Winter 2015 part 3

Continued from Rocky Creek War Memorial Park.

Next morning we moved off to Pinnacle Village van park about 20 kms North of Mossman where we had a site booked behind Spinifex van owning friends (same as ours) Jody and Eric. Unfortunately for us and fortunately for Jody she was having a break in Europe, leaving poor Eric fending for himself and having to fish most days just to feed himself, he wasn’t doing it too hard as most of his neighbours were inviting him for meals.  Brian & Marg were here when we arrived and Mavis’s Sister Margaret and husband Bob (also Spinifex van owners) turned up a few days after us and stayed for a week. Pinnacle Village Van Park is one very beautiful tropical place,with massive shade trees with sites large enough for van car and boat. Beautifully maintained pool area and a short walk to the beach through the coconut laden palms. Next to the beach access is a lovely unpowered camp area. Car and boat wash area provided near the fish cleaning area and bins for the left overs. You don’t need a boat to catch fish as people were bringing home whiting and other species fishing from the beach. Gotta love it!

 

Bird life in the park are fantastic, we even have a resident Frog mouth Owl and a nesting pair of Bush Stone Curlews. A chair was put over mother Curlew and her single egg with a do not disturb sign attached. Bro in law Bob saved the egg from a very hungry looking Goanna the day after she laid it. Dad is never far away and creates some very aggressive noises if his family is approached.

Look closely on the trunk in the elephant ear plant the, Owl  is extremely well camouflaged.

Again the fish have been smarter than us but we have managed most day’s to get a feed. A very mixed bag can be had out of the Daintree River.

The main staple at the moment seem to be Pikey Bream (pretty dark skin with beautiful white flesh) Sickle fish and grunter, all very good eating fish.

Also caught but not in the bag were giant toads that are completely revolting critters.

We have also pulled in sucker fish, a mangrove jack, bat fish, butter fish and finger mark. Brother in law Bob and I went out to the reef one very calm day after launching from the beach and bagged 4 diamond snapper that made for a great meal for the four of us. We are staying here until early September and hope to get a few more fish. In any case it is just beautiful to be on the river enjoying the view. There are heaps of croc’s in this river so no body parts are hung over the side of the boat. The chap in the picture below is about 4+ meters long and is just one of many.

Saturdays are spent in Mossman at the markets. Fresh tropical fruits and veg in abundance and a Malaysian lady selling the very best sugar free mango pies and cassava cakes,yummo.

The Northern entrance to Mossman is lined with huge trees called Rain Trees,so called because when it rains they fold their leaves so the rain hits the ground under them and this gives the grass a chance to grow. They are an import from Indonesia for this very reason,great shade in paddocks while still allowing grass underneath . 

To be continued.

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