Farewell to Cairns

On a very wet, drizzly Friday, 2^nd September, after 10 days on the hard, Irene IV was reunited with the water. A stay that was to be 2 days, ended, with much frustration, 10 days later. As seems to be customary, the path to the water was not paved with gold. Irene IV’s crew of 4, Louis, Rob, George, and Sabine, were all aboard the dusty lady delighted to be getting “back to normal”. Once we were lowered into the slot, a concrete canal used to coral boats, Rob started the engine to prepare for departure. There was a horrible grating sound from the engine room, Peggy was not happy. Rob pushed the throttle into forward gear, Irene IV appeared to move backwards. He tried reverse and she moved ahead. Can you believe it, the engineers had reassembled the propeller backwards! In the pours of rain, soaked to the bone, we waited as the engineers redid the assembly. In tandem, mechanics from McCleod Engineering, checked Peggy, in case the awful sound was due to some other problem in Peggy’s belly. A couple of hours later, propeller moving in the correct direction, Peggy given a clean bill of health, we headed back to Cairns Marlin Marina. The rain had stopped but our ardor was definitely dampened.

During our stay in Cairns, we experienced some little touristic adventures. The first brought us up to the Daintree Rainforest a short distance by bus inland of Cairns. The Daintree Rainforest is the oldest continuous rainforest on the planet. The forest is protected by the Daintree National Park, but historically there have been constant problems with landowners and loggers. As a result, the federal government nominated the forest for World Heritage listing, and it was granted in 1988. Logging was banned, but property ownership controls were not affected. Queensland government and environmental agencies are gradually buying up the freehold land, adding to the Daintree acreage and providing permanent protection. Australian state governments are exceptionally good at taking care of common lands and providing clean and well-maintained amenities. Sadly, the Sky rail above the rainforest was closed for safety reasons that day, so we meandered up the hills in a bus. Upon arrival, we were ushered over to the Rainforestation visitor center, where we petted Kangaroos, tiptoed past sleeping Wombats, gave a Tasmanian Devil a wide birth, and ogled at a Cassowary, the large flightless bird that single handedly is keeping the forest healthy and flourishing by eating forest fruits and distributing seeds far and wide each time it defecates. “Salties” and “freshies” (saltwater crocodiles, and freshwater crocodiles) were kept well out of reach, as they really are a huge danger to people. Since the ban on shooting them has been enforced, their populations have grown exponentially. Public areas are dotted with bright yellow signs urging one to take great care. Crocodiles are very smart. We had been warned to avoid engaging in repetitive behaviors (like having a daily morning cup of coffee on the transom), the crocodile will notice and soundlessly approach one day and make a tasty meal of you. The Crocodile is a marvel of evolution. We learned 3 interesting facts while visiting the celebrated Cairns Aquarium. Firstly, they never stop growing, so a very large crocodile is a very old crocodile. There is one exception to this rule. If the crocodile is in an enclosure, it will only grow as big as the enclosure allows for successful maneuvering. Crocodile females lay as many as 80 eggs; however, each egg only has a 1% chance of survival. Most interestingly of all, the crocodile has blunt spines on its back that curve backwards allowing the stealthy creature to sneak up on its prey noiselessly. The spines counteract the wake that the forward movement creates, so there is no visible or audible wake.

We were all charmed by the sleepy, cuddly Koalas, snoozing in the forks of the Eucalyptus tree branches. Susan, the water python, had our nerves on edge, she attacked persistently through the glass of her enclosure – a frustrated, angry snake, perhaps now with brain damage.

A visit to one of the largest butterfly sanctuaries in the world, had us ducking as these artistic masterpieces of nature flitted to and fro, from petal to branch, feeding and resting, showing off their intricate and vibrant designs.

A wander around the charming village of Kuranda, had us nibbling on artisanal locally crafted chocolate covered dried mango.

Finally, we stepped aboard the antique Kuranda scenic train, to return to Cairns. Our party of 6, Louis, George, Donna, Charlie-May, Luke and me, welcomed the comfy seats. We enjoyed drinks and afternoon tea as we surveyed the glories of the deep gorge of the Barron River valley and its many stunning waterfalls. We stopped at enchanting old world train stations, the ticket sellers and other railway staff waved as we departed, just as they have done for generations.

The original wood appointed heritage carriages, with tiled curved interior ceilings, offer first class luxury just as they did on the first day they carried passengers in 1891. The locomotives at the front of the train are decorated with Buda-dji, the carpet snake, common in North Queensland. The Aboriginal legend tells of the carpet snake who, in the Dreamtime, (Dreamtime is the stories and beliefs in Aboriginal culture used to explain creation), went up and down the valley selling nautilus shells in exchange for useful items like dilly bags (a traditional Aboriginal bag woven from plant fibers) and eel traps. One day three birdmen, who wanted the shiny shells, ambushed Buda-dji, killed him, and cut his body into many pieces. The pieces were scattered in the valley. Each place a piece landed has been named a sacred site. The spirit of Buda-dji travelled back to the waters of Double Island "Wangal Dungay” where he lies in rest.

The twilight tour of the Cairns Aquarium was inspiring and informative. Our guide brought us through several ecosystems, starting in the rivers of North Queensland and ending in the coral gardens of the outer Great Barrier Reef. The aquarium is beautifully appointed paying great attention to small detail to heighten the experience. For example, In the river ecosystem, the ceiling is decorated with tree limbs, which reach in and out of the river, just as they would in their natural setting. The tour ends with dinner in the Dundee restaurant, adjacent to a reef tank teeming with colorful reef fish, including, little Nemo, the clown or anemone fish.

A poster in the aquarium reminded us of our pledge for this trip:

Help Save The Oceans!

·      Wear cotton or wool instead of nylon and polyester clothes

·      Use cotton towels instead of microfiber

·      Install Solar Panels

·      Use re-usable cups

·      Take public transport or ride share

·      Eat a predominantly plant-based diet

·      Use phosphate free detergents and shampoos

·      Hang clothes, instead of tumble drying

On Tuesday, 6^th September at 06:00 we dropped lines and said our farewells to Cairns. At 07:00, we noticed a rally colleague, Temerity, sailing into Cairns. She had hit a bommie a few days before and had no engine. We volunteered to tow her in where she was to be met by two shipyard barges. After a successful rescue operation, at 09:05, we said farewell to Cairns again bound for Lizard Island.