A tale of two Trevors

The wet season arrived late and in June it rained almost every day. Finally the skies cleared and our voyage north began. Once we had arrived at Port Douglas Kathryn arrived too, and thanks to our friend Dan lending us his car some day trips were possible. We visited Spring Creek and its waterfall, roughly between Port Douglas and Mossman, and also had a day in the Daintree. Another day was spent at the Low Isles and thanks to good connections (Hello Craig!) we were treated to lunch on Wavedancer after an enjoyable snorkel. 

Kathryn departed and Trevor ‘Treasure’ and Ricky arrived. We headed north via the Low Isles again with Dan as a passenger to the Daintree. (Hello again Craig and thank you for lunch! ☺) There we met up with our friends Trevor and Mary for a few days’ indulgence and feasting on mudcrabs in a superb location with an unsurpassed view of Cape Tribulation and Thornton’s Peak.

Our passengers were entertained by: stories of the resident crocs including our old friend Goliath; mudcrabs, one of which attached itself to Ricky, to his horror, inflicting a nasty wound; and a snake looking for a warm bed or maybe just a melomys. Thanks to local knowledge and good connections Daintree Trevor took us to the ‘big swimming hole’ at Noah’s Creek, accessible only via a private property. We also visited the black basalt ‘bouncing stones’, which he informed us was an indigenous women’s spiritual place and birthing site, and where the shiny, dark stones do actually bounce. It’s no longer signposted for tourists as the stones were disappearing at an alarming rate. Allegedly, a nasty curse was placed on those whose pockets filled with stones to be spirited away, and many a stone was returned via post by the defeated and cowed thief. This area was not greatly frequented by Aboriginal people as it’s in the realm of the Evil Sisters of the dreaming who reside in one of the mountains nearby. Visits were purposeful and short.

A confused looking cassowary was also spotted, trying to hide in the bush from all the onlookers, it seemed. So much beauty is to be found in the magnificent Daintree rainforest, it’s definitely one of our special places. Matey is invariably compelled to pay homage to fan palms and freshwater springs.

It’s always good to catch up with old friends, and make new ones. Now, back in Cooktown, we’re on the slipway attending to Ebb Tide’s nether regions. Poor old Captain is below covering himself in filth as I write …

Blue Hole

The climb up to Spring Creek falls is worth it

Matey must contend with strange and fascinating creatures on a daily basis.

Elves' staircase

'Big swimming hole' at Noah's Creek

Full moon rises

View at our favourite anchorage in the Daintree

A sea of bodies

Bouncing stones

Delicious Daintree ice-cream

View of the mouth of the Daintree River

Contemplating

Birthday celebrations at the Cooktown Hotel

ET for short?

Hmmm … maybe not.

It is bad luck, allegedly, to change the name of a boat. Arcane rituals must be performed to appease the sea spirits. But, when you are retrieving the boat’s original name, we are hoping said spirits will be gratified, and smile kindly upon us.

Total Care (though we avoided saying it and fondly used initials) was the name given by previous owners to reflect their business name, but it always seemed inappropriate for a boat. The shadow of her true name, Ebb Tide, continued to be visible in certain lights. ‘Ebb Tide’ has now been liberated and can be seen once again adorning her sides. 

The process of changing the name is a relatively simple one: remove old name from boat, inform the registration agency, insurance company and AMSA (re EPIRB), arrange new stickers, carefully place them on beloved boat and celebrate. What better initiation ritual for the reinvented Ebb Tide than a sunset sail with fun friends and Mohitos?

We’re feeling fortunate, having managed to avoid cyclones for another ‘wet’ season, during which numerous boat jobs were attended to, e.g., the addition of an extra, flexible, solar panel, which we hope will mean unlimited fridge/freezer power. Some boat tasks require a pontoon so this meant the luxury of some marina time and the ability to step ashore as often as desired, without the need to plan the day and fill the dinghy. This made it easier to be involved in things going on around Cairns, which was enjoyable.

