Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island

[Sun 11/27 - Tue 11/29]

Dinner on the deck - 'take away' Indian food - was delicious. We finished getting organized and headed to bed for our early departure Monday morning. Up before 6, checked out of the hotel, and our taxi picked us up at 6:35am for the 5min drive to the marina and our half-day beach excursion to Whitehaven Beach with Cruise Whitsundays. We checked our bags through to Hamilton Island where we'll be staying the next couple nights, then boarded a large catamaran headed to the 'Most Beautiful Beach in Australia' (by some sources). It was densely overcast with rain likely and a chance of thunderstorms, so we adjusted our expectations accordingly. The cruise through the Whitsundays was beautiful, even with the cloud cover. It reminded us a little of the lush green San Juan Islands back home - only with turquoise water... and more humidity.

Not used to being up at 6am!

Cruise through the Whitsundays

Landing craft to shuttle people to the beach

Whitehaven Beach is known, among other things, for it's silica sand, which is crystal white, fine, soft and doesn't retain heat so you don't burn your feet on a sunny day. We had 2 hours to enjoy the nearly 4.5mile long beach. Our tour company had stand-up paddle boards available, so Karri and Victoria gave it a go in somewhat choppy water (and saw a blue-spotted stingray!), then the 3 of us went for a nice walk along the water. There are no crocodiles here, but this is Australia so there has to be some lethal creature lurking. Along the upper-eastern coast, from October to May, it's box jellyfish ("considered the most venomous marine animal" and you may "experience paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death, all within a few minutes of being stung"), which are nearly invisible and like the warm water near the shore. The tour company gave us full-body 'stinger suits' to wear if we decided to go for a swim, but we opted to just briefly go in waist-deep. The clouds thinned a bit (it never rained!) and we had a few sun-breaks before the boat came to retrieve us and continue on our journey. 

A peek of blue sky

Back on the boat

It was a quick 20-minute ride to Hamilton Island where we hopped off, grabbed our bags and caught a free island shuttle for the short ride to the Reef View Hotel. Checked in, dropped our bags and immediately headed to the pool to cool off and relax for the afternoon. Around 4, Karri and I went for a walk to scout activities for the next day and pickup a few items at the store. Got back to the room, cleaned up and walked 10min to dinner at Manta Ray, a nice spot on the water.

View from our patio

Hamilton Island is a gorgeous spot and a popular tourist attraction. Walking home from dinner we agreed that if feels a little like a Disney property - very clean and orderly, nearly everyone drives around in rented golf carts (or 'buggies' - hundreds of them), most/all of the resorts and restaurants are run by the same company (you can charge most anything, anywhere to your room), and there is one, ubiquitous wifi signal at the hotels and the harbor/resort area - even at the beach. There also appears to be a ton of money here, as indicated by several very large homes built into the hillsides and the monstrous yachts that fill the harbor. 

Tuesday morning Karri walked to a bakery to grab us breakfast, then we packed up and headed out for a hike, hoping to experience the island beyond the resort. Karri had found some nearby trails and the concierge confirmed this would be a great hike. We walked 5 minutes from our hotel to a trailhead at the east end of Catseye Beach. There were 10-12 golf carts parked at the trailhead, but with several trail options we were optimistic it wouldn't be crowded. First we headed to Passage Peak - the tallest point on the island at 700ft. The well-maintained trail immediately started climbing and continued a slow-but-steady uphill for the first mile-plus. We passed a few groups coming down and soaked in some great views of the islands. It was 80+ degrees, at least 80% humidity, and the late-morning sun was hot. The last quarter mile or so was the steepest and I was dripping with sweat when we got to the top, but the view made it worth it.

Passage Peak (right of center) from our balcony

Passage Peak lookout

Hot but happy to be there

View looking east

Western view - our hotel is the tallest of the 3 white high-rises

From there we decided to continue a loop around the eastern portion of the island - the concierge had mentioned a couple of great lookouts, a secluded beach, and terrain unlike anywhere else on the island... just what we were looking for. The trail headed south, along the eastern edge of the island, to South East Head. We had the trail entirely to ourselves.

