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A similar itinerary is conducted (in
reverse to the one below) when cruising
from Broome to Wyndham.
Embarkation:
We board our luxury expedition vessel
at Wyndham Jetty at 1700 hours. The
True North departs Wyndham at approximately
1830 hours and steams overnight towards
the Berkley River.
Day
1:
Take a scenic cruise to the
top of the Berkley River. Wildlife,
exploring and fishing opportunities
unfold all day. We move out of the river
in the late afternoon and set sail for
the mighty King George River.
Day
2:
Be out on deck to take in
the spectacular scenery as the True
North journeys up the King George River.
Towering, rusty cliffs, 100m high, flank
the narrow river for miles – this is
Kimberley gorge country at its best.
This breathtaking stretch reaches a
crescendo at the twin, King George Falls,
which plunge over sheer sandstone cliffs,
directly into the salt water. The falls
will provide the setting for our overnight
anchorage.
The
King George River offers many wonderful
places to explore. Hike to the top of
the falls or do it in style in the helicopter
for a magnificent view of the area.
Scale a rope to one of the most idyllic
swimming holes in the entire Kimberley.
Fish for barramundi and mangrove jack,
swim at ‘the crevice’ or just relax
with a drink whilst eating fresh oysters
off the rocks at low tide.
Day
3:
We spend the morning further
exploring the King George River before
heading to the pristine sands of Tranquil
Bay in the afternoon. Re-visit the scene
of an amazing Australian survival story
from WWII as our expert guides recount
the details. During the night, we will
up anchor for Vansittart Bay.
Day
4:
Today you will have the chance
to visit some of the oldest and most
interesting rock paintings in the world.
The elegant and controversial ‘Bradshaw
figures’ provide a captivating window
into a lost civilisation. We will also
have the opportunity to walk to the
well-preserved wreck of a DC3 from WWII,
not far from the Truscott airbase. During
the night, the True North relocates
to the Mitchell River.
Day
5:
The Mitchell River is a beautiful,
extensive system and one of the Kimberley’s
barramundi hot-spots. If fishing is
not your thing, we will cruise up the
river in the tenders to visit Surveyor’s
Creek. A great place for a picnic lunch,
beside the freshwater pools. Not to
be missed is the helicopter flight up
to the four-tiered Mitchell Falls on
the edge of the Mitchell Plateau. The
True North departs at sunset and makes
for the Hunter River.
Day
6:
Awake to the splendour of
the Hunter River. Stunning red cliffs
provide a hulking backdrop to the most
extensive belt of rainforest in Western
Australia. Hear about the varied and
unique wildlife of the cliffs and forest,
such as the extremely rare, rough-scaled
python. Try your hand at some Kimberley
mud crabbing and hike to the secluded
Jackson Falls. As always, the helicopter
will be on hand to take you to some
great destinations, which are otherwise
inaccessible. We will anchor here overnight.
Day
7:
This morning we will continue
to explore the many attractions of the
area, before the True North relocates
to Careening Bay. One of the most significant
historical sites along the coast, Careening
Bay is home to a ‘gouty’, old Boab tree,
made famous by Phillip Parker King’s,
lasting inscription in 1820. King stayed
here for several weeks repairing his
leaking vessel and made some important
discoveries during this time. The main
vessel will then traverse a stretch
of water, notorious for its bubbling
whirlpools and turbulent tidal water
en route to our overnight anchorage
in the St George Basin - in the shadow
of Mount Trafalgar.
Day
8:
This morning, the True North
moves up the majestic Prince Regent
River with the incoming tide. Destination….
King’s Cascades! The True North will
actually tie up alongside the terraced
waterfall after some careful manoeuvring.
Keep an eye out for crocodiles or fish
the productive river system. A highly
recommended option is to climb to the
top of the falls for a swim in the magnificent
freshwater pools. If the climb sounds
too daunting, the helicopter can take
you to the top of the falls or on a
memorable flight along the river.
When
the tide permits, we will move back
down the river and anchor at the mouth
of Camp Creek.
Day
9:
The options this morning are
many. Visit some intriguing Aboriginal
rock paintings, go birding with the
naturalists, or explore the spectacular
freshwater meanderings of Camp Creek,
hiking up to some impressive waterfalls.
Then its off to Camden Harbour, the
haunting site of a disastrous settlement
in the 1860’s. Hear about the
tragic circumstances as we visit the
ruins and the graveyard of this important
historical site. Collect huge black-lip
oysters at low tide, or photograph the
deformed boab trees clutching at the
rocky shore.
Next
we relocate to the unique, Montgomery
Reef, situated in an area of the Kimberley
where the tidal range approaches 12
metres (over 6 hours). These phenomenal
tides have given birth to one of the
Kimberley’s greatest spectacles. As
the tide falls, the delayed run-off
from the reef’s vast surface area produces
a massive waterfall in the middle of
the ocean. A wealth of marine life can
be seen on the drying reef as turtles
and sharks cruise the edge of the tidal
cascades.
Day
10:
We will spend today enjoying
the Sale River. Explore the sandstone
gorge at the head of the tidal water
or swim in the freshwater creek, which
cuts through a lush patch of remnant
rainforest where hundreds of butterflies
might dwell beneath the canopy. The
True North then heads across to Raft
Point for overnight anchorage.
Day
11:
You have a wide range of
activities to choose from today. Hike
up through some imposing sandstone scenery
to a vibrant and powerful rock art site,
containing some great examples of the
more recent ‘Wandjina style’. Mud crabbing
and fishing are again on the agenda,
or look for crocodiles on the way to
the perennial, Ruby Falls. Join everyone
for a swim in a refreshing pool, or
find a secluded waterfall for two.
This
evening, we will reposition to the Buccaneer
Archipelago for overnight anchorage.
Day
12:
The tides govern our activities
in this area to a large degree. We may
visit Cockatoo Island, which was once
mined for its iron ore, but has since
been transformed into a quaint resort.
Another option is to visit Crocodile
Creek for a swim under the waterfall
and lunch beside the freshwater pool,
or gathering oysters at Coppermine Creek.
Optional helicopter flights will be
available throughout the day to Talbot
Bay where the famous Horizontal Waterfalls
are situated. At sunset, the True North
will depart Yampi Sound and head towards
Broome.
Disembarkation:
The
True North arrives at the pearling port
of Broome and we bid farewell to the
crew at 0800 hours. Many more attractions
await you in this charming, cultural
melting pot.
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