Daintree River Report - 23 June 2008

Some very cool days this week have made the crocs stay in the water but all the more eager to get out when it warms up. We have seen two frogs become part of the food chain; one to a snake and the other to a Brahminy Kite. The birds have been very good with sightings of all the regulars plus some rare ones.

Thanks for your support.
David & Tyna White
http://www.solarwhisper.com/
info@solarwhisper.com

The White Tailed Rat (Giant Tree Rat)

These huge (up to 700g) rats are common on the Daintree Coast. The most commonly seen evidence of them is Coconuts with round holes chewed in them. The rats have strong teeth and are able to open a Coconut in about one hour. Once they can get their upper and lower incisors inside, they can strip all the flesh out.
Most visitors imagine tha Coconuts are native and the rats introduced, but the reverse is true. Coconuts are first recorded on the Frankland Islands in about 1838, but the White Tailed Rats are part of a group of rats called 'old endemics' that have probably been in Australia for at least a couple of million years. It is believed their ancestors 'rafted' here on masses of vegetation ripped out in tropical storms in Asia. Although cute, these rats are capable of doing real damage in you home; teeth that can open coconuts can open almost anything! Thsi one was photgraphed on a Mason's nighwalk on 13 June 2008.

Daintree Coast Weekly Report 16/6 - 22/6

This week the weather has been showery, with strong winds and cloudy weather. While it is disappointing for visitors, this weather is ideal for the forest, and is what makes this area so special. It is interesting that most of Cape York gets similar rainfall to us in the Wet, but virtually none in the dry. It is this ‘Dry Season’ rain that allows the rainforest to grow here. One definition of Wet Tropical Rainforest suggests that in order for it to grow, 100mm average rain must fall over the two driest months of the year.

Wildlife has been good to us this week with Cassowaries being seen all around the area, even one on our Volleyball Court at the shop! Boyd’s Dragons have been regularly seen on Mason’s Nightwalks, and snakes have been active. Crocodile sightings have been good on the rivers.

North Tropical Waters, Cooktown to Cardwell:Monday until midnight: SE/E winds 15/20 knots, reaching 20/25 knots north. Lighter S'ly winds inshore early. Seas to 1.7 metres, reaching 2 metres north outside the reef. Seas 1.4 metres inside the reef. Isolated showers. Tuesday: SE/E winds 15/20 knots, reaching 20/25 knots north. Lighter S'ly winds inshore early. Seas to 1.7 metres, reaching 2 metres north outside the reef. Seas 1.4 metres inside the reef. Isolated showers.Wednesday: SE/E winds 15/20 knots, reaching 20/25 knots north.

NORTH TROPICAL COAST AND TABLELANDS DISTRICTCloudy with isolated showers on the north coast, extending to the remainder ofthe coast overnight. Moderate SE winds.Outlook for Tuesday ... Scattered coastal showers, tending to patchy drizzleon the Tablelands. Fine elsewhere. Moderate SE winds. Outlook for Wednesday ... Scattered coastal showers, tending to patchy drizzleon the Tablelands. Fine elsewhere. Moderate SE winds.

All roads are open, but drivers coming north from Cairns should be aware of roadworks at Clifton Beach, Redcliff Point, north of Wangetti and at Port Douglas. All are under traffic control and delays are likely. The Bloomfield Road is open, but very rough with lots of potholes. Until it is graded it will continue to worsen. Rain will make the surface slippery.

Tides this week are high in the morning, low in the afternoon with no really big highs or lows

Now Showing At Whet Flicks

SHOWING 13th - 19th June 2008

RUN FAT BOY RUN

Love. Commitment. Responsibility. There’s nothing he can’t run away from. Dennis is a clueless and slightly overweight guy, who left his pregnant fiancée five years earlier at the alter. When he discovers that Libby has found a new partner, frustration grows, and Dennis vows, that for once in his life, he will finish something - a marathon.


