An eerie encounter on picturesque Jar Island.

In the southern part of Van Sittart Bay, nestles tiny Jar Island.   A fantastic place to visit, with some secluded white sand coves, and bizarre rocky cliffs.  We made landfall at one such cove on our cruise.  Some very interesting Bradshaw aboriginal paintings here.

I wandered off to beachcomb, and take in the scenery, as it was a fascinating place. Whilst strolling down  to the other end of the beach, I became separated briefly from the main party who were still examining the aboriginal drawings.

It was an idyllic scene, a typically warm tropical Kimberley day.  Suddenly I had a sense that I was not alone.  You know that feeling you get - hard to describe - when you feel that someone or something is watching you. Very odd.
I turned around, and looked at the nearest cliff.  To my great astonishment, a giant face peered at me.
Soon realised it was a natural formation, eroded over the centuries into the surface of the sandstone rock.  Can you too, see this rather sad looking rocky figure in my photograph ?  As I am a cartoonist by profession, I felt it merited a small sketch. This is also shown here.

Just like a Biggles story - a trek across a desolate salt flat, and a crashed WWII plane.

The Kimberley coast is full of surprises.   Our latest landfall on the Oceanic Discoverer cruise at Van Sittart Bay, produced another startling discovery.  An old aircraft wreck to explore !

 Here's what happened.  Back in 1942, an American DC-3 went missing on a flight from Perth to Darwin. It overshot Broome in the dark, and crash-landed on the coast at isolated Van Sittart Bay. Miraculously all six men on board survived in a soft landing.
They were marooned for two days until a rescue aircraft ( believed to be a Qantas Corinthian flying boat) arrived. Only a few days later, the Japanese bombed Darwin.

Ingeniously, the survivors managed to use pipes off the aircraft to distil fresh water from seawater.

Well over seventy years later, we trekked across a sandy flat to approach the aircraft.  The barren scene was reminiscent of a lunar landscape.  Weird rocks on a desolate salt pan. Then a hike through recently fire burnt scrub to reach the DC-3.   I expected to see Biggles and his crew pop out from the fuselage.

You can see the wreckage of this aircraft on Google Earth. Just go to 14° 7.692'S, 126° 18.564'E.
There are many stories in the Kimberley Coast area.  This is just one of them. I particularly enjoy an adventure story, especially when as in this case it had a happy ending for the brave crew. An interesting diversion to our Kimberley cruise holiday.

Sunset dinner on Veranda beach, Kimberleys.

 

Picture a deserted beach, fine white sand. Add chairs, champagne, good food and a Kimberley sunset. There you have the recipe for a magical cruise experience. Just mix together, and don't stir for an hour or two.

 

I'm sitting on a deck chair on remote Veranda Beach, waiting for our five star dinner to begin. The sun is making its final fiery descent down to a golden Indian ocean out to the West.   I am uncertain as to whether you will find the term "Veranda" beach on any map.  However it seems appropriate, as a veranda is surely a place to relax and contemplate. This we are doing with great enjoyment as you can imagine ! 

It has been a memorable cruise on Oceanic Discoverer. A mixture of exploring remote places, but being pampered at the same time.  I could get used to this.   But there are more surprises in store for us yet, before we get to our final port of Darwin.  Keep tuned !

 

  



Spooky caves on Winyalkan island.

Ships Log.  After leaving Bigge Island, we have now reached Winyalkan Island.
Latitude: -14.553299903 Longitude: 125.427902221.   Thank you Google maps.

I must admit, there are some remarkable rock formations on these remote islands off the Kimberley Coast.  Winyalkan - about 190 hectares in area - is no exception.   Landed on another steep beach, and explored some intriguing narrow caves in the cliff.  Extraordinary rocks and a large balancing boulder (above picture) near the entrance.

 Once inside the caves, it was single file only. In length, just a few metres, but distinctly spooky.
Torches at the ready, we wondered what lurked in these eerie stone corridors..... On close inspection, I noticed some assorted lichens on the walls. If you have a 'liking" for lichens, then this is the spot for you.  Also to be noted on this expedition,  a solitary bat hung down from the ceiling of one chamber. 

As for buried pirate treasure, we were out of luck.  Phew ! It was good to emerge into bright sunshine again outside.  And another highlight today - an osprey with a penthouse view atop a rock across the bay.

