I was lucky enough to sail the Kimberley in September, right at the end of the dry season. The days were bright and sunny, the evenings were warm, such an amazing part of the world to explore on a small ship.
Here's how it went, and what I'd want you to know if you're thinking about going.
A very big, very empty corner of Australia
The Kimberley sits in the north-west corner of the country and is roughly three times the size of England, with fewer than 40,000 people living there. It is also rich in Aboriginal heritage and holds one of the largest concentrations of rock art anywhere in the world. We saw plenty of it.
The cruising season runs through the dry months, from May to October, when the ships sail back and forth between Broome and Darwin. I sailed on PONANT's Le Soléal, with around 180 guests on board and a crew of nearly 150, so we were very well looked after.
Starting in Broome
I flew from Christchurch to Perth and on to Broome. It's a small, easy town to get around, and it feels very Australian, a bit like the country must have been before the big cities took over. I even hopped on the local bus to get from one side of town to the other. Cable Beach is famous for its sunsets, there are plenty of places to learn about the pearling industry, and the historic Sun Pictures open-air cinema is well worth a look, if there is something on for you.
Lacepede Islands: birds and turtles
Our first Zodiac outing was to the Lacepede Islands, which are home to enormous breeding colonies of brown boobies and frigatebirds, plus a great many terns. We cruised around for a few hours while the expedition guides explained what we were looking at. The sun was beating down, the air coming off the sea was cool, and small green turtles kept bobbing up to lift their heads and look at us.
Montgomery Reef and the tide
The tides in the Kimberley are among the biggest in the world, and Montgomery Reef is where you really see it. We spent two or three hours on the Zodiacs watching the water drain off the reef, with seagrass beds and corals emerging as the level dropped. The tide was moving fiercely.
On the way back, the crew surprised us. A sandbank had appeared while we were out, and they had set up drinks on it, so we all stood on the sandbank with a glass in hand, miles from anywhere.
Freshwater Cove: rock art with Aboriginal hosts
After breakfast on a bright morning, we landed at Freshwater Cove, where fresh water runs out just beyond the reach of the incoming tide. Aboriginal hosts greeted us and took us up to see ancient Gwion Gwion and Wandjina rock art.
The walk takes about half an hour, we passed huge termite mounds, built from soil, saliva and waste, and one was taller than me. The walk is exposed, but it isn't far, and the guides walked at the front and the back of the group, reminding us to take water and wear hats.
Horizontal Falls
The next day was the Horizontal Falls. Because of the huge tides, the water builds up faster than it can squeeze through the gaps in the rock, creating a waterfall effect of up to four metres, sideways. The Zodiacs take you right up to the edge for a bit of fun, though you can't go all the way through.
Getting in and out of the Zodiacs is easier than it looks. There is always someone there to help, and with six to eight people per boat, there's plenty of room to move around and see everything and enjoy the views.
Careening Bay and the Mermaid tree
In the early 1800s, Lieutenant Philip Parker King was the first person to chart this coast, aboard his ship the Mermaid. When the hull sprang a leak, Careening Bay was the best place to bring her ashore for repairs. The carving of the ship's name is still there in a tree, in what is now called Prince Regent National Park.
In 2011, Aboriginal Rangers helped build a boardwalk so visitors don't trample the roots, and the engraving is beautifully preserved for all to see.
Swift Bay and more rock art
We made an early start at Swift Bay to see more rock art before the sun got too hot. Each painting belongs to a particular group, and the ones we saw included fish, crocodiles and turtles in bright orange and a lighter white, kept safe under sheltered overhangs where the weather can't reach them.
If rock art isn't your thing, there's an option to take a helicopter excursion to Mitchell Falls instead. It's a wonderful way to understand how vast the Kimberley is. We were there late in the season, so there was less water around, as the falls are at their fullest at the start of the dry season.
Mangroves, crocodiles and wildlife
One of my favourite mornings was a Zodiac tour of the mangroves, with just eight of us. It was a little overcast, which was a relief after the heat. We meandered through the inlets and outlets of the river, speeding up a little now and again, with a guide explaining what was going on around us.
We saw ospreys, darters and peregrine falcons high in the mangroves, and saltwater crocodiles resting at the river's edge. One, right beside us, was fast asleep. By the afternoon it had turned the other way as the other passengers were talking about it.
We also spotted rock wallabies among the rocky outcrops, mudskippers hopping about on the mud flats, and orange crabs everywhere.
You do have to have good spotting eyes to find the wildlife, but that's what the expedition team is for.
King George River
Our final big day was on the King George River, which runs for 112 kilometres and ends at the twin-drop King George Falls. Being late in the season, there wasn't a lot of water coming over, but you can easily imagine how much the water cascades down in April or May. We had a good look around, and afterwards the crew had set up on the zodiacs in the corner and we were each handed a drink to cool down.
Thinking about the Kimberley?
We have plenty of small-ship options for the Kimberley, and I'm always happy to help with planning, share what I learned first-hand, or send you some photos. A few of my colleagues have been too, so please get in touch for a chat whenever suits you.
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