A mix of terrain

South East Head - a great spot for a chair

Not a bad view from the chair

We continued along the southern edge to Escape Beach. We passed a single hiker going the opposite direction, then arrived at a beautiful, secluded - and empty - beach. The concierge had assured us that box jellyfish season doesn't really start until late-December and that we'd be fine to go for a swim. We were so hot, it was never really a question that we'd take a quick dip.

Descent to Escape Beach

Could not wait to cool off in the water

Shaded but not very comfortable hammock

I got out of the water to grab my phone and take some pictures of Karri and Victoria swimming, but once I yelled 'shark' they wouldn't hold still for me to take a photo! I wasn't kidding about the shark either. From the shore we saw 1, then 2 or 3 more, small, blacktip reef sharks swimming within a few feet of the shore.

Blacktip Reef Shark - maybe 2-foot long

Looking for more sharks

Some dark clouds started rolling in so we decided to hit the trail and finish our loop - an up, then down stretch through dried out forest. Final tally just over 6 miles with lots of elevation change - a real challenge with the heat and humidity, but we all thoroughly enjoyed it. We were again hot, tired and exhausted when we got back to the hotel. Stopped in the room to clean up, headed down to the pool for a refreshing swim, then ordered over-priced-but-refreshing tropical drinks and lunch poolside. We all relaxed the rest of the afternoon - Karri napped briefly, Victoria finished her book and I worked on this post. 8pm dinner at Coca Chu - a resort-affiliated Thai restaurant - very good food.

Tomorrow is a travel day - shuttle to the harbor, boat back to Airlie Beach, shuttle to the airport, flight to Brisbane.

Driving the Coast of Queensland; R&R in Airlie Beach

[Fri 11/25 - Sun 11/27]

The rain finally let up and we were able to get down the steep gravel driveway, to the road, and back to the car ferry. We're splitting up the drive from Daintree to the Whitsundays with an overnight stop in Mission Beach, about a 4.5hr drive south.

Saying goodbye to lovely Carmen

3 minute car ferry across the Daintree River

The 2-lane 'Bruce Highway/A1' runs along the east coast, at the base of the Great Dividing Range mountains which run nearly the entire length of eastern Australia. The highway passes through miles of sugarcane fields, cattle ranches and forests, with occasional views of the coastline. We made good time, stopping for gas and a couple photos.

Rex Lookout

We got to Mission Beach around 4 and headed a little further south to the Kennedy Walking Track, a waterfront boardwalk/beach hike along Luggers Bay. We hiked to Morgans Lookout and back, about 3.5 miles total, keeping a brisk pace to finish before dusk. We worked up a sweat - it's still quite humid - but it felt great to stretch the legs after sitting in the car for 4+ hours.

Kennedy Walking Track

Beach swing!

Morgans Lookout

After the hike, we drove a few minutes to our hotel, Mission Reef Resort in Wongaling Beach - nothing special but spacious, the air conditioning worked, and the room had a washer and dryer! We started an overdue load of laundry (did I mention it's humid?), cleaned up, then headed north to Mission Beach and The Garage Bar & Brewhouse for a couple drinks, pizza and a salad. Great spot. Got back to the hotel around 9:30. Victoria watched a movie, Karri researched our next stop - and I went to sleep!

Saturday morning we finished up the laundry and hit the road, continuing on the Bruce Highway another 6.5hrs to Airlie Beach - gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. The drive was similar to Friday - sugar cane, cows, forests, mountains and ocean views. It rained off-and-on nearly the entire trip, sometimes torrentially. Stopped at a bakery for breakfast and later at Woolworths ("Woolies") supermarket - much different than the U.S. version - for some snacks. We decided on another pre-dusk hike so headed to Shute Harbour and the 4.5 mile Mt. Rooper/Swamp Bay Trail. We hiked briskly out to Swamp Bay, then up about 800ft to Mt Rooper lookout, which gave a great view of some of the 74 Whitsunday Islands.

Swamp Bay

Piles of coral washed ashore

The Whitsundays from Mt Rooper Lookout

We hustled back down to the car, arriving hot, sweaty and dirty, but again glad to have stretched our legs. Drove 10 minutes to our hotel, the gorgeous Coral Sea Marina Resort, checked in to our lovely room with a 270+ degree view of the marina and harbor (kudos to Karri - again!).

