Birthday (Montgomery Reef)

Time and tide wait for no man. I hear Hamlet chime in dear reader, nor woman neither. Ah, yes, a little Shakespearean joke to begin our daily blog post. Ok, a very little joke. Still, it amused me and I, after all, am the master of this page. If that's OK with my editor (it's OK - Jayne).

Today is my editor's birthday which is part of the reason we are here. I am taking suggestions for next year's trip. All assistance gratefully received.

Not easy to see, but there is a sandbank between us and this ship

The tide, as you may have guessed, set the agenda of the day - again. The zodiac trips from the ship to Montgomery Reef commenced at 6:15am. Our disembarkation from the Le Lapérouse was at 6:30, while the last group headed out at 8:00am. No sleep in for us (again), especially since at 5:30am they required the side gang way to be down as a last resort measure in case it was too rough to load the zodiacs from the aft deck, the usual disembarkation spot. This second point of departure is immediately adjacent to our stateroom and unfortunately when they decided to deploy the stairs, they put them down - none too quietly. Anyway, my dedicated reader, you know I prefer mornings. 

We were warned last night at briefing that we would get wet. It was time to break out the spray jackets. Not to keep me dry, but to protect the camera because I was not bringing the backpack today. Despite the warning the trip across to the reef was quite calm. The swell was choppy but slight and the breeze was at our backs.

Montgomery Reef covers an area of around 400 square kilometres and is about 80 metres long. Nothing unusual there, reefs come in all shapes and sizes. It is the tidal movement that makes it unique in the world. Yes, there is nothing like this anywhere else in the world. The reef is subject to tidal movement of up to 10 metres which creates a torrent of water and numerous cascading waterfalls as water pours off the emerging reef. It is a haven for birds and turtles, both of which we saw in huge number this morning. It also provides the reef birds with an easy meal as they simply have to wander around the corals and pick up any fish left stranded by the receding tide.  They do this night and day - whenever the reef emerges from the sea waters.

At first glance the reef resembles a rock, but close up you can see it is a mass of different coral. The coral has created its own adaptation to survive. It produces an enzyme resulting in a mucus that is akin to a 50+ factor sunscreen which stops any potential bleaching. Apparently the smell of this enzyme is not so pleasant. Fortunately the breeze helped the smell diffuse this morning.

The journey back to the ship was not so dry although I've experienced far worse. It was certainly bumpy as the zodiac crashed through the swell into the wind. Adrian did an excellent job steering and minimised the effect of the splash that would normally have seen me drenched. I was fortunate enough to be sitting at the front. While we did stay dry, the salt from the spray left interesting patterns on our clothes.

We were back on board and seated at breakfast by 8:30am, which allowed time for showers and recovery as well as few minutes catching up with the blog. As I sit here waiting for lunch and inspiration for the today's title, sipping my G&T, I reflect on the fact that A.B. Facey did not have a fortunate life, but I certainly do.

I wanted to explore these rocks ... but , no. Not on the itinerary.

After a relaxing lunch and a few wines, I discussed the possibility of returning to the zodiac and heading to Raft Point. The landing was not going to be comfortable - rocks and oysters. I prefer my oysters on a plate with a vinaigrette or lemon juice. The general consensus of those around us was ... nuh. Too hot for a 45 minute walk that would not be fun in the scorching sun to see art work that was similar to what we have already seen. I opted to return to the air conditioned stateroom and complete my work for the day.

Do they look baked in the sun? Note the change in water colour.

Dinner tonight is another gala dinner, our last. We have opted out of formality for casual dining. Well, it is the editor's birthday and she gets to choose. Thankfully, she chose well. And it is the birthday sentiment that proves a winner for today's title, except we are not going to a party, party, we are dining quietly away form the glitz and glamour. The Birthday song is by the Beatles, but you knew that.

Raft Point is around the first headland.

When we returned form dinner, there was a little surprise awaiting Jayne.

Tomorrow we are heading for the Lacepede Islands. It is our last full day on board Le Lapérouse as the expedition cruise comes to its conclusion.

Until next time ... or Broome, when we will have a reliable internet connection.

Under Pressure (Talbot Bay, Horizontal Falls)

Another post card morning, although this time as we woke up, we were moving towards Talbot Bay and had yet to move through the narrow channel. I'm sure it has a special name, but I can't recall, as Ronald Reagan said so often.

The view at breakfast

It was breakfast at 7am so we could see the journey through the islands and particularly the tight navigation through what is known as "the narrows". We scored a breakfast table outside and enjoyed the relative peace of the early morning while the staff fussed over us. Another day roughing it on an expedition voyage.

Post breakfast we went up to the Observation Deck on Pont 6 to enjoy sailing through the narrows. It was a beautiful morning, turquoise seas, sunshine and then wind in your face on the observation deck. Actually wind doesn't quite sum it up. I fought to open the door, removed my lanyard and glasses, placed both in my pocket and bravely pushed forward to a place at the rail. I'm not sure how they measure wind speed up here dear reader, but it was strong enough to blow a dog off a chain.

