HA230711: Kimberley Explorer: Expedition Cruising Australia's Iconic Kimberley Coast

KIMBERLEY EXPLORER

on board HERITAGE ADVENTURER

11 - 21 July 2023

Day 1
Tuesday 11 July
Darwin

Our inaugural Kimberley Explorer voyage, an expedition cruise along Western Australia's iconic Kimberley coast, kicked off in high spirits. At Port Darwin we arrived, eager travellers from different walks of life, meeting for the first time. After an evening lifeboat drill, the cabins of our new home away from home Heritage Adventurer gave us the perfect evening of rest as we set sail for our first destination - King George River.

Day 2
Wednesday 12 July
King George River

During the morning Steve gave a very informative talk on the history of the Kimberley focusing on the 11-days of Hell, a short period of time when the events of World War II reached Australia.

Arriving at the entrance of the King George River at 1300, we started our first Zodiac tour of the voyage. Our first snake and crocodile sightings were for the lucky guests on Glenda's Zodiac as she made her way up the river. An Osprey gave great views with several birds feeding along the river and we even spotted the Osprey's nest which was a delight.

King George River, with its incredible 80 metre high cliffs, wound its way to the waterfalls. Millions of years of water have shaped the Warton Sandstone to erode. The depth below the falls drops to 70 metres, the result of the torrent that spills over the edge during the height of the rainy season.

Our journey back to Heritage Adventurer was enhanced by the sunset, and during the evening we enjoyed pre-dinner cockatils with Captain Tomasz during his Captain's Welcome Drinks.

Day 3
Thursday 13 July
Vanittart Bay

With Heritage Adventurer anchored off shore of the collection of pristine white beach islands that form Vansittart Bay, we hopped into our Zodiacs and skipped over incredible turquoise waters eager to immerse ourselves in an iconic Australian site of fascinating WWII history.

Named after the Chancellor of Exchequer by early explorer Rear Admiral Philip Parker King, Vansittart Bay weaves the epic scenery of a striking, naturally protected bay framed by scattered jagged sandstone monoliths with an incredible tale of survival. A highlight, of course, was exploring the final resting place of the preserved skeleton of a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3) which crash landed onto the saltpan on 26 February 1942 after running out of fuel during a mercy mission to evacuate four Dutch citizens from Java.

The opportunity to experience history come to life and walk in the footsteps of the 6 lucky survivors as we explored these beautiful, but unforgiving, surrounds was equal parts fascinating and humbling with much to discuss in the air-conditioned comfort of Heritage Adventurer's bar during pre-dinner drinks.

Day 4
Friday 14 July
Ashmore Reef

Voyaging into more distant and deeper waters overnight, we found ourselves 840 kilometres west of Darwin on the edge of Australia's continental shelf, closer to Indonesia than Australia. Australia's most remote marine park, Ashmore Reef, is our destination for the morning.

The day started with Niall on the aft deck at 0730 with a short birding experience, an opportunity to enjoy a preview before being completely indulged later in the day.

Three low-lying tropical islands surrounded by lagoons and coral reefs formed a captivating backdrop upon our arrival. Launching into action, our Zodiac drivers weaved us through the reef system and into the waters surrounding West Island where large numbers of migratory shorebirds come to rest, along with colonies of nesting seabirds. The large number of birds here meant that Ashmore Reef Marine Park was designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in October 2002. Cruising the lagoon, we were also able to enjoy sightings of Brown, Masked and Red-footed Booby on this breath-taking atoll. White and Red-tailed Tropicbirds showed along with Sooty and Bridled Terns, with young birds also present, while Brown Noddies lined the beach.

Meanwhile, snorkellers had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the underwater world renowned for its rich biodiversity. These waters provide a critical habitat for feeding, breeding and nesting marine life, with turtles, Dugongs and a multitude of coral, fish and invertebrates making their homes on Ashmore Reef. It was great to see diverse coral and giant clams thriving on the reef, while numerous Green Sea Turtles were also spotted from our Zodiacs. While predominantly an underwater experience, on the surface numerous inquisitive Boobies put on a show, swooping in to check the snorkellers out. Ashmore Reef is definitely a remote jewel of Australia!

During the afternoon at sea Karen and Neil shared their experiences on the infamous Kimberley tides and how marine life copes with such drastic changes before we were treated to yet another delicious dinner by the hospitality team.

Day 5
Saturday 15 July
Bigge Island & Careening Bay

We had a slightly earlier start today at 0800 for disembarkation of the first group to Bigge Island. Each group of about 20 guests ambled along on the beach, escorted by our expert guides to avoid trampling the many female Flatback Turtle tracks in the sand where they've come to lay their eggs. We could also see evidence of small hatchling tracks in various spots along the beach, as they had recently made their way from the nests to the new wide world of the ocean ahead of them. Among other tracks we saw Monjon (the smallest species of Rock-wallaby) and Northern Quoll everywhere!