Behind the scenes on board a luxury Kimberley expedition ship

Not many cruise ships allow passengers on the actual bridge while the voyage is in progress.  Or if they do, such a 'behind the scenes" tour might be quite costly in addition to your cruise fare.

Ocean Discoverer ( or Coral Discoverer as it is now known) is different.  You are allowed to inspect the bridge at your leisure, because this company has an "open bridge" approach. 

I enjoyed the freedom of seeing how the ship was handled on my visit to the bridge. Talk about "Star Trek on the high seas !' Vast array of  high tech navigation instruments, dials, knobs and computer screens all ensuring our safety through these dangerous waters.  Friendly, courteous crew.

On another occasion, along with fellow passengers, I ventured down into the engine room deep in the bowels of the vessel. An adventure in itself.  We all put on large industrial-style ear muffs, looking like aliens from another planet. 
Descended down into a hot, noisy area, resplendent with well tuned, throbbing motors, and impressive looking dials.  The ear muffs proved excellent protection as my eardrums wouldn't have survived without them.

Ancient rocks and strange drawings on Bigge Island.

Arose at the crack of a tropical dawn this morning.  Getting up early not one of my strong points. However we have an exciting day ahead, with "Bigge" Island on the itinerary. Bigge Island is rectangular in shape, about 22km long by 11km wide. A spectacular place with rugged terrain, rising to a high point of 143 metres at Savage Hill.

With Oceanic Discoverer anchored offshore, we landed at tranquil Wary Bay, a white sand beach with interesting rocks and imposing sandstone cliffs. Turtle tracks in the sand. The early morning start was definitely worth the effort.

 Our party found an amazing aboriginal art gallery in the cleft of a cliff.  A series of sandy caves in the overhang of the cliff-face revealed old drawings from ancient artists. The inscriptions proved to be different in subject matter compared to other locations we've visited.  I could make out what appeared to be an impression of an old sailing ship.

The old vessel in the rock painting appears to be a two masted pearling lugger, or possibly a whaling ship. Perhaps shipwreck survivors or sailors landed here centuries ago looking for water ? 

I trekked with the other passengers to the top of a nearby bluff. Magnificent views, the only sound to be heard, the clicking of countless cameras recording the scene. Definitely one of the highlights of our cruise as we enjoyed our "big" day out on Bigge Island.  

Exploring another deserted island in the Kimberleys.

Ship's log. At noon today on the Oceanic Discoverer, we had honey chicken and rice, followed by gourmet sandwiches and salad, fruit for dessert.  I mention this in case you think that by this stage of the voyage, we would all be eating bully beef and dry crackers, with rationing in progress.  Not the case. I stocked up.

After lunch, I boarded the landing craft again with our party. We set off on a choppy sea to another nearby island in Prince Frederick harbour.  The new mystery island, or rather "islet"  has no name like dozens of others in the vicinity. Made landfall on a very steep beach involving a scramble up to the top. 

Over to the left of the cove was a large overhanging rock. In exploratory mode,  I found a cleft in the rock face, just big enough to squeeze through sideways. Curious to see where it went, I debated whether to go ahead.  Phillip Parker King would have had no hesitation, but perhaps he would have been more adventurous, ( and thinner) than myself.

Finally accepted the challenge (  should have eaten less at lunch !) and managed to get through using a subtle sideways movement that would have done credit to Harry Houdini.  On the other side ( see above photo) was a beautiful sheltered grove of mangroves with pristine white sand and cool shade. A tranquil place indeed, and well worth the squeeze to get there.

On returning, I found other members of the party had found aboriginal drawings on the rocky outcrop. The artwork looked rather like a curious letter "C" with a pair of spectacles in the middle.
No doubt it has a symbolic meaning known to the original inhabitants of this island.

From curious crevices to ancient aboriginal art,  an excellent place to visit, and another memorable day visiting a deserted island offshore in the remote Kimberleys, Western Australia.

Ashore on an unnamed island in Prince Frederick Harbour.

Another day, more untouched places where no-one seems to go.  Take today for instance.   Early morning, a leisurely cruise in the landing craft,up remote Porosus Creek in the Prince Frederick Harbour region.

You may wonder, like I did about the origin of Prince Frederick.  Could he be related to the present Prince Frederik of Denmark ? Not in this case. This Kimberley Frederick ( with a "c" )  was a blue blooded Engish royal, born 1750. He was a grandchild of George II and youngest brother of George III.

