Friday, 25 March – Day 9
Broome to Kununurra
This morning we were up and about in anticipation. We packed our clothes and Steve’s camera gear and then cleaned up and prepared the car and van for the two week’s storage that was to come for them. We got rid of the little fresh food we had left, turned off the Engle in the car and transferred the drinks to the Trooper fridge which we would leave on whilst we are away. Glenn and Tricia did the same.
Glenn had booked a taxi for us and we were picked up on time at noon ready to head to the airport. We had an easy check in and an uneventful flight to Kununurra. Paula enjoyed the views of Broome as we took off, the Kimberley country side as we flew and Kununurra as we landed. We were met at the airport by Graham who had been booked to transfer us from the airport to the Kununurra Country Club Resort. He was lovely man and was very informative. He is also driving us to and from dinner tonight.
We checked into the resort which was VERY quiet. Being Good Friday meant that the poor desk clerk was the only staff member on duty. He was very accommodating and arranged for us to order a few drinks which we picked up once we had found our room. Given that it was still very warm, we all changed into our bathers and headed to the pool area for a swim. We mostly had the pool area to ourselves and our drinks, but we did meet and English lady and her daughter who were heading to Faraway Bay. They were very interesting.
After a refreshing swim we went back to our rooms for a shower and to get ready for dinner. Graham picked us and another guest (Sally) up at about 6.30am as arranged and ferried us to Lakeside Resort for a seafood dinner evening. Sally was an interesting and outspoken lady, and her company was pleasant. Since Graham had been so accommodating Sally bought him a meal and Glenn and I supplied his (soft) drinks.
After an enjoyable evening we returned to the Resort only to find hordes of Cane Toads under the lights on the way to our rooms. We were stunned as when we were in Kununurra in 2010 Cane Toads had been kept at bay. Tonight the place was thick with them. Glenn and I did our bit for the environment and disposed of a few on the way to bed!
Saturday, 26 March – Day 10
Odyssey!
We were up early today, both because we were to be picked up by 7am and because we were excited at the prospect of finally heading off on the cruise proper.
We showered and packed up and we carried our bags to the foyer where we settled our drinks bill and waited to be picked up for our transfer to Wyndham and boarding of Odyssey. Whilst waiting Steve realised he had forgotten his polarising filter and a step up ring that would allow him to use neutral density filters on his camera. These would have allowed him to take the sort of waterfall photos he was aiming for. He was absolutely gutted!
The bus eventually arrived and we met Eddy, the part owner of the ship and business. Some passengers were already on the bus and we set off around town to collect the remainder of the group. On the journey to Wyndham the coach driver gave a very informative commentary on the history and sights of the area. We learned a lot of things we didn’t know even though we had been there a couple of times before.
It wasn’t long before we arrived at the wharf in Wyndham and there was no delay in boarding Odyssey. The skipper gave us a short safety briefing and then we were on our way as the tide was changing rapidly. Whilst we were steaming out of the harbour we were given a tour of the boat, took our luggage to our cabin (Boab) and settled in for morning tea – coffee and muffins! The cruise out through the Cambridge Gulf was spectacular!
There were a total of 18 passengers on board and they seem like a nice mob. We quickly paired up with Roy and Pam from Vasse (WA) and Alan and Gail from Mount Barker (WA). We sat on the rear deck as we cruised and it wasn’t long before Glenn and I approached the bar for our first drink on the cruise. It seemed that this was what others were waiting for and soon Bec (the cruise hostess) was busy dishing out drinks.
We cruised until 7pm and eventually anchored in the Berkley River where the crew picked up our tender Homer which had been left anchored and waiting at the end of the cruise before ours. We enjoyed sunset drinks and a lovely roast dinner for our evening meal. There is no shortage of food.
The crew are wonderful, nothing is too much trouble. Eddy (part owner), Mark (skipper), Bec (hostess), Sean (deckhand/fisherman), Matt (deckhand and skipper), and Liam (chef).
A great start.
Sunday, 27 March – Day 11
Easter Sunday.
We had an early start today, we were out of bed at 5.45am and ready for a cooked breakfast at 6.30am. By 7.30am we were onboard Homer for the first time. Our first stop on the Berkley River was The Amphitheatre which was unfortunately dry. The wet season in the Kimberley this year has been particularly dry. We hope that this doesn’t mean we are going to see a lot of dry waterfalls!
