We touched down in Cairns Tuesday afternoon and were immediately aware that we were in the tropics, as we felt the heat and humidity upon stepping off the plane - just like a hot and humid day in July back in Montreal. We arrived at our home for the next ten days, dropped off the bags, then walked half a block to the beach. We were struck by the beauty of the view (photos to come), as well as the signs posted every hundred metres or so along the beach (see first photo!). After checking with a few locals, we learned that it is safe to swim in the designated areas, as the jellyfish are really a danger during summer. The second & third photos were taken poolside at the complex in which we are staying. The girls love it and are ready to jump in first thing in the morning!
On our second full day in Palm Cove, we drove 15 min up the coast to visit a famous local crocodile park. Hartley's Crocodile Adventures turned to be not just about the "salties," however. We saw and learned about many types of indigenous animals (check the girls' pages for pics and info). For example, we learned that the black swan (first pic) is "statistically" more dangerous than crocs, accounting for 2 human deaths (on average) per year in Australia. This is due, most often, to them protecting their nests against unsuspecting swimmers (although I couldn't find any corroborating evidence online).
The real stars, though, were indeed the crocs. We saw where the crocs are raised (Hartley's also "harvests" them for the fashion industry) as well as the sanctuary side of the operation. On this side, one of the highlights was a 25-30 minute boat ride around a lagoon where the crocs were lured close by food dangled from a stick. On first glance, it may seem cruel, but the reasoning is that it is preferable to simply feeding them as it keeps them "sharp," true to their opportunistic-feeding nature. Check out the videos below (with commentary)! Overall, we found the experience very interesting and would definitely recommend it to others.
The real stars, though, were indeed the crocs. We saw where the crocs are raised (Hartley's also "harvests" them for the fashion industry) as well as the sanctuary side of the operation. On this side, one of the highlights was a 25-30 minute boat ride around a lagoon where the crocs were lured close by food dangled from a stick. On first glance, it may seem cruel, but the reasoning is that it is preferable to simply feeding them as it keeps them "sharp," true to their opportunistic-feeding nature. Check out the videos below (with commentary)! Overall, we found the experience very interesting and would definitely recommend it to others.