MONDAY 24 AUGUST     COOKTOWN

I did some washing, as there had not been any done since we were at Punsand.

Put six rolls of film in for processing. Did some shopping: souvenir polo shirts, some groceries, wine, new thongs for me, some magazines from the newsagent. I have a new appreciation of shops!

We booked an afternoon cruise on the Endeavour River. It was a rather grey afternoon, with some stormy looking clouds coming in, later on. But still hot, of course.

The boat trip lasted two hours; the commentary was interesting and informative. The guide pointed out the location where Joseph Banks camped for several weeks, while the Endeavour was being repaired, and gathered plant material – some of which, of course, was incorporated into his Floralegium.

We motored past some posts that were the remains of a bridge for the former Cooktown to Laura railway line. This closed in the 1960’s. We went quite a way up the river, after it had changed from being an estuary to the river, with dense bush along both sides. Then we turned and went back the way we’d come.

The views of Cooktown and surrounds, from the bay, were excellent. The clouds made it all quite dramatic. This was a good value excursion, at $20 a head.

Once back on solid land, I went and collected my photos and was very pleased with same. They cost me $101.

John topped up the fuel tank with the last of the spare jerry cans we’d taken up the Cape.

Tea was salmon patties.

Light rain set in after tea.

I went to the phone box to call K and let him know we were back in civilization – at least as defined by sealed roads, proper power and shops. I was nearly tripped up by some curlews lurking in the shadows – so much for “shy”!

All is well at home.