A Sunset Cruise on Lake Argyle

It’s Sunday and one week since we met up with The Lloyde’s at Timber Creek. We have had such a great adventure together so far squeezed into just seven days from the fresh water crocs in Timber Creek to Aboriginal art at Keep River NP, a Heli flight and hikes through the Bungle Bungles and today, a magnificent sunset cruise on Lake Argyle.

But first things first... Jen cooks up a hearty Sunday morning breakfast. The sizzle of morning bacon is a welcome sound anywhere especially after spending a couple of days remote and on the go. We are in no rush today. It’s a washing day so the sheets come off from our roof top bed and we gather anything that needs a wash before we hit the Gibb River Road. I clear up the fridge which has worked a treat on the auxiliary 12v battery. The more food we eat from the fridge, the more we realise that a fair chunk of its contents is... you guessed it, chocolate.

After breakfast, we walk the main road down to the Ord River Dam to see the structure that holds 19 times Sydney Harbour in fresh water. The wall height on river side is 98m in height and a small power station generates hydro electricity for the Caravan Park, Kununurra, Whyndam and The Argyle Mine.

We are booked on the 2.15pm sunset cruise on Lake Argyle which is a 4 hour venture. With bathers at the ready as we are promised a sunset swim, we head to the resort’s cafe to first watch an historical documentary about the making of the dam walls.

The cruise is fully booked and a coach arrives to take us down to the lake where our vessel awaits.

The tour host, Grant, was very informative and we loved hearing about the history of the lake and facts and figures.

Fact: there are approximately 30,000 fresh water crocodiles living in the lake, the biggest concentration of crocs in the world.

So why have we signed up for a sunset swim? Grant assures us that the crocs are generally shy beasts and stay away from human activity. That’s nice dear, I say to Jen. We immediately spot a couple of freshies on the banks of an island catching the afternoon sun. The crocs thrive in the man made lake as there are lots of small islands that protect them and their eggs from predators.

The cruise stops off in a cove and we feed the fish with wedges of bread. Curious to think how all animals and especially fish love a piece of bread. It must be the universal foodie favourite.

As the cruise passes an area called bay of islands, we turn and go through a relatively narrow section between red rock cliffs. Here we capture the full magnitude of the lake as it expands across the horizon as far as the eye can see, like an inland sea.

In the far distance, Brad points out the Argyle open cut mine which has been gouged out of the earth, 50km wide.

We view some curious but cautious Wallabies jumping about on land and as the sun begins to drop, the cruise finds an orange buoy at what seems the middle of the lake for our sunset swim. Far from the middle of the lake, we have only explored 10% of the lake but this spot seems far away from land and hopefully the crocodiles.

Mark, the cruise Captain announces that we can jump off the top of the vessel if we like. Always being first in line for school dinners when I was a kid, I climb the ladder and immediately jump into the lake from above while Andrew jumps off the back steps.

Expecting the lake water to be cold or at least fresh, it’s a pleasant 28 degrees and so refreshing now that the sun has lost its bite. Jen and Anne join us and soon everyone is flooding into the lake, many armed with colourful floating noodles.

Mark, the Captain proceeds to fill a modified life ring with glasses of champagne, beer, crackers and dip and launches it into the lake for us to feast on. Such an Aussie thing to do eh. Those who missed out on a beer get thrown a tinny from the boat. It’s so much fun.

Of course I play my crocodile impersonation card, dive under the lake water and grab Jens leg on the way up as she screams and everyone laughs.

It’s a bliss moment floating in the lake, a memorable end to week one of our top end adventure. The sunset is awesome which reflects the slight ripples in the otherwise dead calm lake water.Meer informatie