We reboarded Odyssey and steamed upstream for an hour before anchoring and boarding Homer to travel to where the tidal salt water meets the fresh inflow. We climbed over a few rocks and made it to a safe place for a swim which was more than welcome as the temperature was rising rapidly. While we were swimming Glenn and Roy had their first go at fishing (without any luck). Steve also took the opportunity to take some photos of the small cascade. Whilst the swim was refreshing, the water was warm and the current surprisingly strong.
After our swim we clambered back to Homer and a few passengers had a go at fishing with handlines that were aboard. Steve managed to jag a small bream through the eye and Paula then attempted to reassure a fellow traveller with animal welfare tendencies that the fish was going to survive even though it was swimming away upside down. (The passenger concerned still ate fish and meat though.)
We soon started to head back to Odyssey while Glenn, Roy and another passenger Hugh, stayed behind to fish a little longer. We nuzzled into a cove that had a small waterfall cascading down some rocks. We were able to climb up from Homer to reveal a lovely billabong at the top. It was spectacularly beautiful. After the mandatory photos we chugged on a little more to have a look at some falls known as Hell’s Gate – these were unfortunately dry as well. (Things were not looking good for waterfalls!)
We got back to Odyssey in time for lunch and were joined by the fishermen a little while later. After lunch we steamed back down the Berkley towards the mouth, anchored and boarded Homer to travel to Casuarina Falls. These falls were definitely flowing! We took the obligatory photos and then Mark nudged Homer under the falls so that we could get a dunking. The water was again warm and the power was surprising, but everyone enjoyed the chance to cool off.
We made it back to Odyssey in time to freshen up for dinner. The anchor was weighed and we started cruising towards the King George River (Tranquil Cove) where we would anchor for the night. An enjoyable curry was served along with the obligatory evening drinks. (The meal was pleasant even with the jibes from Eagles supporters over the Dockers’ loss. After dinner we made our way to the front deck where we enjoyed Allan’s company and watched the stars, storms and ocean.
We made our destination at Tranquil Cove at about 10pm, but we were in bed by this time after our very busy day.
Monday, 28 March – Day 12
A busy day today. We were up before 6am again, had a light breakfast and were off early to Tranquil Beach. The beach was beautiful with a small lagoon behind the beach at the foot of some cliffs. There hundreds of strange tracks in the sand, and at first we thought that they were sand crabs as they meandered randomly. Soon we discovered however that they were in fact baby turtle tracks from turtles that had hatched the night before from the many nests that we discovered as we walked.
We wandered over the hot sand wishing we could have a dip in the enticing lagoon or ocean, when Steve noticed something in the lagoon, at first he thought it was a turtle but on closer examination he realised it was a crocodile lurking close to the cliff wall – definitely no swimming! We wandered around the lagoon a little and found sets of croc drag marks in the sand confirming our earlier sighting. A lovely spot, but plenty of crocs!
We returned to Odyssey and sailed into the King George River mouth. There wasn’t a zephyr of breeze and the water was glassy and only interrupted by the bow wave of our boat and the occasional long tom skipping across the water. The cruise towards the Twin Falls was stunningly spectacular. The glassy water reflected the cliffs and Steve busily snapped away to his heart’s content. We enjoyed the scenery and wildlife on display, happily spotting birds, crocs and fish. The Twin Falls were flowing freely and Mark manoeuvred Odyssey under the smaller of the falls so we could enjoy a cooling dunk. We then moved over to the more powerful fall and Odyssey was nudged under this one too. It was a lot more powerful than the smaller fall and actually stung when it hit you.
Odyssey was then anchored and we enjoyed another of Liam’s magnificent meals before setting off for a big climb to the top of the falls. We were told that the climb was pretty tough, so only 6 passengers decided to take it on. Along with the 4 crew that escorted us we set off in a dinghy to start the trek. The climb was very steep and involved lots of climbing up boulders. The heat and humidity made it harder, but the thought of a swim at the end kept us all motivated. We soon made the top and traversed the (thankfully) level ground to the first of the falls. Hoping for a refreshing swim away from crocs we were unfortunately disappointed. There were no crocs, but the water was very warm and the rocks and pools very slimy. Being so hot though we still hopped in in the hope of cooling off just a little.
