Cruising the Kimberley in Style - Part 2

Another early start - this time for a 0600 fishing trip on the Hunter River & Porosus Creek (porosus is the species name for the saltwater crocodile - very appropriate!). No luck with the fishing and only one keeper between 4 of us. A few interesting sights though - sea eagles & brahminy kites swooping for fish on the water and spectacular scenery made up for the lack of catching action.

Boris the croc hanging around the back of the boat!

Swooping for fish

The afternoon's fishing out on Prince Fredrick Harbour was much more productive and all three of us in our tender did well with fingermarks - the guys got really big ones, plus a coral trout - mine was more modest size but they look bigger if you hold them closer to the camera! With another tender also scoring well we had fingermark dinner a couple of days later for the whole boat. Cocktails and mudcrabs in the bow to watch the sun set.

A nice little Fingermark (Golden Snapper)

Cookie dishing up the mud crabs

Sunset reflections

A bumpy ride round Cape Voltaire overnight and another brilliant sunrise in Vansittart Bay, which is renowned for rock art. Wandjina and Gwion Gwion art featured on a number of rock shelters we visited.

Gwion Gwion art in Vansittart Bay

Wandjina rock art

'Clothespeg' style Gwion Gwion art

Back on board and we were ferried up Rocky Creek to a spectacular picnic spot on top of a waterfall, complete with deep and shallow pools.

Swimming pool at Eagle Falls

Mum setting off in the helicopter again

Rounded another cape overnight - again it was a little bumpy. We woke to the intense colors of the cliffs of the King George River. Captain Greg again skillfully nosed True North under the falls  - it was a cooler morning and there were fewer takers for the early morning shower.

Under the falls

A walk up a rock jumble to the top of the falls followed, for some truly fabulous scenery. 

At the top of King George - Twin Falls

Mum at the top of the falls

Craig and Mitch then took us for an additional scenic tour by tender into some caves, a visit to some dugongs and around to another waterfall. Fountain of Youth Falls has a rope and rope ladder which a few of us climbed (at least part way up before I looked down & decided to descend while there was someone below!). The fast trip down into the water is not really a feasible option!

The view from a reasonable height up Fountain of Youth Falls

The guys at the top!

Fiona climbing down

The afternoon brought another round of fishing and I was determined to catch something sizable! Patience was rewarded (after yet another shark) with a very respectable Mullaway. Success all round with another Mulloway for Steve and a golden trevally for Fiona - her first big fish (beer does help catch fish  :) ).

Mulloway!

Our last night on True North commenced with sunset drinks in the rafted up tenders in tranquil Bay, with AC/DC blasting over the ship's loadspeakers (Thunderstruck - not very tranquil but strangely appropriate).

Briarly & Rachael at the raft-up

Where we went

True North - at sunrise at Raft Point

Passengers & crew on True North Kimberley Snapshot #3

Big thanks to Mum for inviting me! Thanks also to Craig, Greg & all the crew and fellow adventurers for such a fantastic trip!

Cruising the Kimberley in Style - Part 1

Last week I had the wonderful experience of cruising the Kimberley coast in WA with my mum in the True North. This is truly travelling in the lap of luxury and quite different from the usual kayak camping or 4WDing trips I am used to!

We stayed in Broome overnight, at the Mangrove Hotel, overlooking Roebuck Bay. I greeted the dawn and was treated to a spectacular sunrise.

Sunrise over Roebuck Bay at low tide

We started the cruise in Broome on the Saturday before last, with sunset cocktails as we departed Gantheume Point off Broome, travelling up the Dampier Peninsula and across the Buccaneer Archipelago overnight. Daybreak (almost - it was 0530!) found us passing the iron islands (Cockatoo & Koolan) and then south into Talbot Bay, location of the Horizontal Waterfalls.

The sandstones of Talbot Bay form long linear ridges - with two narrow gaps through which the tide rushes in and out. We were there in the week after the full moon, so the tide range was not the biggest it gets - when it is running a 10m range the water backs up and actually has a ~1m fall getting through the gap. In the tenders,we zoomed in and out of the gaps  (then up Cyclone Creek), and mum took a helicopter flight over the bay and back over the Buccaneer Archipelago.

Water drop on ebbing tide, first Gap

Second Gap

Horizontal Waterfalls by Helicopter

More cruising up creeks and through gorges after lunch, plus a delightful freshwater swim - it is necessary to climb up above waterfalls to get out of the reach of the crocs.

Returning to True North after a trip up the creek on a very still day

An early start (one of many) the next morning watching the sun rise at Raft Point. Soon after we landed on a beach and did a short walk to some  rock art.

Rock art at Raft Point

By 0830 we were back on True North and heading off to Montgomery Reef. This is a spectacular red-algal reef not far off the coast, that is exposed at low tide - seemingly rising from the sea. We saw lots of green turtles as well as a loggerhead turtle.

Channel in Montgomery Reef, from the air

 Fishing in the afternoon - not a lot of success out at Barren Bank (well named) but a lot more activity closer to shore, though the sharks were a bit keen for a while. As well as the shark (which we put back) I caught a Bluebone (type of wrasse / parrot fish) which are very good eating. We lingered out on the water and nearly missed the evening cocktails on the beach.

Black-tipped reef shark

Overnight we sailed around to the entrance of Prince Regent River, which we entered at daybreak and sailed up to Kings Cascades. True North is a very maneuverable vessel and we were able to nose right under the falls for a shower. Shore excursions were a bit more energetic this day - starting with a climb up next to the falls to the top, a swim, then collected by the helicopter for a flight up the Prince Regent to a very special art site.

Here's my ride - picked up at the top of Kings Cascades.

Wandjina Rock art

In the afternoon, another walk, this one up Camp Creek, a tributary of the Prince Regent, and up another waterfall for a swim in the upper pool.

A tranquil pool on Camp Creek - not high up enough for a swim though!

Waterfall on Camp Creek - the swimming spot is above this

That's only 3 day's worth - pretty action-packed. Party that night - apparently I stayed up late! That's the hazard of holidaying with one's Mum - even at my age people dob you in! For the record I retired at 2220 and I was drinking water (mostly!).

More to come!