This is an area of majestic escarpments, eerie mangroves and curious crocodiles prowling the estuaries. Towering cliffs that must have not changed in centuries.

 Later, returned to our cruise ship for morning tea of hot chocolate and cakes.  Then it was all aboard the Xplorer landing craft again to head for an unnamed, uninhabited, and untouched island nearby.
We landed on a large sloping beach comprised of crushed coral.  No sign of anyone having been here before.  Our naturalist guide ( Jamie) gave us an interesting talk on the island fauna and flora.

The island in my opinion deserved a name  as the cartographers obviously hadn't got around to choosing one.  But what to call it ?  I considered "Rocky outcrop 435" as a possibility.  Even perhaps name it after myself, as it would be an honour to have an island in the name of  blogger Alan.J.Benge.

I mentioned this fact to our guide, but he said that there could be problems with native title, and it was a somewhat complex process naming an island.  It helped if you were first on the scene about two hundred years ago.

Time went quickly on AJB island.  Scrambling over large rocks, discovering curlew nests ( with eggs intact), and paddling ( carefully, eye out for crocs ) in the clear shallow water.  Cute bits of red coral on the beach.  A memorable place just because of its isolation.  It was great to have the opportunity to land here.

Early morning reflections on a Kimberley cruise.

One of the best times on a Kimberley cruise is early morning on deck.  The rest of the world has not yet awoken.  There is a special satisfaction in strolling the upper deck whilst others are sleeping in. 
This is one of the simple highlights of cruising, taking in the soft tropical air before the heat of the day has commenced. 
At this hour of day, the emerging sun has a distinctive sparkle as another day begins.  I gazed at the far horizon, imagining that the early explorer Phillip Parker King may have perhaps felt the same way, centuries ago as he voyaged up this untamed coast.

A sudden movement on the starboard side caught my eye this morning as I was at the rail.  Looking down, I saw a large shape  surfacing.  On closer inspection I identified it as a large grey shark.  It had what appeared to be a very long tail.  We looked at each other for a moment, the shark seemingly surprised as I was at this unexpected encounter.

Then the creature vanished, off in search of an early breakfast I suppose.

But not before I took a quick photo to record this  strange dawn rendez-vous.  The idea of an early breakfast seemed a good one to me too, so I set off for the buffet, satisfied that I had seen an unusual inhabitant of the depths.  It would make a good story to tell my fellow passengers around the breakfast table. And the shark of course, would grow larger in my imagination as I recounted my sighting. .

Is that a mermaid I see upon a tree ? Kimberley cruise expedition notes.

 I am still following in the steps of Phillip Parker King on this cruise. We have reached picturesque Careening Bay, part of  Prince Regent National Park in the Kimberleys.

Parker King "parked" here back in 1821, when he discovered a crack in the hull of his ship HMS Mermaid. It was, and still is, a good spot to take time out to relax and recuperate.

 King was grateful for the chance to plug his leak here, and still found time to carve the name of his ship on a handy tree. You can still see this beautifully hand-lettered piece of graffiti today.  The memory of HMS Mermaid lives on, centuries later. 

Nowadays park authorities have put in a handy boardwalk, plus background information signs by the boab.   My own opinion ?  A most attractive bay to visit in the middle of nowhere, and historically speaking, "boabsolutely brilliant"

Kings Cascade Falls - cool oasis where danger lurks..

Kings Cascades falls on the itinerary today.  Wonderful scenery, and although the falls are not in full flood on this occasion, it's still a spectacular spot . A tranquil scene awaits after we approach up the Prince Regent river. It is important to note that the area  has a sad history of well publicised fatal croc attacks.
 Phillip Parker King replenished fresh water supplies here for his sailing vessel in the early 1800's. He thought it was a good idea to name the falls after himself, which was fair enough. There is H2O aplenty when we arrive.
WA Parks and wildlife website advises "bringing your own drinking water as there is none available at the site."  Perhaps falls dry up at certain times of year ?
We take a showery excursion in a Zodiac inflatable, chugging around the base of the terraced falls. This doesn't dampen our enthusiasm.  A fine misty spray envelopes  us in the tropical heat, and it is most refreshing.
Despite this,  I have the feeling that beneath the surface of this beautiful spot  lurks danger with hungry, roving reptiles.  However, we're all smiling in the boat, although obviously hoping that we don't spring a leak.

