Cooktown

We squelched onwards to Cooktown, packing up in the rain, marveling at the change in terrain as we drove inland on the highway, and then the return to rainforest near the coast. Naturally it was raining when we arrived, so we set up in the rain again. The park was lovely, with lots of trees and many birds. It also had a very nice, if not very warm pool.

One of the most notable things was the change in the types of rigs being driven by the park patrons. Less nomads with big rigs, and way more camper trailers and roof top tents, on serious 4WD vehicles, many of which were deeply coated in red dirt that wasn't washing off in the rain. This is a jump off point for the Cape, and a return point as well. 'Going to the top' was a common goal here. But Cooktown was as far as we were going - we aren't equipped for that sort of terrain.

Cooktown is, of course, where Captain Cook spent 48 days repairing the Endeavour after it hit the reef.  So there are plenty of memorials to this event.

The concrete steps on the left were built for Queen Elizabeth's visit in 1973.

There is an amazing view from Grassy Hill, where Cook spent hours trying to search out a path back to outside the reef.

Apparently, when it is sunny, you can see the reef from up here. But, sadly, it wasn't :-)

But the grey weather is great for photography!

We visited the Botanic Gardens, which are some of the oldest in Australia.  From there we wandered down a path to Finch Bay, which was quite stunning, with big smooth boulders. We sheltered under an overhang with a couple who turned out to be from Canberra until the rain eased before heading back up the hill.

We also visited the Museum which had accounts from both Cook and Banks, and the Indigenous people about their meetings, which showed the cultural misunderstandings arising on this first contact. There was also a great deal of history of Cooktown, and the Palmer River Goldrush, which was very interesting.

On our last day we finally saw the sun!  We drove to Quarantine bay and enjoyed a walk on the beach, keeping a wary eye out for crocodiles, not that we saw any!