The Kimberley is an undeveloped and relatively undiscovered area that stretches along the northwest corner of Australia from Darwin. Smaller cruise ships call at points of interest on the coast; in our case, a Silverseas expedition ship with about 200 passengers that ventured across the Kimberly and all the way south to Fremantle (near Perth) over 17 days.
The ship had the usual comforts….
Unfortunately, a supply foul-up precipitated a major crisis….. no champagne in state rooms on embarkation! Luckily, they were able to catch up at our first stop, the only real “port of call” on the itinerary……
As noted, the area is extremely wild and unpopulated with no infrastructure to speak of. Aside from that first stop, all off-ship activity was conducted from Zodiacs, which are basically very stable motorized rubber rafts. Sometimes they landed the rafts on beaches for a walk or swim, but most adventuring consisted of cruises along the coast to see the magnificent geological formations or to look for wildlife.
Some interesting wildlife viewings. Here are mud skippers…. Fish about 8 inches long that thrive on land!
Jillions of birds.
Saltwater crocodiles were high on everybody’s list of critters to look for..
Ningaloo Reef is a vibrant healthy coral reef that has plenty of colorful marine life, wonderful for snorkeling. Perhaps it will become as popular as the Great Barrier Reef in eastern Australia, but we hope not. It is unspoiled and perfect as it is.
Finally! A chance to visit with aboriginal people who showed us some examples of the rock art that is a huge part of their spiritual heritage.
The most exciting wildlife encounters were around the ship! (Where we also had some phenomenal sunsets.)
One evening a pair of tawny nurse sharks visited, swimming slowly and gracefully alongside. These creatures are about 9 to 10 feet long, or over 3 meters. I never knew that sharks could be so appealing!
For two days, the ship was surrounded by humpback whales who were on their annual migration from Antarctica. It was awesome in the true sense of the word, as they approached within yards of the ship.
Frankly, we became rather weary of the limitations of the Zodiac cruise format, but the whale experience was worth it!
Silverseas cancelled several planned stops in the face of a large storm system approaching Fremantle, so we made for port for two days through relentless high swells and wind. Everyone was brought low by the heavy seas, and we were quite happy to reach our destination.
From here, we’ll spend a few days in southwestern Australia, before boarding the train for Sydney!
Emerald Isle to the Norse Lands 
wow, what an adventure! I lost track of your emails for a while. I accidentally unsubscribed while cleaning email. I always think we should tag along on one of these amazing adventures but in reality , I’m probably too much of a wimp. Keep having fun!
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If you get a chance, eat at Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle. It was one of my favorites when I was in the area.
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Having seen your GPS updates, I was intrigued as to what you were up to out on the water. You took it to a new level and I can’t figure out which is my favorite favorite. Thanks for giving us a dose of God’s awesome creation, as you accurately described it.
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Having seen your GPS updates, I was intrigued as to what you were up to out on the water. You took it to a new level and I can’t figure out which is my favorite favorite. Thanks for giving us a dose of God’s awesome creation, as you accurately described it.
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