelands (inland from Cairns) – fertile banana growing area.
Bananas are back on sale after recovering from Cyclone Yasi and the terrible floods earlier in 2011.
A ‘curtain fig’ tree in the rainforest region.
We saw this snake while trying to spot the platypus (see insets!).
There were some beautiful waterfalls – they must be spectacular in the wet season!
There were some beautiful waterfalls – they must be spectacular in the wet season!
There were some beautiful waterfalls – they must be spectacular in the wet season!
We joined a sunset walk in aid of the Leukaemia Foundation while in Cairns.
Just one of the many ‘jolly boats’ which take tourists out to the Great Barrier Reef – which we are sailing through.
The Low Isles are a very popular day tripper destination. Great fun with good snorkelling.
The Low Isles are a very popular day tripper destination. Great fun with good snorkelling.
Clouds rolling down the Great Dividing Range at Cape Tribulation.
We had a lovely day at the Hope Islands and hoped to stay longer but the weather blew up…
…but we were joined by some Remora Fish which hitched a lift to Cooktown clinging to our bottom.
Cooktown where James Cook repaired Endeavour in 1770. Last town for us before rounding Cape York.