A short walk on some sandstone took us to a beautiful lookout of the tombolo, mangrove area, beach Spinifex and across to the caves. Along the way our guides pointed out Kakadu plum, rock fig, Emu apple and Weeping Paperbark beyond the mangroves, as well as beach rock, different geology, and a few Osprey flying overhead. The highlight of Bigge Island is the Wandjina-style rock art in small caves, with interpretation given by our guides as to what the figures represented and how they were created. Back on board Heritage Adventurer for lunch and a few hours for the ship to reposition meant we had plenty of time to nap or watch for Humpback Whales, as a few were seen earlier in the morning over breakfast.

In the afternoon we landed at Careening Bay, and had plenty of space to roam! It was a longer walk up the shallow grade beach at low tide but we were rewarded with so many wonderful things to see once we reached the forest edge including cycads, boabs, a Bowerbird nest, some unique geology on the beach, and of course the famous boab tree from Phillip Parker King's HMS Mermaid expedition. What a spectacular sight this enormous boab was! Lots of space to stretch our legs and feel the sand underfoot.

We soon returned to Heritage Adventurer and, with the sun setting just as the last Zodiacs were back on board, we settled in for the evening recaps featuring turtles, Rock-wallabies, and boabs to help cement the day's learning. Another fantastic day in the Kimberley!

Day 6
Sunday, 16 July
Swift Bay & Mitchell Falls

Waking up to another spectacular Kimberly sunrise, some of us enjoyed an early breakfast accompanied by a sighting of a Humpback Whale to start off the day as Heritage Adventurer arrived at the waters near Swift Bay.

There's nothing more exhilarating than a scenic helicopter flight as many of us took a thrilling 0630 morning flight to the picturesque Mitchell Falls - a series of three emerald waterfalls forming a staircase of cascades, tumbling through the remote landscape, and stopped for a quick dip in the pools.

We also admired another fabulous rock art site at Swift Bay, where giant Wandjina (rain spirits) and Gwion Gwion (human silhouettes) graced the walls, together with a prominent large white crocodile and a further array of fauna and flora along the walls and ceiling of this ancient cave. During our tour we also encountered several bird species including Reef Herons, Little Egrets, Brahminy Kites, and an Osprey nest.

As the sun sank below the horizon we sat on a deserted patch of Kimberley sand amid piles of seashells, drinking in the magnetic landscape and another spectacular day. Just when we thought our day could not get any better, we returned to Heritage Adventurer only to be met by a large Tawny Nurse Shark, circling our Zodiac for yet another close encounter with the amazing Kimberley wildlife.

Back on board we had a briefing before dinner to outline our early morning adventure options for the following day.

Day 7
Monday, 17 July
Hunter River

It was an early start for some as Heritage Adventurer set anchor at Prince Frederick Harbour.

Following last night's briefing, we were given three options for our morning Zodiac cruise which included a 0630 start for the early birds among us. These early Zodiacs set off just as the sun was rising and the cliffs around the harbour were glowing in the morning light. The tide was still only halfway in at the time so this early group saw some of the mudflats and the creatures that inhabit them including the Flame-backed Fiddler Crab and a number of different Mudskippers before the huge 8 metre tide enveloped the mudflats and allowed our Zodiacs to weave in and out of the mangroves. Early in the morning is always a great time for spotting birds, and many were seen such as the Azure Kingfisher.

The second group of Zodiac tours departed at the much more relaxed time of 0830 and where able to go straight through the mangroves of Porosus Creek, a great viewing opportunity of one of the resident crocs was had by all as it sunned itself on a large rock among the mangroves, seemingly unphased by its visitors.

Some of us were lucky and enjoyed a brief encounter with a small pod of Snubfin Dolphins as well before making their way further up Porosus creek.

It was like floating amongst the treetops with the high tide flooding in around the mangroves, and it was possible to see many small birds flitting around the mangroves almost at our level, such as the Red-headed Honeyeater.

Time flew and we returned to Heritage Adventurer for yet another splendid meal, and a chance for us to share stories of what we had seen. Following lunch it was time to head back out in our Zodiacs to see what was revealed as the tide raced out.

Our evening Zodiac tour certainly turned out to be a fruitful one with the receding tide revealing wildlife great and small. The Flame-backed Fiddler Crabs were out showing off their flame-red claws, almost looking like autumn leaves under the mangroves.

The mangroves themselves were now high up above us with their roots fully exposed.

