Cape York Cruise

This is a good one, and interesting.


It is done on a cargo ship, no big luxuries - so Cape York style :-)


And that said, the food is very good and there is too much of it!

It starts from Cairns where everyone gather,

... the luggage goes on trolley and you are given a safety vest.

Once onboard there is afternoon tea and you are shown around,

... and given a safety briefing before the ship takes off.

Cape York Cargo Cruise - Cairns Area

There are some good views on Cairns,



... Trinity Inlet,



... and the Marina,



... before it goes past where you can see the road to Yarrabah.



After that, very soon is dinner time, and it's a yummy one!



Seafood buffet on the first night :-) Oysters, prawns, Moreton bugs, crabs and lobsters, but steak and vegies were also available.


After the dinner, almost on dark, the last thing we saw was Port Douglas,



... but the timings can vary on different trips depending on their load and tides.

Coast of Cape York

In the morning, there were good views of the boulders of Cape Melville.



The cooked breakfast was huge and yum!


And after leaving Cape Melville, there is no land in the sight while passing the Princess Charlotte Bay.



The second day is the day on the sea, but it doesn't mean there is no entertainment.



Captain is giving a bridge tour, followed by morning tea and watching informative videos on the area, its history and culture.



Back deck is also a good place to be, watching other ships passing.



The lunch is both hot and cold, and is again in buffet style, as are all meals.


The lunch was round about Cape Sidmouth and we started to see some land again.



And the next thing we passed Old Lockhart River,


 
... and Cape Direction, before turning into the Lockhart River Bay,



... and enjoying the watch of containers being loaded.



The dinner was very nice again - steak and spicy chicken with roast pumpkin, ratatouille, and a risotto/cuscus type of thing.


And the darkness fell as we were leaving Lockhart River.

Cape York Cruise - Torres Strait Islands

In the morning, we went through Albany Passage and got to Horn Island (where most people joined tours).



The afternoon was spent on Thursday Island,



... with a few drinks at the Grand Hotel (by now we were like a big family),
 


... before getting back to the ship, for some dinner :-)



Very yummy duck and lamb with mashed potatoes, vegie stir fry and mushroom and bacon ravioli.

Tip of Cape York - Seisia

And after that it depends on the load and tides whether the ship goes to Seisia that night or the following morning :-)



You can do either one way or a round trip - full information about this Cape York cruise is in the Destination Guide.

Plan Your Trip... the FREE Cape York Travel Pocket Guide

Get this 50 pages guide totally for FREE. It contains information that helps you getting started with planning of your trip. You get to make early-stages desicions such as when to go, how long time you should take, how to get there and get around, where to stay (general info), what will it cost.. and a short insight to what is there to see and do in Cape York.

Plan and Bring to the Trip... the full Destination Cape York Travel Guide

This complete 300 pages travel guide is all you need before and during your trip. Besides the background chapters on the peninsula's history and wildlife; and the comprehensive detail about all the places (down to prices, opening hours and full contact detail), it has invaluable information on at least 10 four wheel drive tracks, at least 30 guaranteed FREE camping spots on the Cape (and at least 150 on your way to the Cape), at least 40 best swimming holes, all mapped; as well as practical things - from fuel, roads, wireless internet and mobile phone reception, how to deal with the national parks booking rules; and Aboriginal land entrance and camping permits and alcohol restrictions - to vehicle preparation and accessories and necessary recovery gear by my vehicle-recovery-guy partner). Not to mention locals' tips on how to spot that croc and palm cockatoo ;-)

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