From Shaka Zulu to Cairns

Unfortunately our time on the Shaka Zulu was not all plain sailing. I generally enjoyed the sailing and visiting the Islands and the BBQ on the beaches and yacht, but our skipper liked his drink. During the normal course of a day he could handle the 10-15 cans of beer. 2 female crew members had already left and our Skipper Warwick took on 2 male crew members whom he knew. The new crew seemed to encourage Warwick in his drinking and it was now rum and beer, a whole bottle of rum being consumed during the day which started mid morning. As we were anchored off shore from Dunk Island I had no alternative but to stay on board until the next morning. I then approached Warwick and said I was not happy about the previous evening and would be leaving the boat and would make my own way back to Cairns. I managed to get a ferry to the mainland at Mission Beach and then a bus to Cairns. Picture shows Sarah cooking BBQ on the yacht.

On my way to Cairns I passed through Tully – Australia's wettest town, with the average rainfall of 4,200 millimeters. For this dubious honour Tully receives the nations 'Golden Gumboot' award. The seemingly incessant rain and the fertile soil nourishes the regions thriving sugar cane, tea and banana crops.

Mission Beach – 14 km stretch of coastline with sandy beaches. Named after an Aboriginal mission was established there in 1914. Mission Beach area contains almost half of Australia's total number of beautiful fan palms, which are a necessary habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary, a magnificent flightless bird.

Now in Cairns – gateway to Tropical North Queensland. A thriving and dynamic city, once an isolated port for shipping gold, tin and timber. Surrounded by forested hills and tropical vegetation. I visited the Farmers market and tasted all the local delicacies. Went to the library housed in a splendid colonial type building, very modern inside with air-conditioning and lovely comfortable seats. Then I went to find a church so that I could worship with fellow Christians on Sunday. I am now staying at the Nomads Backpackers where I had been told I had an air-conditioned room with 2 male and 2 female as room mates. However when I got to my room there was no air-con and my room mates were all male. So I went back and asked to change my room and I now have 2 females and 1 male, who are from the UK traveling together