The Big Day Out!

[Day 4 - Deception Bay & Creek, Butterfly Gorge, Slate Island, Kuri Bay Pearl Farm (drive by) Camden Harbour (failed settlement) through Rogers Straight to Hanover Bay for sunset drinks on the beach and a Bonfire].

7.00am and we're all aboard the tender boats heading for Deception Bay. After a quick tour around the bay, we ventured up one of Deception Creek for a scenic tour of some more amazing geological landscapes. 

The area boasts a significant amount of Boab trees so there was plenty to see including, how the vegetation has adapted to the environment as it was common to witness tree roots protruding out of the rock formations and in some cases following along the rock creves.

We're still yet to see  crocodile (and I'm in no hurry), but we did come across a Black Whip snake as we approached the waterhole at the end of Deception Creek. These are best avoided - highly dangerous!!

Once again, more rock climbing was involved to get to the waterhole at Butterfly Gorge.   This was unlike the others as the bottom temperature was warmer than the top temperature.

We're back on board by 9.00am and the set sail for the next stop being, Slate Island.  Slate Island is another amazing geological experience.  The rock formations have to be seen to be believed.  The island has obviously been subjected to a lot of weathering over thousands of years and this is evident by some of the precariously positioned rock formations.  You can't help but think that one strong wind will send the rocks tumbling to the ground.

We were also fortunate to find a sandy beach which we chose for a quick stretch of the legs.  The beach is a nesting ground for turtles and you could still see their tracks in the sand, along with some other creature(s).  The jury was out on weather it was a crocodile or a monitor lizard.   Anyway, we didn't hang around to find out who the tracks belonged to!

The afternoon  was spent sailing through Kuri Bay (the home of Australia's first cultured pearl farm) and Camden Settlement/Sheep Island (the first European settlement in the Kimberley).  Although, it wasn't a success and sadly 10 people died before the settlement was abandoned.

By 3.45pm we'd arrived at Hanover Bay, so we enjoyed a quick trip to Treasury Head to visit see the nests created by the Bower Birds, along with some native vegetation and some rock art before heading back to the beach to enjoy the sunset and a bonfire to accompany and evening drinks and nibbles. Czytaj więcej