Starring: Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria
Director: David Schwimmer
Rating: M
Genre: Romantic Comedy











SHOWING 13th - 26th June 2008

DEATH DEFYING ACTS

During Harry Houdini’s tour of Britain in 1926, the master escapologist enters into a passionate affair with a Scottish psychic. The psychic and her daughter attempt to con Houdini during a highly publicized séance to contact his mother whose death has haunted him for many years. However all does not go to plan…


Starring: Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Timothy Spall

Director: Gillian Armstrong

Rating: PG

SHOWING 20th - 26th June 2008

SEMI-PRO

When the national Basketball league announces a plan to discard all the squads except the top four teams, Jackie Moon rallies his teammates including Monix and Clarence 'Coffee' Black to work together for glory and popularity, to make their basketball dreams come true.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin
Director: Kent Alterman
Rating: M
Genre: Comedy

Cape Trib Exotic Fruit Farm products now ECO Certified

Cape Trib Exotic Fruit Farm now has both the Bed and Breakfast Cottages and the Exotic Fruit Tasting as ECO Certified Ecotourism products. This certification is a guarantee that you will experience genuine and authentic tours, attractions and accommodation, that look after the environment.

Weekly Report Daintree Coast Report 9/6- 15/6/08

Weekly Report Daintree Coast Report 9/6- 15/6/08


It has been windy and showery for the most part on the Daintree Coast this week. You have to think we are paying for the wonderful fine weather in April!

The weather has been ok for reef visits, and ideal for land touring. Unfortunately wind is forecast to continue this week.

The cloud cover this week made it warmer, especially at night, and snake sightings were good, with Pythons and Brown Tree Snakes making an appearance.


Also the Crocs are more likely to bask on the banks, dramatically improving the chance of seeing one on a cruise. Good croc sightings have been reported on the Daintree River, and remarkably I have regularly been seeing a croc on a riverbank only a few kms from Port Douglas. (not on a tour). Mason’s nightwalks have had excellent croc sightings over the last week again.

Forecasts:

North Tropical Waters, Cooktown to Cardwell:Tuesday until midnight: SE winds 20/25 knots. Seas to 1.5 metres inside the reef and 2.5 metres outside the reef. Scattered showers.Wednesday: SE winds 20/25 knots. Seas to 1.5 metres inside the reef and 2.5 metres outside the reef. Scattered showers. Thursday: SE winds 20/25 knots.
NORTH TROPICAL COAST AND TABLELANDS DISTRICTScattered showers about the coast and nearby ranges. Areas drizzle aboutSouthern Tablelands. Isolated afternoon showers west of the Tablelands. Moderateto fresh SE winds.Outlook for Wednesday ... Scattered showers about the coast and ranges. Areasdrizzle about Southern Tablelands. Isolated afternoon showers inland.Outlook for Thursday ... Scattered showers coast and ranges, tending isolatedon the Tablelands and mostly fine further inland.

All roads are open, and in good condition, however the Bloomfield Track from Cape Trib to the Bloomfield River is a bit rough and may be slippery after rain.

Tides this week are high morning and low afternoon, but no tides are particularly high

Weekly Report Daintree Coast Report 2/6- 8/6/08

The last week on the Daintree Coast has been cool, with moderate to strong winds, but the wind moderated on the weekend, and Saturday and Sunday were spectacular.

The weather has been great for reef visits, and ideal for land touring. Unfortunately wind is forecast to increase this week.

The cooler weather means that walking in the forest is no longer the sticky affair that it was a month ago. In fact I have been cold in the forest this week, an unusual experience.

Also the Crocs are more likely to bask on the banks, dramatically improving the chance of seeing one on a cruise. Good croc sightings have been reported on the Daintree River, and remarkably I have regularly been seeing a croc on a riverbank only a few kms from Port Douglas. (not on a tour). Mason’s nightwalks have had excellent croc sightings over the last week too.

Forecasts:

North Tropical Waters, Cooktown to Cardwell:Monday until midnight: SW winds 10/15 knots, shifting SE during the day. Seas to 1.2 metres outside the reef and to 0.8 metres inside the reef in northern waters. Tuesday: S/SE winds 10/15 knots, increasing to 15/20 knots north of Cairns. Seas to 1.2 metres outside the reef and to 0.8 metres inside the reef. Seas increasing to 1.7 metres north of Cairns. Isolated showers. Wednesday: S/SE winds 10/15 knots, increasing to 15/20 knots north of Cairns.
NORTH TROPICAL COAST AND TABLELANDS DISTRICTFine. Light winds and afternoon coastal seabreezes.Outlook for Tuesday ... Mostly fine, just isolated coastal showers developinglate in the day. Outlook for Wednesday ... Isolated coastal showers. Mostly fine inland.

All roads are open, and in good condition, however the Bloomfield Track from Cape Trib to the Bloomfield River is a bit rough and may be slippery after rain.

Tides this week are high morning and low afternoon until Friday and neap during the day on the weekend.