After a short swim we decided to move on to the larger of the two falls. The water here was slightly cooler (but still warm) and flowing quite fast, but the swim was much more pleasant. After some group photos on top of the falls with Odyssey anchored below us in the majestic gorge we began the descent. The climb down was physically easier but still difficult. About half way down, we stopped in a shady spot for a rest and Matt reached into a small cave in the rock and pulled out a small chest – the Gremlin Chest! He then read a little poem that explained that a gremlin lives in the chest and that to keep him there and from causing problems on the boat that you need to leave a little trinket to entice him back. Fortunately, Paula had a cork (yes a cork, go figure) in her back pack so we left that. Apparently the box was left by a group of yachties to replace the original that was burned in a fire.
After the entertaining stop we made our way back to Odyssey. We had one more excursion for the day on Homer to visit another waterfall called the Fountain of Youth. Unfortunately this was nearly dry again, but we still enjoyed a lovely sunset cruise.
Back on Odyssey we enjoyed drinks and dinner on the rear deck. Most of the passengers enjoyed their dinner in the air conditioned galley, but we preferred to enjoy the environment and were joined by two fellow cruisers. The gorges of the King George River are too spectacular to miss just because of air conditioning. More drinks and chats followed before we called it a night. We have been told that tomorrow is a quieter day.
Tuesday, 29March – Day 13
We awoke today to the magnificent vista of the King George River gorge. We decided to skip the continental breakfast and save ourselves for the cooked one that would await us on our return from our morning excursion We boarded Homer again at 7.30am for another dunk under the smaller of the Twin Falls. We then set off for a swim at Bat Crack. This was a small gorge off the main river (hence the crack reference). Once again a small climb was necessary in order to make sure the water was croc free, but it wasn’t very difficult. At last we found some cool water!. There were two pools. Most of the passengers stayed in the first, but a handful of the passengers and some crew swam across this and climbed up the rocks to find a lovely second pool. Steve was first in the water and swam to the far end where a small waterfall was cascading into the water. He was able to swim in right under this and was soon enjoyed by Paula. It was a very special place, but we saw no bats!
After our refreshing swim we made our way beck to Odyssey for a yummy cooked breakfast (waistlines have been ignored at this stage)! Whilst enjoying breakfast on the rear deck we sailed towards the mouth of the King George River. Once again, the scenery was spectacular. This is probably the most scenic river that we have ever travelled!
After we left the King George we sailed on towards the Drysdale River. On the way, Odyssey stopped so that we could board Homer to explore Glycosmis Bay. Odyssey steamed on and we raced ahead in Homer towards the bay. Unfortunately we picked the wrong side of Homer to sit on and copped a heap of spray as she powered through the chop! (We seem to be picking the wrong side regularly – sitting in the sun rather than the shade!)
Glycosmis Bay was beautiful with glorious creeks just over the beaches. At one end of the bay there was a beautiful waterfall cascading directly into the ocean. There must have been some storms inland as the crew mentioned that it was flowing much faster than it had been on their stop there two weeks ago. We all enjoyed another dunk under the rather powerful water and then set off after Odyssey anchored in the bay waiting for us.
Once onboard we set off again towards the Drysdale River. We made anchor and enjoyed another wonderful meal, deciding to sit in the galley with some of the other passengers. After dinner we retired to our usual spot on the bow, enjoying drinks and spotting croc eyes in the dark with a torch. We have an early start tomorrow as Steve and a few others are heading off in the dinghy’s fishing and the others in Homer to have a go.
Wednesday, 30 March – Day 14
We were up at 5.15am and Steve grabbed some toast and a cup of coffee for breakfast. Steve was going fishing in one dinghy with Matt and Hugh. Glenn, Roy and Sean were in the second dinghy. Paula and the others were heading off in Homer with hand lines.
Steve and the dinghy crew had a great day. After setting off the travelled all of about 50 metres and started casting towards some rocks on the shore. Straight away they were onto fish with Steve landing Trevally and Mangrove Jack. Everyone was doing well, but the group decided that there was plenty more to explore and headed over to the other side of the bay to fish some creeks. Matt wanted to get some live bait and decided to use a throw net from the bow of the boat whilst Steve skippered for a short while. Before long we had plenty of bait and then set about fishing in earnest. Steve and Hugh were using rods and lures provided by the boat. Glenn and Roy had brought their own. The fish were going off! We were all into Mangrove Jacks (one of our favourite fish). We had to keep our eyes open though as a curious croc took an interest in our activities and stalked both dinghies for a while. It came so close that Glenn was able to shoo it away by tapping it on the end of its nose with his fishing rod.
