Kimberley cruise, Western Australia, Part 4

 Hi all, I hope you and yours are doing well. 

So here we are now at the final part of sharing with you our Kimberley Cruise in June. I wouldn't normally have so many posts for only 9 days, but it was such an AMAZING trip I just had to share with you. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you. If you missed any of the previous posts you can catch up with them here - please click on the links. 

If you need a translator button it is over there on the right hand side. 

Kimberley cruise intro

Kimberley cruise - Part 1 - meet the crew, take a look around the boat, dramatic coastlines, swimming holes, waterfalls, wonderful food, Horizontal Falls, Montgomery Reef, crocodiles, sunsets

Kimberley cruise - Part 2 - King Cascades, Amphitheatre Falls, flying foxes, dinners, Rothsay Waters, Gwion Gwion aboriginal rock art, Wandjina aboriginal rock art 

Kimberley cruise - Part 3 - fishing, crabbing, oystering, throw net, Sheep Island, Mermaid Tree, Pebbles & Bam Bam rock hole, honeyeater nest

I can't thank enough Diversity Charters, the five crew of Diversity III and our ten fellow passengers for making our holiday so memorable and everything we had hoped for. Diversity Charters actually have 2 boats - Diversity II and Diversity III. Diversity II is slightly smaller. Both sleep 12 and all rooms have en-suites. The rooms were beautifully fitted out and we were looked after so well. Diversity III also has more entertaining/eating/relaxing areas. 

Our last full day of our cruise was a relaxing day spent in and around Prince Frederick Harbour. Those who wanted an early morning fish went out in the tenders, followed by a cooked breakfast - smoked salmon and egg on pancake. All our meals had been restaurant quality and so delicious - thanks chef Sam! Sam is on his way to live in Spain with his partner. We wish the both of them well for the future. 

After breakfast we went over to rock Art Island to see some Wandjina aboriginal art: Kimberley cruise Part 2 and then the guys had a go at throw net fishing. And after lunch some more fishing, where I finally caught a fish! Kimberley cruise Part 3. Could this really be our last day already? 

For our last night we were treated to a bonfire on the beach of Naturalist Island with bubbly, Sashimi, steak, barramundi and salad. And music supplied by our resident musicians from York, Western Australia - fellow passengers Ron and Tim. Thanks guys. 

You might like to know that the bon-fire was set below the high tide mark, so when the tide came in that night all remnants of the fire would be washed away. 

Photos were taken and we talked about the wonderful times, sites and adventures we had experienced.  Below you can see crew Tommy, Skipper Mark, Crew Adam, and Hostess Lecette. And our new friends - our wonderful fellow passengers from all over Australia. 

As the fire died down and the sun set on our last night, it was with some sadness we returned to the boat. 

Next day was sadly goodbye. Diversity had flown the next group of passengers in from Broome that morning, and landed on the beach in helicopters. We were taken to the shore in the tenders and climbed into the helicopters. We had never been in a helicopter before and I really hoped we were going in the bigger helicopter, but no, we were assigned to the smaller helicopter. Below is me getting into the helicopter - do you really want me to get in there? - where's its mummy? 

I was so nervous, and felt so vulnerable in that tiny helicopter, and so I didn't really enjoy the flight, and yet small planes don't bother me. The views however were amazing. 

Most of these pictures were taken by my husband. The towering waterfalls in the images below are the Mitchell Falls. They fall a total height of 80 metres (262 feet). 

The falls are an iconic Kimberley landmark and a place of spiritual significance to the Wunambal Gaambera aboriginal people who know the falls as Punamii-unpuu.

To reach the falls on foot there is a 4-wheel-drive unsealed track north of the Gibb River Road. The 172km Mitchell Plateau track is unsealed, narrow, and can have steep inclines and river crossings, necessitating a high-clearance 4WD. Allow 2-3 hours each way. Here is a link to an excellent Kimberley guide - www.Kimberley Australia. Their blog post about the Mitchell Plateau track shows many photos of the drive in. 

From the Mitchell Falls campground there is a 4-6 hour moderately difficult 4.5km each way trek to the falls. As well as camping, there is a lodge and you can hire a helicopter for the trip to or from the falls. Swimming is not permitted below the falls due to crocodiles. Be well prepared for the trek, and you need to be reasonable fit, be careful of the cliff edges and advise someone where you are going. 

As I doubt we would ever walk to the falls, the helicopter ride over the falls was a bonus. We had previously taken a small plane flight over the Mitchell Plateau from Drysdale Station in 2016 when we drove the Gibb River Road. 

About 45 minutes later we landed at a bush air-strip for the light plane flight back to Broome - about 2 hours. Time for one last photo with our travel group.

It was wonderful seeing the Kimberley from the air on our way back to Broome. We were amazed with the detail we captured through the window with a mobile phone! 

I love the fingers of the creeks stretching inland through the mangrove lined rocky creek lines. 

Below is Mangrove Island in the Barlee Impediment where we went mud crabbing amongst the mangroves - Kimberley Cruise - Part 3

Mudflats 

Below are the Horizontal Falls - Kimberley Cruise - Part 1. You can see the gap where the boats go through. There is a pontoon where sea planes arrive with visitors. 

