Dunk Island

We left Fitzroy at the crack of dawn, believing the weather reports that the south-easterly wind would ease.  Some of us are gullible!

At least we weren't the only ones.  Cam and Collin on 'First Contact', who had been waiting at Fitzroy as long as we had, headed south as well.

Two days later, we met up at Dunk Island.  

Hot showers and picnic tables were waiting for us.  After our first real shower for over a week (during which time personal hygiene consisted of snorkelling), we decided we smelt presentable enough to make social contact once again and had 'sundowners' with Cam and Collin.

The next day, some of us had a headache.

That day, after doing a quick run over to Wongaling Beach (near Mission Beach) for fresh food supplies, Ian had the bright idea to do a walk.

It was a hot day and Ian's bright idea took place around midday.  As I didn't want to use the excuse of self-inflicted afflictions, I was forced to go.  Besides, the view from the top of Mt Kootaloo was spectacular.

Well, I found my thongs which I purchased this morning to be very comfortable, so at least one end of me was feeling well.

Alas, it wasn't to last.  The path was steep, Ian was fast, I was slow.  I had lots of time to think about 'mad dogs and Englishmen'.

Finally, we got to the top.  Ian looks at a nice picture of the view.

Lucky, by now Ian had abandoned the idea of the long walk around the island. 

Not far down the track I am dismayed to learn that Ian had forgotten to get a GPS fix from the top.  He had brought the GPS all the way up and now hadn't got the reading.  I suggested he go back up and get the reading while I kept going.  Good plan.

I secretly stepped up a gear as soon as he was gone to get a bit of headway on him, after all, it was all downhill now for me.

Just as I was getting worried about him getting bitten by a snake, or falling down the steep hill to his death, he showed up again.  

He informed me that Mt Kootaloo was 256m high.  Another useful bit of information was that he ran at 5kn.

The view looking west from Mt Kootaloo over the jetty which leads to the campground and picnic area.

The jetty is being renovated by 'Oompa Loompas' who wear hard hats at all times in case something falls out of the sky.

The resort is still in tatters after Cyclone Yasi wreaked havoc in 2010, however the grounds are kept immaculate.

A Metallic Starling feeds nearby, giving me a bird to aim my camera at.  There are a few birds here but nowhere as many as I expected.  

That evening we enjoyed the BBq facilities with Cam and Collin.  Tomorrow we would head off a little further south and visit some islands on our way to Hinchinbrook.

Ian was doing a bit of fishing, when I said to him to come and look at a short movie Cam had given us to watch.  Not wanting to abandon his fishing, he passed the rod through the hatch so he could continue fishing while watching the movie.

:(   no, he didn't catch anything

The Gulf, Cape York and Moreton Telegraph Station

The dry season is the busy season in the tropics.  Thoughts turn to warmth and sunshine when the first hint of frost appears in our southern latitudes and Queensland usually springs to mind.

Now when you want to be sure of warm weather, it pays to go to north Queensland because Brissy and the Gold coast can have their fair share of winter chills.

I have now done three Gulf Tours and two Cape York Tours, with one more Cape York Tour to go. 

I have stopped promising blog photos to my passengers as I forget all the details by the time I get round to writing them.  

I made the following movie clip on my first Gulf Tour in June, so this is for my passengers in June.

Ian helped out at Moreton Telegraph Station doing boat tours on the Wenlock River, as the previous coxswain made a sudden departure due to family emergency.  

Ian (centre standing) cautiously navigates between shallow sandbanks on the Wenlock

Navigating the river was tricky as a 'dry' wet season caused a low water level much earlier than usual.  

There were usually a couple of trustworthy residents of the Wenlock River to show to admiring tourists.

This Azure Kingfisher looked particularly spectacular as he flashed his electric blue from branch to branch as he zig-zagged his way up the river.

                                                    A territorial Shining Flycatcher lets everyone know that this is his branch and to go and find your own flies somewhere else.      

                                                                  

Ian drove to Moreton, accompanied by 'Pete, the Plumber', who was also going to Moreton to help out for a few weeks.  He was promised lots of lazy days, relaxing and fishing for the numerous Barramundi which abounded in the Wenlock.  All he had to do was a tiny bit of work in return for his food and lodging. All Ian had to do was help Pete when he wasn't driving the boat.

After 2 weeks, Pete finally managed to do a bit of fishing.  He caught a Barra, among other things.

I returned from my Gulf trip and booked a flight to Moreton.  I would spend my two weeks off taking photos, while Ian worked.

Moreton airstrip boasts a no-frills terminal for the budget conscious. The mail plane comes once a week and you can even mail people to and from there.

A Yellow Honeyeater  picks some fruit and catches it

  

Moreton always has an abundance of wildlife, especially birds.  This kept me occupied while Ian was working.  I never get tired of stalking these Red-winged Parrots as they try and feed in the grass undisturbed.  This one eyed me off suspiciously. . . . 

unlike this Black-backed Butcherbird who showed off his grasshopper.

Ian did manage to get a couple of days off while I was there.  We went exploring around some nearby lagoons.  Ian had found this amazing tree a few days before I got to Moreton.  It turns out to be a Weeping Tea Tree.  

Melaleucas being friendly with the lagoon. 

A White-faced Heron poses for a photograph.

The day is done.  We have a cup of tea before retiring to our Safari Tent accommodation.

After a few weeks Ian and I drive  back to Cairns. The Wenlock is down to a trickle and boat cruises are finished for the year.  I have to do my next trip.  

Pete left a couple of days before us.  Fishing was getting too dangerous and nobody was willing to unhook his crocodiles for him.

The crocodile he caught in the movie clip was unhurt and managed to free itself.