Steve managed to cast his lure right into a snag by the river bank and straight away hooked into something large. It wasn’t long before he dragged it away from the river bank and snags and then saw it jump. Barramundi! Steve was justifiably stoked as this was on his fishing bucket list and after a big fight the fish was in the boat. At 71cm it was a keeper so after a few photos it was straight into the esky! Everyone continued to hook into Mangrove Jacks and after catching our limit we headed back to Odyssey.
Whilst Steve was fishing in the dinghy, Paula, Tricia and most of the other passengers headed off in Homer to try their luck. Once again they had a good day. Paula was very proud to have caught a small reef shark as well as a few Fingermark Snapper. All in all it was a good fishing day all round.
At about 10.30am we all boarded Homer again for a cruise up the Drysdale. Not far into the cruise we stopped by a creek so that Matt could catch some bait with the throw net. We also had to wait for the dinghy that was travelling with us as it had to return to Odyssey to get an esky. Whilst we were stopped Glenn and Roy got their rods out and were straight into fish again. Between them they landed Mangrove Jack, Threadfin Salmon, Trevally and Queenfish. It was very entertaining.
Eventually the dinghy returned and we moved on. The Drysdale is not as spectacular as the other rivers we have visited, but it is still very pretty. It was good to see where this river meets the sea as we have crossed over it inland on our travels a number of times.
Not far from where the fresh water meets the salt we came across a squatter’s camp. The squatter in question, Ed, had only just moved back in after the wet season. We were surprised to see that he had motored in a small boat all the way from Wyndham! After a short chat we moved on up to the cascades that mark where the fresh flows in. This climb was a bit more challenging and we were hoping for a swim, but there was to easy path or suitable pool as the water was flowing fast.
As we scrambled over the rocks Sean spotted a freshwater croc in one of the deep rock holes. There was very little water in the hole and no way the small croc was going to get out. After a few different tries to lasso the crock one of the crew fetched a landing net and Matt straddled the hole and hooked it out. Paula’s hair tie came to the rescue and it was used so that it’s snout could be handled safely. After a few photos the croc was safely released with a fresh mullet for lunch.
On the cruise back towards Odyssey we enjoyed a pre prepared lunch and even managed a short stop to dunk under another small waterfall.
We left Vansittart Bay at about 3pm and steamed for Jar Island and anchored there at about 9pm. (This was near the Paspaley Pearl farm!)
Another wonderful day.
Thursday, 31 March – Day 15
Another early start (these are becoming the norm!). The tides influence our travel so we need to work with them. For this trip it means regular early starts. Today is a Bradshaw Rock Art day!
We boarded Homer at about 6.30am to travel to Jar Island. The day was very humid and overcast. The art on Jar Island was very interesting and Paula in particular enjoys it. We thought that the Bradshaw Rock Art at the King Edward River crossing on the Kalumburu Road was better. The walk to see the art was very hot, even at this time of the morning. The terrain was not too bad, though some passengers found it tricky.
After spending an hour or so at the art site we made our way back to Odyssey for a rushed cooked breakfast (we ate too much again!). We sailed towards the mainland and anchored not far from shore. Back onto Homer and then a short walk over a salt lake to the wreck of a DC3 aircraft that crashed there in 1942. The plane was transporting two army reserve telegraphers to Darwin with three crew on board. Although it was an American plane the crew were Australian. Due to a storm, the aircraft missed its refuelling stop in Broome. As a result it crashed in the location where we found it. Fortunately all the crew survived and they were rescued two days later.
We all had a poke around and took photos and then made our way back to Odyssey where we again weighed anchor and sailed to the Truscott Art site. To access this beach we were ferried from Homer on a dinghy as the best way in was through a narrow rock channel. There was another fairly easy, but very, very hot, walk to the site where there were more good examples of the Bradshaw Rock Art (I have included a link here with more information on the Bradshaw rock art for those interested. The theory regarding the origins of the artwork is quite controversial.) The numbers were down to only 12 for this foray – the heat and humidity were taking their toll.
Whilst most of us were exploring the art site, Glenn and Roy fished along the beach with limited luck. Steve’s luck was better however. Whilst at the rock art site, Mark pointed out a Jabiru perched iconically on a rock escarpment. After a scramble to change lenses and some fogging issues due to the humidity, he was able to capture some good shots of an iconic Kimberley bird and landscape.
