Feb 23: Cairns and the Rainforest

  

We left Airlie Beach (3) yesterday and Cairns (4) today before heading to our last Australian stop in Darwin

Final turn into Cairns

Aw we got near the Port, we were visited by the Port Security boat and they dropped off the Port Pilot to help the Captain guide the ship into port.

A later morning docking and tour start

The bus took us from the the ship up the mountain to the town of Kuranda and then a Cable Car to the Rainforest. We went through a lot of Sugar Cane fields on the way.

We visited the Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda

How the butterflies see each other

Neat display if butterflies

After walking around town for awhile, it was time to get to the Skyrail that would take us into and above the rainforest

The cable car had two stops. After going over the river, the first stop was the Barron Falls.

The next leg had one last view of the falls and then a stop for a walk through the forrest.

Not sure if Toni was trying to be Tarzan or Jane

After reading a display about the snakes (and a reminder to look up since some nest in the trees), this was the only scary thing we found.

We were on the look out for the southern cassowary, Australia's heaviest flightless bird. But all we found was this display at bottom of the cable car run.

After getting to the bottom, we boarded the bus for the short trip back to town. 

Back on the ship and heading out to sea

We will be slowly heading north until we clear the Great Barrier Reef,