The second set of narrows

After having every wrinkle from my face smoothed out and my receding hairline moved another few centimetres up my head it was time to seek the relative safety of the cabin.

Random observation: it is difficult to not to observe other people's knees when seated on the pumped-up sides of a zodiac. Aside from hearing aides, the other go-to accessory appears to be vertical scars from the top of the shin to above knee. Neither Jayne nor I have this accessory or the other - and that is good.

From our initial observations, Talbot Bay is as busy as Pitt Street, Sydney at this time of the year.  There are a number of vessels, some private, some commercial, as well as a seasonal boat/pontoon complete with live-in staff and a helipad to receive the constant influx of visitors who fly in by sea plane or helicopter from, most probably, Broome.  The big draw card you ask?  The Horizontal Waterfalls to which we are headed both this morning and again this afternoon.  

The seaplane/helipad/fast boat pontoon and Le Lapérouse

This phenomenon that David Attenborough described as "one of the greatest wonders of the natural world" is a pair of breaks in a mountain range that has narrow entry and exit points through which the massive tidal flows of the Kimberley try to squeeze.  These create a huge back up of water on alternate sides of the gap which results in a tidal difference of almost 11 metres.  This massive movement of tidal water between the sides of the gap is a "horizontal waterfall" of up to 4 metres.

The trip out this morning was very wet, courtesy of the wind and the swell it whipped it up. I was saturated before we'd gone more than 100 metres. I shifted my back pack further down the zodiac to Jayne's care to protect the camera.

Note the water level

We observed the falls at a distance but were restricted in how close we could go. We could have certainly passed through the falls but the 70 horsepower of the zodiac outboard motor is not sufficient to come back against the tidal flow, such is its power and speed.  Had we gone through, we would not have been coming back any time soon.  At least until the change of tide. Therefore, we observed from a distance the powerful (1200 horsepower) fast jet boats that take tourists backwards and forwards through the gap and then we headed out to explore Cyclone Creek and its amazing rocky cliffs, bird life and river whirlpools.

An hour later - look at the water level

After the falls, we zodiaced (is that a word?) around the waterway into Cyclone Creek and a few other quiet waterways. We saw abundant birdlife in one of the backwaters, Brahminy Eagle, Whistling Kite, Friar bird, Rainbow Bee Eater, Honey Eaters, the list goes on.

The geology and geography is fascinating and far too complicated for this simple mind my dear reader. Perhaps photographs might display some of the curiosity of the area. The geology also provides today's title, that classic collaboration between David Bowie and Queen, Under Pressure. It was pressure that has created the twisted and tortured rock formations of the Kimberley.

Rocks ... under pressure

Back home it was time to reapply sunscreen and attend to lunch and the magical Rizal who appears at Jayne's shoulder with a bottle of French Rosé as soon as she is seated. Then back to the computer to work on the blog before this afternoon's trip through the falls on the fast boat.

The fast boat trip was, well, fast. As one might expect. It did have 4 x 300 horse power outboard motors to ensure passage against a  very strong current. In the time we had been back on board the tide had turned completely and was now running in the opposite direction. The driver told us that, at the change of tide, the falls are actually still for less than one minute before they resume their passage through the gap. We crossed back and forth through the gap a few times, but were unable to get through the second narrower set of falls.  The driver informed us that they will not pass through these unless the tidal difference is less than a metre. As with everything in this area, the tides rule and if they aren't right then you alter your plans.

It looks calm enough

Until you get closer

The tide is on the way out

The second falls- a no go zone today

The fast boat was a great experience and we didn't even get wet, something that is becoming increasingly unusual on our excursions. Back to a warm shower and a quick G&T and the daily recap. The G&T was quite pleasant, replacing the variable quality of the Piña Colada and confirming that I make a bad G&T - I have never mastered them at home.

Dinner was the usual 5 course affair on Deck 4.

Tomorrow we are up early again for a trip to Montgomery Reef. We board our Zodiac at 6:30am and we have been warned that, due to the predicted wind and swell, we will get wet.

Until next time ... internet connection willing.

Ant music (Freshwater Cove and Langgi, WA)

It is difficult to adequately capture the scenery as we wake each morning and pull back the curtains of our stateroom. For the past few days the scenery has been similar, sparkling azure blue seas, cloudless sunny skies, rocky islands and deserted beaches. The Kimberley holds an allure, promising everything but just holding back at the last minute. The water looks enticing even from the shade. Sitting in the sun for half an hour it promises even more ... but for the sharks and crocodiles. It's like that beautiful girl from your teenage years; always around but just out of your reach.

The title today? I know my dear reader it does come as a surprise. It is certainly not something in my vinyl collection, but it does link with an anecdote from today's adventure as you will read. Whatever happened to Adam and the Ants? One would think they'd make a comeback on the strength of the Ant-man movies.