View from our deck

We relaxed a bit, cleaned up, then walked a few blocks to Little Vegas Burgers & Bar, a small, kitschy/cool spot for a surprisingly good dinner. Our waitress informed us that our tab earned us 2 free drinks at their sister bar next door. She laughed and said 'yes' when I asked if it was a fun spot, so we decided to check it out. We could hear music and singing as we climbed the stairs into a karaoke bar full of 15-20 tipsy and loudly singing teenaged girls (drinking age here is 18). I was one of 2 guys in the place aside from the bartenders. Turns out our 'free' drinks were buy-one-get-one from their menu of fruity tropical drinks - so Victoria got a 'double' while Karri had a G&T and I had a beer. Decided to call it a night and walk back to the hotel around 10, where we star-gazed from our deck before heading to bed.

'Double' mango daquiris (the one on the right was 'free')

Sunday was a day of R&R with nothing on the agenda other than returning the car by noon. We spent most of the day by the pool or on the pier - relaxing, reading, catching some sun and/or swimming in the pool (I also followed Purdue's victory over Indiana!). Mid-afternoon, Karri and Victoria went shopping while I worked on this post from our deck. 

Relaxing at the end of the hotel pier

Victoria floating in the waterfront pool

Poolside seating area

We have an early start tomorrow - need to be at the dock by 6:45am(!) to catch a boat to Whitehaven Beach and then Hamilton Island. Thinking we'll order takeout tonight and enjoy it from our deck since it will be an early night.

Daintree

[Wed 11/23 - Fri 11/25]

Happy Thanksgiving!

We were on the road from our lodge at about 10am for the 3 hour drive up to Daintree, in the north of Queensland, with a couple planned stops along the way. The drive through the Tablelands was pretty - a mix of farmland, mountains and rainforest, with some spectacular coastal rainforest views as we came down out of the mountains. Daintree is the oldest surviving tropical rainforest in the world (over 135 million years old), a World Heritage Listed site, and home to a national park, beautiful coastline, and several natural attractions. Our first stop was at Mossman Gorge, at the southern entrance to Daintree, where we did a mile and a half walk along a river gorge and through the rainforest.

Suspension bridge crossing Mossman Gorge

River gorge

After the hike, we grabbed a quick lunch in the town of Mossman, then continued north to the Daintree River and for a crocodile viewing boat cruise with Solar Whisper Wildlife. I was expecting cheesy gags and jokes but was pleasantly surprised by our captain and guide, David, who was incredibly knowledgeable about crocodiles and their habitat... and witty, to boot. When you check in, they give you a disclaimer that there is no guarantee to see crocs. David mentioned they had seen 1 on the prior cruise, so we felt fortunate to see 3 adults (1 male, 2 females) and several 'babies' - about 18 inches long at 9mos of age. It was really cool.

A 'small' female - about 9 feet long - lurking just under the surface

Baby croc hiding in the mangrove roots on the shore

We learned a bunch - importantly that saltwater crocodiles such as these are much more dangerous than their freshwater cousins (like the one that makes its home in Eacham Lake, as noted in my last post). Saltwater crocs live in coastal rivers, but non-dominant males sometimes get chased out by the dominant male and swim along the coast until they find a new river home. This is why - we later learned - nobody swims on the beautiful beaches in Daintree!

After the tour, we drove 2 minutes down the river to catch a small car ferry to the northern side of the river, then drove another 20 minutes to our home for the next 2 nights, the gorgeous Cockatoo Hill Retreat, arriving around 6pm. Our delightful hostess, Carmen, was waiting for us and showed us around the place she and her husband built 21 years ago - and she has run herself since he passed away in 2008. The inn has 4 small bungalows nestled in the trees. Carmen doesn't like to be too busy, so usually only rents 1 or 2 at a time - there was one other couple here our first night, we had the place to ourselves after that.

Entrance to Cockatoo Hill Retreat - main house

Sitting area looking out of the rainforest and ocean; roof of Karri and my bungalow on the right

Infinity pool with a peek of ocean in the distance

View from the deck of our bungalow

Bed with necessary mosquito ("mozzies" as the Aussies call them) netting

We quickly cleaned up, then headed to On The Turps restaurant for a delicious meal - barramundi (sea bass) for Karri and me, risotto for Victoria. Back at the inn, Karri and I headed to bed while Victoria star-gazed from the pool. It's warm and very humid here but we all slept very well with screened windows and a fan.

