Great Barrier Reef – Daintree Rainforest.
From industry to real experiences.
A highlight that we have been looking forward to is diving on the Great Barrier Reef. After intensive use of Uncle Google, a pattern begins to form. Things are often sold out long into the future - and the diving industry operates with a marked focus on the word industry.
After reading an enthusiastic review written by a Danish instructor who had just been on a Liveaboard with a large and professional operator - we choose to buy a trip from them.
It is a 3-day trip, accommodated in a 2-person cabin. We are so lucky that we have to live right at the top. - Jubii, then we'll get a view -. It quickly turns out to be a less than optimal location on the ship.
In 3 hours of sailing out to the reef, it is revealed that the ship has a high center of gravity and moves strongly - even in relatively small waves. Cut to Sus getting seasick – Johnny is about to capitulate too, but stays afloat.
We are a total of 32 divers on the ship, and that must be said to be a bit much.
If, for example, 60 minutes have been set aside for a dive, this only applies to the first ones. If the first ones are slow to get into the water, then there is only a 40 minute dive for the last ones to get in. We are not completely satisfied with that. It would have been nice to have a little more independent freedom to plan your own dives.
A bit like going to a good restaurant - and then they serve burgers from McDonalds without shame, complete with the paper boxes and all...
Make no mistake – the reef itself is ok. They use the diving sites that are accaptable standard. Large shoals of fish, little Nemos in the corals, giant clams with their very own ecosystem growing on them. All in all, time spent underwater is rarely wasted.
It is beautiful with coral growth in many shapes, colors and equally with fish. A few whitetip reef sharks were also there.
The Great Barrier Reef is still a good dive in the places we were taken to.
If you are curious to read a more detailed account of our diving experience - you can do so here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158485450161945&set=a.10151102323961945
We leave Cairns and drive towards Port Douglas.
On the road is Hartley's Crocodile Adventure. We kind of think their boat ride is out in the wild, but it turns out to be a Zoo – never mind.
The actual shape of their Zoo is of the more old-fashioned type – compared to Australia Zoo. Here is actually good information about the crocodiles, their different capacities and not least – what triggers an attack or marking of territory.
Political correctness has not reached the gates of Hartleys - so the guy who does an old fashioned crocodile attack show is very straightforward and has a great black sense of humour. For that reason alone, it's worth a visit to Hartleys - hurry before the politically correct people suffocate the atmosphere and turn it into an eel-smooth industry.
A quite pleasant afternoon at Hartley's, we are now looking for the wild crocodiles.
In Port Douglas we sail a trip with an ex-paddle steamer, really nice mangrove trip and nice company - but the crocodiles were shy.
Daintree Village is a small town with about 100 inhabitants, there are boat trips out on the Daintree River. Then there are finally wild crocodiles - if you can find them.
At this time of year the water is warm enough that the crocodiles do not need to come up to the water to keep warm. They are well hidden with just a pair of eyes above the surface and are the ultimate stealth predator.
Despite the murky water, we luckily managed to spot a dike hiding in tall grass on the bank. A single one has also hidden between some roots.
On a branch at the surface of the water sits a young crocodile of around 25-30 cm. It is very well camouflaged - but despite that, only about 1 % of the litter survives to become an adult crocodile. The rest goes to
Crocodile Express has two locations and the ticket applies to unlimited boat trips in both locations, for 3 days. We tried three different boat drivers and guides - highly recommended - they have a huge knowledge of their area of work and are completely cool and relaxed. There was no mass industry to be traced among them.
A small cable ferry crosses the Daintree River, which we need to take to get further into the rainforest. The air conditioning in the car is running at full blast - so the difference in temperature and humidity is massive when we open the car door.
There is a very high humidity and the animals make a very characteristic rainforest sound. WOW… This is amazing. We follow the walking route, but don't really see any animals. On the other hand, there is the wildest rainforest.
In various tourist info places, we have asked for rainforest guides, but everything is concentrated on all-inclusive bus tours from Cairns, which stop at artisans, eateries and have short-term rainforest experiences.
It would have been fantastic if some offered guided rainforest tours of longer duration, to groups willing to pay for the time of skilled people, it might exist - but unfortunately we couldn't find them.
