July 23: Daintree: Kaleidoscope of Colors

Sinking my body into the cold waters of Cooper River underneath the lush tree canopy today, I marveled at the kaleidoscope of colors in the Daintree Rainforest. Perhaps the most breathtaking of all were the wild cassowaries my group caught strutting through the foliage foraging for food.

I never thought a bird would leave me breathless. But winding our way on the rutted dirt roads in one of the oldest rainforests in the world, we came across three different stunning specimens of this large flightless creature. Weighing up to 167 pounds, this rarely seen southern species sports a grey-brown hat-like casque, grey bill, light blue head, purple neck, two pinkish-red wattles, and glossy black feathers. Wow!

From the logs on the ground to the branches reaching up to the sky, color abounded. Our knowledgeable guide showed us one rotting limb with eight different kinds of mushrooms growing on it, one of which looked like cubes of white Jello. Another fungus called Microsporous xanthapus looked like small brown handmade pottery plates accented with concentric orange and honey-colored circles.  

I had hoped to see some big spiders on this trip and today gave me the perfect opportunity to view them in their natural habitat. I think my favorite was the Golden orb weaver, a graceful six-inch beauty with delicate long black legs accented with yellow oval spots creating a huge web in the dense foliage while her much smaller mate sat nearby.

Staying in Port Douglas has turned out to be an ideal launching spot for all kinds of fun. More to come soon!