Before we knew it we were back in Broome. Goodbyes and hugs to the wonderful group we had shared the last nine days with and then back on the bus to our hotel for 1 night. The next day we flew back to Perth, then back home, and the wind-down and getting back into reality of everyday life after an incredible adventure.

A huge heartfelt thankyou to Diversity Charters and the wonderful crew of Diversity III 

Lastly thankyou to our friends who cruised on Diversity III in 2023 and recommended them to us and where full of their adventures when they returned.

 

I thoroughly recommend a small boat cruise across the top of the Kimberley. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

If you are looking for a translate button - it's there near the top on the right hand side. 
   

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen

Travel Tuesday

Talking About It Tuesdays @ Slices of Life

ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

H20 Thursday

Gma's Photo Generic Thursday Linkup

Sky Watch Friday

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Until then, enjoy your day...Life only comes around once, so do what makes you happy, be kind, and be with people who make you smile. 

Those magnificent men in their flying machines

"Do you know what is on the end of the Busselton Jetty?" the pilot asked. We knew the jetty well, or thought we did. 

Built in 1865 the Busselton Jetty is the longest piled wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere. I've blogged about the jetty before, including here  - Busselton Jetty & the Equinox Cafe  and Busselton Jetty swim

We had walked out on the jetty for years, and fished and squidded from it many times in our younger years. In more recent times we had taken our grandsons in the little train out to the end to see the underwater observatory.  Yes, we knew the jetty well.

But wrong! Here is a view we had never seen before..... there are whales painted on the end of the jetty! 
 The paintings, completed in December 2015 by Dunsborough artist Ian Mutch, include paintings of a humpback whale and calf, a southern right whale and a blue whale. You can read more about them here, including a short video  - Whale Wonder at the end of the Busselton Jetty

How did we come to see this view? On Saturday we enjoyed a joy flight over Busselton, Dunsborough and Cape Naturaliste. 

In March I had gone down to Busselton with my son and grandsons to the Busselton Aerofest Air Show. I blogged about it here - From paddock to city. At the show we had all bought raffle tickets. My eldest nine year old grandson had one of the winning tickets - a ride in a 1930′s vintage open-cockpit Tiger Moth biplane with Tiger Moth Adventure Flights. Unfortunately for him he was too young to take the flight, and he was very disappointed. So my son, his dad, went in his place, and organised a joy flight for the rest of us in a six-seater Cessna from Busselton Air Service.

First off, the owner of the Tiger Moth showed us his plane, and allowed our grandsons to sit in the cockpit. He had heard the story of how disappointed our grandson had been not to be able to take the flight. Then he went through the safety info with my son, and they were off. Here you can see him in his flying cap and goggles. Don't you just love the colour of the plane!

We met our pilot Roger, and piled into the Cessna. My grandson sat in front next to the pilot. 

First we flew over Busselton and the iconic Busselton Jetty, and then it was down the coast over the Dunsborough beach side town, vineyards, farming land, and Cape Naturaliste.

Unfortunately for me I was sitting on the left in the plane, and most of the views were on the right, but I managed to snap some shots of the coast. 

That is Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse you can see bottom right. I wrote about Cape Naturaliste Way and the Cape to Cape Trail back in 2010 here - Walking Cape Naturaliste
I think it is time I went walking along the Capes again now the weather is getting cooler. 
Top left is Canal Rocks. They don't look much from this shot but they are spectacular on a windy day with the waves crashing over the rocks.

Some more coastal views. The lovely blue cove you can see bottom right is Meelup Beach, which is a very popular beach for families in summer. I talked about Meelup on my blog here - Australia Day on the Beach

All too soon, it we were back flying over Busselton and our flight was over. Below you can see the new, well fairly new, marina.

It was a cloudy morning, and I didn't enjoy the bumps as we passed over the coastline, but we had a wonderful flight.

 For information on scenic flights over Busselton - please click here -
Busselton Air Service 
 Tiger Moth Adventure Flights

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this little flight over Busselton and Cape Naturaliste. Do you like flying in a small plane? Perhaps you might like to tell us about your last flight in your comments. 

 I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Lifestyle Fifty Monday Linkup 
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Worth Casing Wednesday
Life Thru the Lens 
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday
The Weekly Postcard

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fly away to another sunset...........

Ever felt like you just want to fly away and touch a new sunset on a new horizon in another world? to escape?

This is a bit like how I am feeling at the moment - it has been an emotional week as we work through my mother's health issues, as well as being a support for my dad.  It has been, and still is, a difficult time as we work through our emotions and the needs and wishes of my mother and father.  What decision is right for both of them? It is never easy when one considers putting one's parent into long term residential care.....I pray that we make the right decision. And that in the end we all forgive ourselves, remove the guilt, and find our own peace.

This is posted "straight out of camera" - sunset, taken through aircraft window on a recent flight across Australia east to west. I loved the patterns of the clouds, like a wave curling over - and the colours! so glorious!


That is the cloud bank beneath. So pleased to have a window seat to enjoy the glorious sky. 

Take care, and have a wonderful weekend.