A White-bellied Sea Eagle was observed having its dinner on the branch of a mangrove, while a Brahminy Kite was seen plucking a Mudskipper from the mudflats.

And as the sun began to set and the beautiful red cliffs around us started to glow, the now narrow river came alive with fish. Herons and Egrets were out making the most of the opportunity to grab a meal, and one of the many crocodiles was seen catching small fish as we watched in awe. We could have stayed and watched for hours, but with the light fading it was time to head back to Heritage Adventurer.

The last Zodiacs arrived just in time to enjoy the spectacular sunset as everyone made their way to the Bar & Lounge to share their stories of the day.

Day 8
Tuesday, 18 July
Talbot Bay & Horizontal Falls

It was early morning and Heritage Adventurer was en route to the waters near Talbot Bay. We woke up to the sounds of breaching Humpback Whales, beckoning us to look out the window to see adults with their calves on their migration.

We had an easy start to the day with a series of lectures divided into three subjects: Tides, Rhodoliths, and Whales all presented by different members of our team who shared their expertise.

During lunch the Captain maneuvered our trusty expedition vessel through the narrows where the Kimberley showed us pieces of her past with amazing rock formations.

In the afternoon after lunch we headed out in our Zodiacs to the Horizontal Falls in Talbot Bay. Our itinerary placed us here in timing with the larger spring tides, so the power and force of the famous phenomenon was on full display where fast flowing water squeezed through two narrow gorges causing a horizontal waterfall and swirling whirlpools. In turn, each of our Zodiacs entered the flow for a bit of exhilarated fun, education and firsthand experience of the natural wonder.

After experiencing the amazing views of the Kimberley, we made our way into Cyclone Creek where we went up through the narrow waterway and encountered Short-eared Rock-wallabies, turtles, Flame-backed Fiddler Crabs, different types of birds, and the startling red trumpet-shaped Kimberley Rose.

Day 9
Wednesday, 19 July
Montgomery Reef & Freshwater Cove

They say the early bird catches the worm, and with a 0500 start we had our eyes set on a particular worm: the spectacular rise of the Montgomery Reef. We departed Heritage Adventurer ahead of sunrise and arrived to see the waterfalls in full flow. Green Sea Turtles filled the main channel and Eastern Reef Herons took up position on each waterfall to catch the fish which found themselves cascading over the falls.

A few Siberian Tattlers were also feeding along the reef's edge along with some Beach Stone-curlews. Immaculate, coralline red algae Rhodoliths were present on the edge of the reef while a Green Sea Turtle seemed to be waiting for the next tide to get back in the water.

Back at the ship by 0800, we enjoyed our breakfast all the more after our early start, and we were later greeted to some fabulous views of Humpback Whales breaching.

During the afternoon at Freshwater Cove we divided ourselves into groups to go ashore and join the local Worrorra people who delivered to us a Welcome to Country, a formal ceremony that acknowledged our arrival as guests by the traditional owners of the land. They then led us on an uphill rocky hike to one of their sacred art sites. We enjoyed hearing and sharing in their stories, the incredible surrounding views, birds, flowering foliage and immersion in this wonderful culture.

Day 10
Thursday, 20 July
Hidden Island

It was a leisurely start to the day enjoying a hearty breakfast as Heritage Adventurer set anchor a kilometre offshore from Hidden Island. A shore party of guides went ahead to ensure everything was safe for a once-in-a-lifetime swim in the Kimberley.

We arrived on what can only be described as the most wonderful fine sand that felt like icing sugar underfoot. Our lookouts took up position and the water was deemed safe for a gentle dip. It was the perfect way to end our busy cruise - being marooned on the squeaky, white silica beach - champagne in one hand and a camera in the other, chatting and socialising with our new shipboard friends as we reminisced on our marvellous days spent together in the Kimberley.

As lunch was getting closer, the ocean around Heritage Adventurer became a cetacean highway with lots of Humpback activity all around us as we made our final approach to Broome. The whales were plentiful but didn't want to entertain us with their breaching. Nonetheless, the beauty of seeing so many blows gave us hope that the population was returning to its original numbers.

That evening we reminisced with the slide show presented by Steve and Cathy which made us all realise quite how much we had seen and done over the last 10 days.

Day 11
Friday, Jul 21
Broome

After an incredible celebration of our time in the Kimberley yesterday we woke this morning to find Heritage Adventure nearing the Port of Broome. We enjoyed one more breakfast before it was time to exchange details with one another and disembark. It's been a trip of a lifetime and one that couldn't be compared to any other sailings. The Kimberley had seeped into our souls. Our skin was glowing, our hearts humming and senses satiated.

Until the next time we wish everyone safe travels.