Returning to Cape Tribulation after more than 40 years. — David Taylor - Master Jeweller

20th June 2021

Sunset at Thornton Beach looking at Struck Island.

I do love spending a day roaming with my wife in my world. My wife went to the Daintree with some friends a few months ago but said it was too hot to go with me on the numerous occasions I asked her. Come late June and it was cold enough for her to agree to go. Above is the end of the day but below is what happened leading up to that sunset.

On arriving at the Daintree we had lunch at Thornton Beach Cafe. After lunch we resisted the urge to head to the beach and kept on driving up to Cape Tribulation to do some of the mangrove walks. The first thing I noticed that was different from back in the 1970/80s was the number of people and the many paths provided.

One of the may paths that were not there when I was a child.

When I visited the Daintree as a child it was very much wilderness with dirt/sand walking tracks. Now there are raised wooden decks over the mangrove and concrete paths everywhere else. Carparks at the start of the walks have parking bays for so many buses you can only imagine how busy the place is now days when the international tourists are in the country.

When we walked the mangroves we took our time as we do everywhere we go making sure we looked both up and down.

Below us in the shallows of the mangroves were quite a few small fish. This was one of the more colourful ones. Above us however there was a lot of noise that we could not ignore.

High up in the canopy were large numbers of bats fighting amongst themselves whilst others seemed oblivious to the noise and slept.

Also above us were huge Fan Palms that kept the sun from burning us, which happens even under our “winter” sun.

Myall beach is just before Cape Tribulation. When we arrived there was a bus load of tourists on the beach but they were just about to leave. We were soon pretty much alone.

With the beach pretty much all to ourselves, a bit of shade and a conveniently shaped log, Yumi decided to have a break before we headed back to Thornton Beach for sunset.

As we drove back to Thornton Beach a lot of cars were on the road but pretty much all of them were leaving the Daintree. We arrived at Thornton Beach about 5pm and had the section of the beach we chose all to ourselves. Not a soul in sight :)

We had about 50 minutes until sunset so we made our traditional day out noodles on the beach and looked out at Struck Island as the tide came in.

With noodles eaten, the tide in and the moon appearing in the sky it was time to wait for some colour. We made out traditional cup of coffee to drink while we waited.

The colour arrived and it was well worth the wait. Sometimes sunset fails to provide colour, other times it lasts for just a few minutes but we got about a quarter of an hour that day of beautiful light. What made it all that more special was that we were all alone on that beach with just the sounds of nature.

The view back to Cape Tribulation as we left.

As we made our way back to the car the sunset seemed to fade back around Cape Tribulation. A stunning end to another beautiful day of exploring with my wife.

Will I go back? Probably not. There are just way too many people there for me during the day and once the international tourists are back it would be far worse. A local told me this week that at times when the international visitors are here the car ferry over the river can have a 3-5 hour line up!!!!!!