The most exciting job (!) of hauling out and antifouling is yet to occur, but we look forward to returning to Cooktown for this one, where there is a better view and fewer sandflies than at the slipways in Cairns. It's also a lot cheaper, but our friends, the crocs, come much closer … 
Then we hope to begin the journey northward up the east coast of Cape York — how exciting!

Lizard Island

Having almost reached Lizard Island, and then discovering our leak and regretfully having to turn back, we again set out from Cooktown on Lizard Island Voyage II. After an early start and a fairly painless nine-hour sail, we finally pulled in to Watson’s Bay to join about 15 other boats. Though our time there was short we managed to snorkel, make new friends, visit the research station, and do some walks, including aloft to ‘Cook’s Look’, the highest point from which he found his escape route through the reef.

There was the whiff of excitement while we were at Lizard Island as the research vessel Alucia, along with David Attenborough, also visited for a few days. We are eagerly awaiting the release of his new series on the Great Barrier Reef!

The wind was kind and allowed us to visit the reef for a few days. We sailed beyond the outer reef breakers and into the Coral Sea. As a result the Matey may have to reconsider her view of ocean sailing. Admittedly the conditions were particularly good, but the deep blue hue and the long, gentle swells were most pleasant. A pod of eight chatty and playful dolphins, emissaries from the deep offering friendship, convinced her ocean sailing might be a future possibility …

Watson's Bay

Eagle Cay is visible in the distance

View from Watson's Bay. Err, nice cheeks!

View of Lagoon at Lizard Island

Matey points out Cook's passage

TC hugs beach

Alucia

View at Cormorant Reef

Breakers show the edge of the outer reef, where the depth plummets by up to 2000 metres

Ahhh ...

Poor old Captain has another difficult and challenging day

Dodgy neighbour back in Cooktown 

Chased by a python ...

Or, so it seemed.

After finally finding the right turn we had been hiking along the overgrown and Cyclone Ita-devastated track in to the Annan Falls, clambering over many a fallen and once-magnificent tree, when Matey heard something crashing through the undergrowth and making far more noise than a bush hen. She turned to the right to see a striking Green Python charging towards her: head arched high, tongue flickering and eyes blazing as it slithered forward at breathtaking speed, ready to attack! As the Matey’s eyes met the python’s, still several paces away, she pushed the poor old Captain, who was still oblivious to the charging reptile: ‘Quick — snake!’ That got him scurrying! Captain and Matey scampered further along the track as the sound of breaking twigs and crushing leaves stopped behind them.

With a little more time to contemplate this surprising python charge, the Matey wondered if it was breeding season and the serpent was being territorial and hoping to scare the wandering intruders away from its nest. But not so, the Matey has been informed. In all the excitement of locking eyes with a charging python, the Matey missed the likely real object of the snake’s interest: a fleeing melomys, bandicoot, quoll or other delicacy. The Matey now feels privileged to have witnessed a green python hunting.

Cape York

One might be forgiven for thinking a leaky boat was bad luck. But so many good things have resulted from it that Captain and Matey are beginning to think Fortune was smiling. While we were on the slipway fixing the leak we met some fabulous new friends and as a result have seen a little of Cape York from a different perspective, and with the help of some local knowledge. One of our lovely new friends even lent us a 4WD for several days. When you have a 4WD in Cape York, paying homage to waterfalls is, of course, essential …

Home Rule falls

Morning tea at The Lion's Den: a funky pub shaded by gorgeous trees a long way from anywhere

Annan Falls: above was a magical series of pools

Trevethan Falls: voted the prettiest waterfall yet by the Matey

Regrowth after burning

Black Mountain

Triton: another new and very good friend

Endeavour Falls

Izabella Falls

Cape Bedford

The coloured sands at Cape Bedford ...

The sand is fine-grained and pristine

More coloured sands ...

Pure, fresh spring water runs out from under the hill at Cape Bedford into the sea 

Looking back towards Cooktown

Back home in Cooktown