While getting dressed Thursday morning, we heard Carmen ringing a bell, notification that local cassowaries - large, flightless birds that resemble emus - had wandered into her yard. We went up to watch and take some photos as a father and 3 babies wandered through the gardens eating seeds and fallen fruit.

Cassowaries under a cashew tree

We finished getting ready, then headed north to Cape Tribulation - the furthest point north you can go without a 4-wheel-drive vehicle - walked the beach, then worked our way down the coast, stopping at several beaches and nature trails. No crocodile sightings today.

Beach at Cape Tribulation - mostly had it to ourselves

Happy to be at the beach! Bummed we couldn't swim

Dubuji boardwalk trail

Miyali Beach

Lunch stop at Thornton Beach Cafe - great spot!

Thornton Beach

We headed back to the inn around 4pm and relaxed in the pool for a while, then cleaned up and headed to dinner at nearby Lync-Haven Cafe - a casual spot with great food. We had green curry, butter chicken and barramundi for our Thanksgiving dinner!

We did some star-gazing back at the inn - slightly overcast but still more stars than you see in a big city. Slept well again, but I woke around 6 to a massive thunderstorm rolling in from the ocean. It was really cool to watch (and feel and hear) the storm pass through. I've been sitting on the deck, working on the blog and chatting with Carmen as the rain continues. She says we've already had 75mm today with another front on the way. She's concerned we may have difficulty on the road back - there's a report of a downed tree, and flooding is common. We'll play it by ear. There are worse places to get stuck! We have a reservation tonight in Mission Beach - about a 4hr drive south.

Tablelands region - waterfalls and rainforests

[Tue 11/22 - Wed 11/23]

Slept surprisingly well Monday night. It's hot and sweaty in the rainforest and our bungalow doesn't have air conditioning, but it does have a couple great ceiling fans and all the windows are screened, so we slept with the windows open, listening to the sounds of the forest and waking to the songs of various tropical birds. Pretty cool - literally and figuratively.

The main lodge at Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodges

Our bungalow in the rainforest

We had a light breakfast in the room before heading out to explore the Tablelands waterfalls around 9. There are apparently 10 falls in the area and Karri had mapped out a route to see 4 of them - all within an hour radius of our lodge. First stop was 60-foot tall Millaa Millaa Waterfall, then Zillie (99'), Ellinjaa (40') and, after a lunch stop, Nandroya (164'). The first 3 were a short walk from the parking area, while Nandroya was on a 4.5mi loop trail through the forest. We swam at Millaa Millaa, Ellinjaa and Nandroya.

Swimming under Millaa Milla

My lovely travel companions

Zillie - we opted not to hike to the bottom of this one

Shower time at Ellinjaa

The hike to Nandroya

Spectacular Nandroya

There were a few people at each of the first 3 falls, but we had Nandroya to ourselves - likely because it involved a longer hike to get there. The hike back - we opted for the longer, loop route instead of retracing our steps - was a bit challenging at times. Clearly most people opt for the shorter out-and-back route as the trail didn't appear to be well traveled. At times it would have been helpful to have a machete.

Downed tree blocking the path back from Nandroya

We made it back to the car around 4pm, exhausted and exhilarated. On the way back to the lodge, we stopped briefly at nearby Lake Eachum, a beautiful crater lake with a trail around it and swimming areas.

Lake Eachum

"Take care if swimming" - we saw several undaunted souls, including families with small children

We got back to the lodge around 6, relaxed, showered then headed out for (very good) pizza and pasta at nearby Nick's. Back to the lodge around 9 and all in bed by 9:30, tired after a great day!

I was up at 6:00 and am currently enjoying a cup of coffee in the main lodge and writing this post while the girls sleep in a bit. Today we drive about 3hrs north to Daintree, a rainforest and eco-park near the ocean, with a couple stops along the way - including a crocodile-viewing boat ride (if I don't post again, you'll know why)! We're staying in Daintree for the next 2 nights.