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.

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.

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.