memories

As I mentioned on the previous blogs we stayed with some friends of S's that he's really close to and who are like second parents, Coral and Johnno. Here, Coral goes after Sean with "the thong" which is used to smack mis-behavers. I love this thing! When I told Savannah on the phone about it, & how they call "flip flops" thongs there, she said "Gives a whole new meaning to 'thong wars'" - ha! Um, that would be when Sam & Savie fling my thong underwear at one another while folding the laundry...

A crucifix spider at Coral & John's.
One of the 6 saltwater crocs we saw on a tour of the Daintree River on Bruce Belcher's Crocodile Cruise.

Sean setting up the mud crab pots in the creek.

Johnno with one of the mud crabs on his head. See how they're black before you cook them? This one didn't have either of his front claws. Oddly when they're stressed they "drop" their claws!
The mud crab turns bright red-orange after it's cooked! This one had monster claws! I even held it when alive and took it out of the mud crab pot. That impressed Sean :)

These are the coolest fish EVER. They are called mud skippers I think and they have "arms" and they hope and skip across the water and onto the bank, like "evolution in action"! It is sitting on the bank just in between the mangrove tree roots.

A freshwater creek at Cow Bay Beach, where a big saltie lives - aka salwater croc. This is where we set the mud crab pots.
The same freshwater creek closer to where it enters the ocean.
A shot of rivulets on the beach at low tide.

Driftwood at Cow Bay Beach.

Little balls made by crabs on Cow Bay beach.

Me spinning around and around in circles.

Sunset over Port Douglas on my last day there.

from the Daintree

I am having an awesome time here. Have just a moment to send a note, have been up in the Daintree rainforest. Yesterday we spent time playing in the ocean, laying on the beach in the sunshine... it was a beautiful perfect day. Rainforest-covered cliffs come right down to the beach, and they're covered with lush forest, palms, tree ferns. Freshwater creeks spill out from the forest onto the beach and these creeks are the homes of saltwater crocs. We set some mud crab pots in a creek and then checked them a couple hours later and caught one big one, which we ate. We're staying with Coral and John who are like second parents to S. Coral was the chef on the Daintree Lady, a croc tour boat that Sean used to skipper back around 2000 or so. It's rained on and off but the rain comes and goes then the sun comes out. We are about to go check the pots again, which we left overnight. Hopefully we will find an abundance of them, and maybe even see the big croc that lives in that creek.

Daintree

We are are heading to Daintree which is where the rainforest meets the reef now... a beautiful area north of Port Douglas. We're staying with some friends of his that are like second parents. There is no internet up there - in most places there is still no electricity! I am still unable to receive any text messages on my phone so kids please send me messages via email and "comments"!!!

OK so... that's all the news for now but I hope to post some pics from the Daintree when we get back! We're having a great time and I'm sad that there's only 1 week left! Lotsa love!!