Today was a special day. Well, yes, each day has been special, but today was more so. Today we met traditional owners on country. We were greeted by Naomi who marked our faces with red ochre. It is a sign of welcome and an agreement from us that we will respect the law and tradition. Following this we set off up the dune and across some open country to an indigenous gallery featuring rock art. The gallery is really an overhang that has been used for thousands of years to tell the stories of the Worrorra people.

The Worrorra are salt water people and are a part of the Wandjina culture and belief system. For those who remember the 2000 Olympics in Sydney the Wandjina featured in the opening ceremony. The Wandjina has eyes but no mouth because it has given the laws for the people to live by and they are not to be changed. The law is the law - no need to say anything else.

The walk to the gallery was described as "challenging". Perhaps one day I will find a stroll through the bush challenging but that day has not yet come. Although there was one area where we had to squeeze between two rocks. Apparently if you get through you are allowed to have dessert that night. If not ... well. Jayne almost made it through unscathed until her sun shirt grabbed part of the rock face and tore. I did work up a sweat for the first time because of the heat once we moved away form the beautiful sea breeze. There were flowering gums with friar birds chasing little honey eaters away from the blossoms. It was quite pleasant sitting in the shade listening to the birds while we waited for our turn in the gallery below the rocks we were on.

A disused green ant nest

Josh and one of the other guides pointed out various things to the group as we enjoyed the afternoon. "Ever tasted a green ant?" he asked me. "No" I replied as he reached forward with a green ant between his fingers. "You can bite off the green bit and crunch it. Or you can just lick it." I opted to lick it, several times. It has a bitter-sweet lemon flavour. I then released the little fellow back onto his nest. Apparently green ants are quite the on trend industry. There is green ant encrusted cheese and green ant gin. It was certainly a new experience and provided me with the title for today's blog.

The Worrorra people use the ants for a variety of medicinal purposes including rubbing them on the skin as an antiseptic, drinking water infused with the ants to induce breast milk flow and in concentrate, as a purported form of contraception.

The rock art was spectacular and Naomi's brother, Neil related stories to us from the Dreaming or Lalai, the creation time, as it is referred to up here. The stories are painted onto the ceiling of the overhang and relate to moral lessons; always listen to your parents, as well as explaining natural features of the area such as te whirlpools at Montgomery Reef. Again, I have photos, but we were requested not to post them on social media. If you are interested in looking at the art, Dr Google is more than able to assist you.

Following our talk from Neil, we made our way back to the beach where we were smoked by two of Neil's brothers to ensure the spirits didn't follow us back to the ship. Another zodiac ride, this time it was calm and smooth. Back on deck it was time to repair Jayne's shirt and have lunch. I have never eaten so much and the food is excellent - mostly.

Jayne at the smoking ceremony

There was a rather long break before the next zodiac outing at Langgi, 3 nautical miles from Freshwater Cove. The tide is a mere 8 metres today, so the landings and departures from the beach need to be carefully managed to ensure all guests get ashore and more importantly get back to the ship again.

Get ready for the splash

While we were whiling away the hours over lunch and a very nice, crisp French rosé, the shout "whale" went up. Indeed there were a couple of humpback whales not far from the ship waving fins and slapping tails in the water. That occupied us for a while and then we returned to our stateroom to process some photos and get some thoughts down for future blog posts. While enjoying the quiet of our balcony, Jayne saw some more humpbacks. In the space of a few minutes we saw more whale action here than we did on the entire whale watching expedition in Canada. And we stayed warm.

Watching the tide is fascinating. The speed at which it moves is quite frightening and it would be easy to caught unaware if you were not familiar with the area. As we made the beach at Langgi to see the Wandjini pillar rock formations there was a boat that was anchored, but on sand. On our return less than an hour later it was floating and too far out from the coast to wade to it.

The sand stone pillars along side a narrow the gorge on the beach at Langgi are up 3 metres tall. Two prominent pillars are the Wandjina and the wife he stole from another man.  They were hunted down on the beach and speared, immediately turning to stone, along with all the warriors that were surrounding them to enforce the law.  They stand there, frozen in time, to remind the Worrorra people of the way they should live.

This is the silhouette art shot

Given the shower you enjoy riding in a zodiac we generally have another as soon as we return to the ship. This ensures we are always clean and don't spread disease like they do on those nasty bulk cruise carriers. You know the ones I mean dear reader, they look like a block of flats parked at Circular Quay. All glitz and no substance.

Showered and dressed for dinner, it was down for the nightly recap and then briefing for tomorrow. A back row seat ensures a hasty get-away to check the newly posted lists for zodiac groupings and times.

Tomorrow we were supposed to be going to Montgomery Reef, but the tides are not right for that visit. Therefore, days are being swapped around and we are headed for Talbot Bay and the Horizontal Falls.

Until next time.