Day 79 - Stormy Arrivals & Aussie Firsts

We woke up to a bright, beautiful morning, the kind that makes it easy to jump out of bed and get stuck into the day ahead. I headed to the gym, then grabbed our veggie juices, and came back to get ready for what we knew would be a slightly different kind of afternoon.



Joe was up bright and early, as morning trivia was on the schedule before our afternoon visit to Cooktown. His team came first again, which set him up in very good spirits for the rest of the day. I spent the morning in the library, doing the crossword and finishing my book. I’m now onto my next read: Come Up for Air by Nick Sonnenberg.



We grabbed an early, light lunch, as we didn’t need to leave until 3pm, with our tour meeting at the pier at 3.55pm. The weather was warm and sunny, so Joe decided a sleeveless vest was a good idea—thankfully, he popped a t-shirt into my bag, because within half an hour the weather had completely changed.

As we boarded the tender, the sea was quite rough—rough enough that a few people decided not to get on at all. Mr C quickly changed into his t-shirt, just in time, because once we were on the water the heavens opened. Not just rain, but thunder and lightning too. Joe was not impressed and kept checking with the captain that we were safe (which he assured us we were). As quickly as it arrived, though, the storm passed, and by the time we reached shore it was already clearing—apparently very normal for this time of year.



Once ashore, Justin, our driver and guide, gave us a great overview of Captain Cook and the history of Cooktown. There are only about 2,000 residents, with most shops and restaurants along the main road. Once a year, though, the town comes alive when over 5,000 people descend to celebrate Captain Cook.



Our first stop was the James Cook Museum, where a lovely lady gave us a whirlwind talk on the town’s history. We then had a short amount of time to explore the displays ourselves—fascinating, but definitely not long enough to take it all in.



Next stop was the Botanical Gardens, which were simply beautiful. For such a small town, having a space like this right in the centre felt really special. The gardens were well laid out, lovingly maintained, and full of different sections, plants, and trees. Unfortunately, we only had about 30 minutes, so it was a brisk walk around, and I know I missed parts I would have loved to linger in.



Justin dropped a few of us off on the main street before heading back to the pier. Joe had decided we’d try a Thai restaurant for dinner—only to find it was closed for holidays! Instead, we popped next door to the Shipwreck Bar, where Joe finally had his first Aussie beer in Australia—a long-awaited moment.



We then headed back to the pier to board the tender again, this time on lovely, smooth seas—a very different experience from earlier.

Dinner tonight was at Sette Mari, which had been transformed into an Aussie BBQ. Joe wasn’t a fan of the kangaroo meatballs and firmly declined trying crocodile, but he absolutely loved the Thai papaya salad and may have gone back for a couple of extra servings.

An early night for us tonight, as tomorrow we’ll be in Cairns with a super early start for a full day heading out to the Great Barrier Reef. It’s hard to believe that this time next week, our Grand Voyage will be over, and we’ll be in Sydney, spending time with our friends Ellen and Joe.

🌿 Daily Reflection

Today was a reminder of how quickly things can change—sunshine to storms, calm to chaos, and back again. Staying flexible, laughing through the unexpected, and trusting the journey makes all the difference.

⭐ Highlight of the Day

Joe’s first Aussie beer in Australia—simple, symbolic, and long overdue 🍺

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