Kimberley expedition cruises

What will I see on a Kimberley cruise?

Horizontal Falls are in Talbot Bay, in the Buccaneer Archipelago. Twice a day the tide forces the sea through two narrow gaps in the McLarty Range, about 24 metres and 6 metres wide, and the water on one side can sit up to four metres higher than the other.

Montgomery Reef rises out of the sea as the tide falls, with water pouring off the reef in cascades and channels. Turtles, dolphins and dugongs feed around the reef as the water drains. On the King George River, boats run up a sandstone gorge to King George Falls, twin falls about 80 metres high.

Expedition teams also take guests to Gwion Gwion and Wandjina rock art galleries, at places such as Vansittart Bay and Wollaston Bay. Mitchell Falls is reached by helicopter from the coast, an optional flight at extra cost.

Camden Sound, north of the Buccaneer Archipelago, is recognised as the most important humpback whale calving ground in the southern hemisphere. Thousands of humpbacks arrive there from Antarctic waters each winter.

Why do the tides matter so much?

The Kimberley has some of the biggest tides in the world, and the expedition team plans every day around them. Boats visit Horizontal Falls when the tidal race is running, and Montgomery Reef as the water drops.

That means the order of the stops changes from voyage to voyage, so no two Kimberley cruises run exactly the same way. At Horizontal Falls, the cultural law and protocol of the Dambeemangarddee Traditional Owners is not to travel through the falls while the tide is rushing through.

Are there crocodiles in the Kimberley?

Yes. The Kimberley is crocodile country, home to both saltwater and freshwater crocodiles. The saltwater, or estuarine, crocodile is the largest living reptile and a dangerous predator.

Expedition teams often point out crocodiles from the Zodiacs on rivers such as the Hunter and the King George. Swim only where the expedition team says it is safe, and never in rivers, creeks or the sea.