Cruising the Kimberley Region
July 2005
Our brochure listed this an adventure cruising and when speaking to others and reading some press articles one would assume this to be a task for the young and young at heart - not so there was adventure and a few of our fellow shipmates were in their seventies and eighties each participating in the adventure and enjoying every minute of their experiences.
To board the Orion we travelled to Darwin and overnighted in the city.
Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory and is the hub of tourism for access to the harbour and tourist destinations of Kakadoo and Litchfield park. It is also the northern termination of adventures by rail on the Ghan which travels from Adelaide through Alice Springs - one of the must do rail journeys of the world.
The city of Darwin has much to offer even if first impressions are that of a back packer destination. This is a city known for the Japanese air attacks during WW11 and Cyclone Tracey which devistated the city at Christmas 1974. We hired a car so as to see as much as possible visiting many of the points of interest including :-
Arriving at the wharf we first noticed the pristine beauty of the Orion and its crew. Security was paramount yet relaxed as we proceded on board where we checked in as per a hotel and shown to our cabin which was midship with an opening door to to an extremely narrow balcony.
The cabin was roomy without being lavish, but afterall it was only to sleep in. Once we were all on board the customery muster was called and we set sail for an adventure along the rugged Kimberley coast.
Drinks were served on the sundeck as we slipped away from our berth and the laid back capital of the north. one could observe the flats which were exposed by the huge tidal variations, many a coastal patrol vessel and other cargo vessels as well as the city scape of Darwin. As we proceded the sun commenced setting and the sky coloured and the mood of cruising and the sea took control. Our first dinner on board before a briefing on what was to come and there was plenty of it.
++ Meals on board varied between the formal dining room which was the venue for most dinners where a limited daily menu was presented with a comprehensive wine list at reasonable prices, the aft deck where breakfast buffet (hot and cold), lunch and some bbq dinners were served. Some of the meals included first that had been caught during the day by shipmates onboard the Orions's sport fishing boat.
The first adventure was to visit the Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) art site at Vansittart Bay. Life jacket drill and board the Zodiac (a rubber inflatable vessel propelled by an outboard motor and stored on the top of the Orion when not in use) for the transfer to the beach where a wet landing takes place ie your feet and calves get wet in the warm waters. Before leaving one takes their fob from the board a security measure to ensure all who leave return at the end of the excursion. A walk through the brush to reveal the ancient artwork, possibly the oldest on the planet - so we are told. The Bradshaw artwork is believed to be oldest known depicting human figures. From the bay one can also observe the movement of Zodiacs as they transfer fellow passengers to the beach and the Orion as it lays at anchor on the pristine blue waters. Transfer back to the Orion where the Zodiacs tie up at a platform at the stern of the vessel for disembarkation. To complete the security one returns their fob to the board and the roll call is complete.
Each evening a detailed breifing by experts in their fields takes place before cruising life with entertainment, drinks on the sundeck or just relaxing around the vessel before retiring
The second adventure - a short Zodiac ride to Naturalist Island, before climbing aboard a helicopter without doors. What an experience as the chopper lifts off and the Orion is viewed from above as we head over the waterways (creeks) to the Mitchell Plateau with the landing at the triple falls of Mitchell. The rainy season was some time ago some the volume of water is small but still specatular. This is our first encounter of other travellers who have walked into the falls from the inland. A few native birds succh as Magpie Geese and Little Corellas also enjoyed the area. There is the opportunity to swim in the freshwater of the creek before taking off for the beach and Zodiac. The views are better described in the image gallery where one can see the green and blue waters of the creeks and sea.
A Zodiac ride along the Hunter River found a basking crocodile and many of the native birds including Brahminy Kite, Brown Goshawk, Crested Tern, Eastern Reef Egret, Osprey, Striated Heron and White Bellied Sea Eagle.
Kuri Bay is the home of Paspaley pearls. Pearling is by nature a secretive world and as we travel ashore by Zodiac we obsere the Sugar sharks (vegetarians) more closely as they swim by.
Tying up at the wharf ones eyes are drawn to the large Boab tree nearby and the restored Mallard flying boats that are employed by Paspaley.
A demonstration of the pearl industry also shows the opening of a mature shell and the recovery of a pearl.
During the transfer to Orion we observe a fish feeding and see many species of fish hunting for their share of the booty.
On board we set sail again into the sunset and we travel past many Megaptera novaengliae or humpback whales frolicing in the bay.
The morning brings an early start as we board the zodiac and proceed to watch the incredible phenomenon of the rising reef that appears from nowhere as the tide drops extremely quickly. We observe the swirling water as the reef appears to rise and the water on top escapes forming creeks and waterfalls. Little Pied Cormorant, Eastern Reef Egret and the Common Sandpiper feed on the fish stranded or grounded by the falling waters.
Later in the afternoon we again board the zodiacs and travel to Raft Point to venture toward the Wandjina art, amazing geoligical formations and close up encounters with gouty trunked Boabs.
Tomorrow we arrive at Broome for a 2 day stay before turning around to return to Darwin.
We arrive at Broome wharf and tie up with 2 days to explore the city and environs. Baloons Camels and hovercraft are awaiting as is the interesting shore and hinterland, before taking roost for the spectacular sunset over the sea and beach.
An intersting night tied to the wharf as the winds picked up.
Time to sail for Talbot Bay where we take to zodiac for a ride to the narrows where the vertical waterfalls are created by the rapidly escaping waters that are trapped behind the sheer rock faced narrow gaps.
The falls are the result of the huge tidal variations of the area. These tides dictate every happening on the waterways of the area.
overnight the Orion travelled to and entered the St George Basin and in the early morning anchored near the mouth to the Prince Regent River.
This river gives home to King's Cascade which is fed by a natural spring with sparkling crystal waters cascading over a wide area with lush green foliage all around. Zodiac rides were taken along the river to the falls. Slow sweeps of the river found a few saltwater crocodiles basking in the sun.
This night the Orion followed the path of Phillip Parker King in his vessel "Her Majesty's Vessel Cutter Mermaid to Careening Bay without the careening of the Orion.
We again boarded the zodiacs and went ashore to examine the Mermaid Boab tree where the crew had engraved the tree with the name of the vessel and date. Further down the beach were signs oc crocodile with footprints in the sand.
The end of the journey is rapidly approaching as we made one last stop on the Kimberley Coast at King George River. This is our last zodiac journey and we wend our way along the snaking river to to the falls which are the tallest of the Kimberley Coast. As we return to the Orion we notice that the wind has picked up considerable and white caps were forming on the rippled water. This is the first time that the glass like water surface has snarled something that it did all the way back to Darwin. With light aircraft grounded the afternoon adventures were cancelled and we enjoyed ship life for the remainder of the journey.
Unfortunately the seas did not abate and it was the first time on the entire journey that I was rocked to sleep.
The following day we berthed in Darwin and said our last farewells.
This was truly a memorable Cruise and a must for those adventurous enough to try adventure cruising.
My compliments to the crew who provided the basis for fond memories.
