Kimberley Icons, Ashmore & The Rowley Shoals

Darwin Departures: Arrive at Darwin Fort Hill Wharf for boarding at 8:00am, with time to settle into your stateroom before our 9:00am departure. There will be a light breakfast available upon boarding before we cruise across Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and sail into Western Australian waters.
Broome Departures: Arrive at the Mangrove Hotel at 3:30pm before our transfer before our transfer to Broome Deep Water Port for boarding at 4:00pm. Settle into your stateroom before our 5:00pm departure.
Take the time to become acquainted with all the facilities onboard before join the expedition team in the Bridge Deck Lounge for an introduction to the Kimberley. As dusk falls meet your fellow travellers, the Captain and crew for the Captain’s Welcome Drinks.
 

Cruise down the scenic King George River, through steep-sided gorges carved by a flooded river system that carved a swathe through the Kimberley landscape 400 million years ago. We will take the opportunity to get up close and view the honeycomb erosion patterns of the 80m tall sandstone cliffs.

Today we will land at either Swift Bay, Wollaston Bay or Bigge Island. Each of these locations are home to fantastic Wandjina and Gwion Gwion Rock Art (Bradshaw) galleries. Stretch your legs and explore the magnificent sandstone structures, providing an abundance of rock shelters. On the walls of these shelters is where we will find examples of this rock art.

The territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands is made up of the West, Middle and East Islands of Ashmore Reef, as well as Cartier Island and the surrounding 12 nautical mile territorial sea. These islands are uninhabited, making them the perfect location for seabird breeding. Each year around 100,000 seabirds flock to the marine parks three tiny islands. The reef here boasts a wide diversity of marine life, including over 70 fish species and 255 varieties of coral. To protect this reef, the Australian Government declared the Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve in 1983. The islands also have a significant marine turtle nesting area and migratory bird populations. Here we will spend time birdwatching, swimming and snorkelling the pristine reef.

A group of four separate reef structures including Scott Reef South, Scott Reef Central, Scott Reef North and Seringapatam Reef – These atolls are situated on the continental shelf in the Timor Sea. Weather and tide permitting we will snorkel and dive the outer reef – The sheer walls and diverse ecosystems of this
acclaimed coral habitat will take your breath away! Enjoy nature and historical interpretations from your Expedition Team.

Weather and tide permitting we will visit the remote and beautiful Adele Island. Pristine, teeming with breeding birds and supported by coral reef that surrounds it, Adele Island was declared a Nature Reserve in 2001. Adele Island is recognised for its bird breeding sanctuary, classified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird
Area for its seabirds and waders. Adele Reef is one of the more unique reef habitats on the planet, with exclusive discoveries reported in this area. This area is of great scientific interest as it provides an environmental link between the Kimberley’s oceanic and inshore reef systems.

Montgomery Reef is a biologically diverse area covering over 300 sq km and was named by Phillip Parker King. Twice daily, as the sea recedes in mammoth 11m tides, Montgomery Reef rises from the Indian Ocean in a cascade of rushing water revealing a flat-topped reef pockmarked with rock pools and rivulets. As the reef emerges, we get up close in our Xplorer and Zodiac inflatable tenders to witness the spectacle as our Expedition Team share their knowledge on the formation of the reef and the myriad wildlife. Opportunistic birds take advantage of the emerging reef, feeding on marine life left exposed in rock pools. Turtles, dolphins, dugongs and sawfish too are also attracted to feeding opportunities as the ocean recedes. The ocean is awash in a swirl of eddies and whirlpools as the moon’s gravitational force takes hold. Then, a few hours later the entire water-borne drama is reversed as the tide comes in and Montgomery Reef disappears below sea level.

Depending on the tides we will visit Red Cone Creek, which flows gently downstream until it meets the small but impressive Ruby Falls. Named by local mariner Capt. Chris Tucker after his daughter, Red Cone Creek is carved through rock formations stacked atop each other like building blocks. These rock walls are great for climbing and clambering over before reaching a series of freshwater swimming holes and waterfalls. The falls may be a gurgling torrent or a gentle trickle, depending on the time of the year.
 

The Horizontal Falls are one of the Kimberley’s biggest attractions and are a result of the mammoth 11m tides for which the Kimberley is renowned. Naturalist David Attenborough described the Horizontal Falls as ‘one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.’ This natural phenomenon has been created as the ocean thunders through a narrow gorge in the McLarty Ranges. Water builds up on one side and is forcibly pushed through the bottleneck, creating a rushing horizontal waterfall of swiftly
flowing seawater. Riding the rapids on our Zodiac inflatable tenders is one of the highlights of our Kimberley expedition cruises. Talbot Bay is at the heart of the Buccaneer Archipelago, where rocks on the 800 or so islands are estimated at over 2 billion years old. At Cyclone Creek, you will see evidence of massive geological forces in the impressive rock formations and cruise through the Iron Islands past Koolan Island.

The Lacepede Islands are a protected class-A nature reserve and are significant as a seabird nesting rookery for brown boobies and roseate terns. Other species often sighted at the Lacepedes include Australian Pelicans, frigate birds, egrets and gulls. The four low-lying islands are also an important breeding and nesting habitat for green turtles. If weather and tide conditions are suitable, we will explore the lagoons by Xplorer and Zodiac tender vessels.

At the edge of the continental shelf, 170 nautical miles offshore, lie the Rowley Shoals a chain of 3 coral atolls including Clerke, Mermaid and Imperieuse Reefs. The shoals, named by Captain Phillip Parker King, offer some of the best snorkelling and diving opportunities in the world. Their shallow lagoons are inhabited by myriad coral species and marine life, including giant potato cod, Maori wrasse, at least 233 species of coral and 688 species of fish – many of which are not found on other coral reefs. Diving along the outside edge of the shoals one can view colourful soft corals, hammerheads and pelagic fish. Water clarity here is absolutely unparalleled, making for superb underwater photography opportunities. Conditions permitting, we will spend 1-2 days at Clerke, with ample time for snorkelling and diving opportunities. With each atoll covering approximately 90sq km, there will be plenty to see! Guided by our on-board marine biologist, snorkel away the day in the coral gardens of the Aquarium at Clerke Reef, or dive along the sheer vertical walls and through coral canyons. If time and tide permit, we may also visit Bedwell Island, with a chance to look out for the rare red-tailed tropicbird.