Another glorious day in Mooloolaba. But today we were heading north.
After a quick stop at Mossman north of PD for some supplies, we travelled slowly, relishing the morning air and feeling the high peaks of the Atherton Tableland that followed us on our left.
Breakfast at Newell Beach. We weren’t in a hurry. Hot coffee, fresh fruit, a pastry…or two. We strolled it off before getting back in the car for our drive to Daintree Village. We stood looking up and down the Daintree River wondering quietly to ourselves and then later in conversation about the crocodiles that might have been in the river.
One more coffee for the road. Then to the punt across the river. It was like traveling back in time. We remembered punts from our childhoods in NSW and Qld. This ancient transport took us to ancient forests.
Indeed we had been transported 300 metres across a river and thousands of years into the past.
Cape Tribulation Road took us slowly up to Mt Alexandra Lookout where we waited until there was almost no one and enjoyed the views down across the plain to where the Daintree River met the sea.
Before we left the carpark, we put the roof down on the Mercedes SLK 350, generously loaned to us by my cousin back in Mooloolaba. The lookouts and beaches were spectacular, but the real beauty was above. We stopped and put the seats way back so we could just stare in wonder and the lush and vibrant canopy overhead. We could almost touch the roof of the forest. We agreed that we’d make a return visit to explore the forest floor.
On to Thornton’s Beach. Well…after an ice-cream at the Daintree Ice Cream Company, it was on to Thornton’s Beach for lunch. Our picnic lunch was complete with a yummy Pinot Noir. The beach stretched north and south from where we sat. Low tide gave us plenty to explore in both directions before a short snooze on the sand.
A spicy meal awaited us back in PD. So we decided to leave Cape Trib for our next visit. We packed up and dawdled back in our sports car to the punt.
Yep, another glorious day in PD.