Lazy days in the Buccaneer Archipelago on luxury Kimberley cruise

So far on my cruise through the remote Kimberleys, I have explored rocky Iron Island.  I've gazed in awe at incredible Montgomery Reef.   Clambered up Raft Point to view amazing aboriginal paintings.
Landed at Langgi Beach to find simply sensational stone statues standing in lonely sentinel.

But all adventurers must sometimes take it easy.  How peaceful to relax on a comfortable lounger as we plough peacefully through the Buccaneer Archipelago. Gentle tropical breezes wafting across the deck.  The only decision to be made is to wonder what might be on the five star menu for lunch ! 

There are more exciting places in store on this cruise and it will be great to experience them in the next few days. In the meantime, I'll just have a short siesta......will keep you posted.

The sensational stone warriors of Langgi Beach.

If ever there is a beach that is unlike no other, then that place in my opinion, would have to be Langgi Beach in the Kimberleys.   Simply spectacular statues, standing in stony silence.   Eerie, weird, bizarre, all adjectives that describe this remarkable cove.
These natural sandstone pillars are a sacred site for the Worora people. The aborigines believe that these formations are warriors killed in a Dreamtime battle.
It is easy to imagine how these eroded rocks could be taken for mythical beings, or long lost ancestors.   Well worth a visit on your Kimberley cruise holiday.

Cruising up a Kimberley creek with cunning crocs for company.

My mission, should I choose to accept it ( and I did) was to go where I had never gone before.  On a night cruise in an open Xplorer landing craft up a remote creek in the Kimberleys. 
This was part of my cruise itinerary on the Oceanic Discoverer.  After a barramundi dinner on board the luxury vessel, our party boarded the landing craft for an adventure cruise amongst dangerous crocodiles.
Needless to say, no-one was trailing their hands in the water.  We progressed at a slow speed up an unnamed, and pitch black mangrove creek.  As you can imagine, it is an eerie feeling being out on a dark tropical night, up the creek without a paddle, although admittedly we did have a reliable engine for propulsion.
Evil looking eyes glowed in the darkness.  Crocs on the port bow ! I took a couple of snapshots, hoping that the subject of my photos didn't "snap" me up in the process.  Looked at my watch.  Eight 'o croc ! 

Whilst the crocodiles I saw this evening were not big, probably around 2 metres, there is a continuing problem of "rogue crocs" in the Kimberley area.  The Australian saltwater crocodile is the biggest reptile in the world, and can weigh up to over 1000kg.A fascinating experience, but it was a relief to leave "Crocodylus porosus" in its natural habitat, and return to our comfortable ship.

Magnificent aboriginal art adorns a cool cave atop a distant Kimberley peak.

Art galleries are always interesting places, but take it from me, this one really rocks ! With other members of our cruise, I climbed up a short but steep hill from Raft Point in the Kimberleys.
On our way up, we puffed and panted along a rocky trail past boab trees and great views of Steep Island out in the bay.

The climb was worth the effort in the tropical heat, because a cool shady rock overhang awaited us.
We sat in respectful silence as our guest lecturer told us about these ancient inscriptions.
As you can see in the above photo, the cave ceiling and walls are adorned with some excellent examples of Wandjina aboriginal art.

 These particular ones are known as Bradshaw paintings. They are powerfully drawn in earthy colours, and make a very impressive display. Bradshaw was the name of an early pastoralist who discovered these fine works of art back in the early 1800's.

The cave also had some other visitors, including a rock python wedged in a back cavity, and a large hornets nest just above where I was sitting.  This all added to the excitement of our trek !

Extraordinary island - Ayers Rock of the sea in the Kimberleys.

 

 

The Kimberley is full of remarkable sights and this one is no exception to the rule.  The top picture shows Steep Island - Ayers Rock of the sea.  As you can see, it bears a marked resemblance to its more famous counterpart - Ayers Rock of the inland - Uluru.
After investigating Montgomery Reef, my cruise has now progressed to Doubtful Bay.  Steep Island is a distinguishing landmark in this tranquil spot.. The waters around Steep Island are excellent for barramundi fishing.  Don't be deceived by the tranquillity, because these are dangerous waters too, with sharks and crocs in abundance.
Today, our cruise party divided up into two groups.  The first went on a leisurely cruise around Steep Island to examine the geology and flora. Good luck to them.
I decided to go ashore with the other group at rocky Raft Point. Our aim is to check out some interesting aboriginal drawings at the top of a nearby hill. This will involve a boulder hopping scramble up a scrubby slope. More about this in next post.