A Kimberley coast and offshore reefs kaleidoscope

[JohnM]

A long sector overnight and all morning from Talbot Bay to the next day’s stop, the Lacepede Islands. It’s an A-class reserve and a major nesting site for seabirds, with probably the largest concentration of breeding brown coughies in the world. The islands are also WA’s most important breeding habitat for green turtles.



The mating behaviour of turtles is amazing. Multiple males mate with a single female, seemingly almost drowning her in the process, before she staggers ashore to deposit her multiply-fertilised eggs, about 100 at a time. That process is repeated every two weeks over several months, but only every two to five years.

 

[JohnM]

Again, Zodiac rides in the lagoon to get closer to the sights. The lagoon is a major nursery area for juvenile turtles.



There’s always one comedian in a group.



Masses of frigate birds along with the many slightly hapless-looking brown coughies.

 

[RooFlyer]

Basalt intrusions

Egad. I assume this is a wind-the-geo-up, or you weren't listening to the lectures when we drove around Argentina (or both).

 

[JohnM]

Egad. I assume this is a wind-the-geo-up, or you weren't listening to the lectures when we drove around Argentina (or both).

Well, I thought that's what they were.

OK, then, a few Haulpak loads of black rocks dumped in the bush.

 

[Daver6]

View attachment 349499

Good to see you're trying to look more and more like your favourite young(er) AFFer there with that beard

 

[RooFlyer]

Well, I thought that's what they were.

OK, then, a few Haulpak loads of black rocks dumped in the bush.

NFI on my part, but if its basalt it would be extrusion (hence, on the surface ).

 

[JohnM]

Good to see you're trying to look more and more like your favourite young(er) AFFer there with that beard

You need to get some colour and shine to yours to catch up, fella.

 

[JohnM]

NFI on my part, but if its basalt it would be extrusion (hence, on the surface ).

OK, OK - maybe it intruded before it extruded.

 

[JohnM]

Then we set sail for the long haul out to Rowley Shoals (Rowley Shoals - Wikipedia.)

Next morning, I awoke and checked my mapping app. Hmmm, “Babe we’re almost at Broome, not Rowley Shoals.” Go to get a cup of tea for PJM and quietly note my observation to Glenn, the great assistant purser who has been on all three of our voyages. Medevac diversion. I keep quiet as no announcement has yet been made.

A bit later we go for breakfast a bit early; still no announcement, but it was a sleep-in morning owing to the long transit. I tell our travel companions but say no more and advise they do the same as I don’t want to start anything. But the sun is in front of the ship and not behind as it should be…

We had obviously got about halfway to Rowley Shoals before the middle-of-the-night decision was made to deviate to Broome.



The announcement is made about the medevac, but that as soon as that was done, we would be heading out to Rowley Shoals.

Instead of getting there as planned around midday and then having an afternoon snorkel and dive followed by the same next morning, we would have a day at sea, but make up lost time the next day by an earlier than usual snorkel, followed by another after and early lunch before departing for Broome mid-afternoon.

Again, magnificent service recovery by the crew, and the guest lecturers quickly put together some excellent unscheduled talks to fill the day at sea very informatively.

Sunrise next day was where it was meant to be – behind the ship!



Our destination was Clerke Reef, which rises steeply from the surrounding ocean floor which is 390m deep. First outing was to drift snorkel on the outer wall, then in the afternoon a snorkel in ‘The Aquarium’, a lagoon within the reef.

 

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

Stupendous!

One of the Zodiac safety drivers found this lovely nautilus shell floating in the water.

 

[JohnM]

Then to the afternoon’s snorkelling in The Aquarium. We weren’t alone.



The tide was moving as we picked through the channel in the crystal-clear water.

 

[JohnM]

And that was it for a spectacular experience in the water at Rowley Shoals.

 

[JohnM]

We were not able to anchor at Rowley Shoals, so the ship drifted around while we did activities.



And we sailed off away from the sunset on a glassy sea.



Next morning and this time an intended sighting of Broome.



Gently nudging alongside.



Resident osprey had been hunting with success.



We stored our luggage in the lockers at BME and went downtown to kill some time before our 1400h BME-PER flight. It was Sunday, so only a very few of the pearl shops were open.

And another cracking Jordan Sprigg (Jordan Sprigg Sculptures) sculpture at BME.

Then homebound after a great trip.

 

[VPS]

Were you able to keep the Nautilus shell? Great pictures

 

[JohnM]

Were you able to keep the Nautilus shell? Great pictures

It was taken back to the ship and displayed on the Purser's desk that afternoon. What happened to it after that, I do not know.

Given that it was an empty shell found floating in the ocean, and not taken off a beach, I can see no reason why it could not be kept on the ship.

 

[JohnM]

Addendum to round out the story.

With a bit of juggling, I've made a single map of the voyage from my Hema maps app.