Well we are in Mossman as it is a little cheaper to stay than Port Douglas and only 40km away, so it will be easy to get there early in the morning to get the boat out to snorkel and dive on the Great Barrier Reef.
Well wouldn't you know our luck after trying so hard to get here for the Minke whales and not having them turn up much this season . The weather has turned a little rough and will make the boat trip a sea sick trip before diving , that is not good, and visibility will be down even for snorkelling.
So other plans are visit a few things and the Daintree rain forest then go to Cape York and try diving when we return.
Mossman Gorge is located at the south east corner of the Daintree National park. Carved by the Mossman river over millions of years, now the crystal clear water cascades along a granite boulder littered valley. The granite boulders are washed down the hills during times of heavy flood.
There are walks in the gorge area , beside the river , in the surrounding rain forrest and over a suspension bridge. In one part there are warnings of the fast flowing river and its submerged boulder hazards so to swim is at your own risk, thereare some people in swimming but we had not brought our bathers with us and it was a little cold , so we did not go in.
Daintree discovery centre we thought would be a good idea as it has a arial walkway and a treetop tower. Well after having to pay $70 .00 to get the car across the Daintree river on the ferry ,we find the discovery centre is a private owned piece of rain forrest so costs a lot to enter and because of all the visitors it is too commercialised and does not have the bird and wildlife any more. It is still part of the Daintree forest and has a good range of plants, trees and some birds and is pretty, but not what we like.
We head out further into the rainforest and find a free walk with not many visitors called Jindalba [foot of mountains}
This had more birdlife and was very well presented. Larry did the longest and hardest walk along a small dirt track over logs and through a creek while I walked the shorter version with a little bridge and cleared track.
We then found Cow bay which has a small beach with warnings of salt water crocodiles but a couple of other people were in the water and there where no signs of crocs in the sand so in we went and played in the waves in the beautiful not cold water. It was probably a little cold for the crocs they are just about to start their breeding season . --Oct- to April
The waves were getting a little big but the tide was coming in. Anyway it was fun.
Now we have a day spare so we decide to go to Port Douglas and try find get a spare batterey for the smaller camera and a spare wheel cover for the spare on the care roof to protect it from UV rays.
They had neither item so we walked around a little park with a creek fed dam and found our first wild salt water crocodile. Photo of him lying at one end , he / she is about 5foot from nose to tail tip.
We then went to Cairns about 70km form Port Douglas along coast road to find the things we need. Nice drive apart from road works, got what we needed and decided I do not like Port Douglas or Cairns or Mossman so Hope Cooktown better when we get there. Port Douglas is all for the cashed up visitor who just wants to shop and sit in sun and spend money, boring.

When I can send this we will be on our way to Cape York after leaving the caravan at Mt Carbine. We will be out of contact for about 3 weeks if all goes to plan . Leaving 6 sept. travelling straight up to top with a few night stops then stay couple of days on most northerly beach in Australia . Return a bit slower with side tracks to waterfalls and other sites.
We will be sleeping in the car roof top tent and cooking outside on little portable gas cooker, and will be showering when we can and swimming in a few waterfalls and creeks.
We will post again on our return, be good all and have fun we will be.
The road is about 750km of dirt -4 wheel drive road- with a few creek crossings and a ferry across the biggest river near the top. Maybe we also will go to Thursday island we will see.

PS--We went for a drive up to the top of the mountain beside Mt Carbine as practise for the trip . Well car did fine , I was worried in places all dirt and rocks just wide enough for the car. It very steep and is stepped in sections so the car and its gears do not overwork going up the very steep up , and the breaks do not over heat coming down. It is Mt Lewis national park.
They used to and still do mining in this area for Tin, Warfran, gold, tungsten,and Molybdenum. The Tungsten is so hard it has to be mined with diamond drill bits to make the holes and blasting, The Warfran is 17 times the weight of water making this mineral very heavy. Here they have to buy new picks and shovels every year just for the caravan park gardens. More when we return to Mt Carbine