Daintree River

[Larrakia cruisi]

Hi all, I'm looking for some information on the Daintree river entrance.
I'm in cairns for the next couple of days and looking at going up the river there but haven't found anyone that has done the Daintree. If anyone has any info I would love to hear it thanks.

[cat man do]

I found no problems but I took a cat in.

Look at google maps for a satellite view and go on a clear calm day and the entrance is pretty obvious.

Its a pretty cool spot
Keep an eye out for these guys, they seemed pretty commonplace.

[Larrakia cruisi]

Thanks for that, I'm taking a keel boat up there and the only thing I've heard is that you need a tide of draft plus .5 of a metre just to get over the bar. Maps I have show deeper water inside. I'll try port Douglas vmr maybe they know more.

[Reefmagnet]

Grab a copy of Alan Lucas's "Cruising the Coral Coast" if you can. It has a reasonably detailed map and notes on cruising the Daintree River. It also covers most rivers and anchorages along the east coast of QLD and is a great reference for anyone wanting to get into the rivers and creeks along the coast.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Larrakia cruisi.

[SimonV]

I was in there the last couple of days, great muddies, lots of crocks. Alan lucus book has the marks about right. Cross the bar about an hour before High, Don,t bother going too far down the river as the bars are wide and you need two highs to get to the ferry crossing. The first section is the best. Remember to take lots of insect repellant, we use 50/50 tea tree oil/baby oil I am a sand fly/midge/mozzy magnet and it works for me and a lot of the fishermen around here. Barra have gone quiet but they say they will be on again soon.

[Andrew G]

Larrakia,
Probably by now now you have been and gone, but . . . I've been in there twice now. It is one of the best spots - easy to get into near highish tide. Lucas, as usual, was spot on. It is shallow at the first mark and where the old balast is dumped but otherwise OK (Brut draws 1.8m). I couldn't get closer than 1 Nm from the ferry (I could hear it clearly) - I tried to nudge through the mud for an hour. Anchored for several days 20m from a Kingfisher (and a croc). Magic.
(You can shelter at Low Isles or Snapper Island to await the tide.)

Andrew G