We were ferried back to Odyssey for lunch by about 1pm. And what a special lunch it was to be. Liam had prepared the fish that we caught yesterday including my barramundi! What’s more, I was given my own special serving of barra, whilst the others were only able to get a taste. We all enjoyed the feed of fish, even the greenies onboard!
The rest of the day was spent sailing to Swift Bay. We, as usual, spent the evening on the bow deck enjoying the scenery, company and one or two drinks. We were still steaming when we retired for the night.
Friday, 1 April – Day 16
We anchored in Swift Bay overnight. We had a very sound sleep and were only woken by the sound of the anchor being set. Again it was a very early start (we were up at 4.45am) so that we could have some breakfast before we set off on today’s activities. This morning a large shark was circling Odyssey which caused a flurry of cameras and general excitement. It turned out to be a harmless Dusky Nurse Shark.
At about 6am we set off in Homer to the Swift Bay Wandjina Rock Art site. The landing today was on a flat rock shelf and this made walking easy. As we approached the landing, a medium sized crocodile scrambled surprisingly quickly towards the water startling many of us onboard. It sat on the rock ledge about 30 metres away as we disembarked just watching us!
The art site was very impressive with good examples of Wandjina Rock Art which we explored for half an hour or so. In one area we had to lie on our backs to see work that was painted under a low ledge. Matt was guiding the passengers and explaining what we were seeing. He advised us all to take the opportunity to look around, not just at the art work, but also around the cave. Most forgot his advice, however Paula and I took the opportunity and were surprised to see a human skull and bones tucked up in the corner, obviously a burial site!
We made our way back to Homer where Matt told us a story of a yachty who anchored in Swift Bay and decided to check out the same art site as us. They used their inflatable dinghy to land as we did, but when they came back from the art they found that a curious crock had bitten their dinghy puncturing it beyond repair. They were stranded on shore for three days before another sailor noticed their yacht seemingly empty and without a dinghy. He explored the area and found them where they were stranded. They were lucky, it could have been weeks before another boat sailed past.
Once back on Odyssey we set sail for Bigge Island and a nearby rock art site. Whilst sailing we took the opportunity to sit on the bow in the shade enjoying the cool breeze and watching the islands as we cruised past. Enjoying the magnificence of the Kimberley coast we chatted with fellow travellers and watched the sea snakes dolphins, turtles and fish jumping.
We made it to Bigge Island a little earlier than expected and boarded Homer the travel to the Way Bay art site. We landed on a small but interesting beach with rock caves along one small cliff. The caves were littered with Wandjina art, much similar to other sites, but at this site there were depictions of obviously European sailors smoking pipes and sailing ships. The most prevalent theory is that they are representations of Dutch sailors due to the headwear they are drawn with. Once again we came across some more skulls and bones in a crevice in the rocks.
Whilst exploring the beach Steve noticed a croc track coming over the sand dunes and heading towards the ocean. He and Eddy followed it back to a mangrove lagoon behind the dunes. It must have come in on a high tide and walked out over the beach when the water dropped. The beach was also littered with turtle nests and there were even a couple of dead hatchlings that didn’t make it to the ocean.
Whilst we were exploring the art site, Odyssey sailed on. Homer, able to travel much faster, chased her up and we reboarded in time for another glorious lunch. Liam did it again! Lovely squid and Thai beef salad. The waistlines are definitely expanding!
Most of the remainder of the day was spent sailing to the Hunter River where we will spend the next two days. It was a big trip so we took the chance to take a nap to catch up on some of the sleep lost to early starts.
After a short nap we decided to sit in the shade on the rear deck and soak up more of the scenery as we sailed through Prince Frederick Harbour. Most of the other passengers were in the galley watching a DVD documentary on the Kimberley. We preferred to see it for ourselves.
The scenery was stunning! (Yes again!) We passed majestic cliffs and tree lined hills including a most spectacular knoll called Cliff Head. Steve was busy wearing out his camera, and it was for good reason. We made our way into the Hunter River and then into Porosus Creek where we anchored for the night. At sunset we once again made our way to the bow for evening drinks. We were joined by more passengers today. They seem to be catching on that this is the place to be of an evening. The sunset was beautiful as usual and we were joined by Dusky Nurse Sharks and even a curious croc who sat behind the boat all night. We had dinner on the deck and again an early night ready for what tomorrow will bring.
