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.
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| 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.
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| Water drop on ebbing tide, first Gap |
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| Second Gap |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Here's my ride - picked up at the top of Kings Cascades. |
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| 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.
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| A tranquil pool on Camp Creek - not high up enough for a swim though! |
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| 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!
