We spent a couple of weeks total in Cairns. We spent a lot of time hanging out with friends, and even when we weren’t hanging out together we’d constantly run into each other around town. It’s that kind of place. The waterfront esplanade area was right along the way to the dinghy dock, so it was a great place to just pass the days. Go do a little shopping, then stop in the park and play handball and sit in the shade. Hit the grocery store, then whip up dinner on the BBQ. And so it goes. The days passed quickly.

We anchored about a mile out from the marina dinghy dock. It wasn’t as convenient as the anchorage closer in along the edge of the river, but out here at least we didn’t have to worry about other boats swinging around in the strong currents, or having them drag into us. Pretty much everyone has a story about the Cairns anchoring that includes a run in with another boat.

Nice splitty named the Kombi Keg. Never saw it in action, though.

With our departure suddenly looming, we realized we had yet to visit any of the museums we’d had on our list of things to do. There were some nice ones. We enjoyed the Cairns Art Gallery, housed in a restored 1936 government building, with a few different rotating exhibitions.

After being closed for a month for their yearly maintenance, the public pool finally opened the day before we left. Honestly, though, it’s still a bit chilly for swimming.

I haven’t seen any dredgers, but with the size of the ships that come into this port, I imagine they must have to do some clearing of these shallow waters.

The Samurai Museum was kind of cool. It’s the private collection of a local.

Then there was the Cairns Museum, where we learned all about the history of Cairns.

And just like that, our time in Cairns came to a close. Stocked up on groceries, and fuel tanks full, we set off north. The humpbacks were everywhere!

It felt great to get back in the water at an offshore reef, but oh my god was it ever cold. Going to have to break out the wetsuits in order to do much more swimming out here.

Giant, colorful, clams are everywhere.

The biggest fish seemed happy to just circle underneath our boat.