Day 278- Cairns to Mission Beach, Australia

MOUNT HYPIPAMEE NATIONAL PARK AND MISSION BEACH (06/10/09)

Right at the south of the Atherton Tablelands and on our route back south lies Mount Hypipamee National Park. Mount Hypipamee itself is a pea-green volcanic crater lake at the bottom of a deep chasm. The lake is very deep, so deep in fact that no one actually knows where the bottom is.

Notable other features of the National Park are it's usually spectacular waterfalls. In the worst drought for 100 years these have dried to a trickle.

Still further south is Mission Beach, our stopping off point for the night. The palm fringed white sand stretches for miles in both directions making it relatively easy to find a bit of peace and quiet.

Right the way along the beach are hundreds of Coconut Palms which inevitably produce hundreds of coconuts.

The coconuts start off surrounded by a large almond shaped husk roughly twice the size of the actual coconut.

It's all about having the right tools! A sharp knife is needed to remove the tough, fibrous outer layer.

Half of the husk removed and you can see the familiar shape of the coconut.

All off, and to think that you have to pay $3 for one of these at the supermarket just round the corner.

Unfortunately Adam's juggling skills still haven't progressed past one object.

The trick of cracking a coconut- don't hit the coconut, instead hold it in your hand and bash it down onto a strong knife, screwdriver or, in this case, tent peg.

Coconut milk, yum!

Success.

Food always tastes better when you've had to work for it.