Cruising the Kimberley coast on Le Laperouse, Darwin to Broome

[RooFlyer]

Next morning, we were approaching the Lacepede Islands, a couple of low sandy islands noted for their birds.

The whales were very active - a couple 'played' near us for over an hour. Not just single tail slaps, but slapping back and forth.







The zodiacs deployed for the morning excursion to the islands, abt a km off the bow.



and the captain deployed in his, with a naturalist or two (I think)



.... and promptly zoomed off in the other direction, whale watching



Meanwhile, remember how I asked for a tour of the bridge, and/or the below decks and, after 4 days was denied 'Coz covid'? Well, a fellow pax who I got to know ... someone who is used to calling a spade a fxx_'n shovel, and who went by the name of 'spud' who similarly requested and was similarly knocked back after a couple of days, bypassed the Cruise Director who said no, and cornered the Captain and politely asked for the tours on behalf of we 3 who wanted it - and the reply was 'yes'!! Cruise Director didn't like it, but God had spoken.

So, one by one, we were escorted to the bridge by the cadet - the lowest ranking person who has access there ... and shown around. Bizarrely, mask only required, no particular covid precautions. ..

 

[RooFlyer]

Because it was mainly about birds, and since the birds were seemingly coming to us, I skipped the zodiacs, and had lunch.



The daily special, a salmon dish with a name I didn't recognise. I asked the head chef (presiding) if it came from a particular region in France. He looked sheepish and replied that he didn't know - he came from Belgium . He later returned and said it was actually Russian'







'Terns' out I missed more than birds - turtles & a sea snake sighted. ANyway it was time for afternoon tea - a flambéed pineapple.





Later in the afternoon, I repaired to the bar and lounge on L6 at the bow and had some sundowners, on the last evening of the cruise as we headed to Broome.





Time for dinner on the rear deck

 

[RooFlyer]

Australian again

 

[tgh]

sigh..dining alone again...

 

[RooFlyer]

sigh..dining alone again...

Dining without a partner - chatting to my 2 neighbours on my left

We arrived off Broome at dawn





Arrival pier



Gangway deployed to L7, as the tide was out




Last breakfast ... alone . It was bags out of cabins by 6am, vacate them by 7am, breakfast at 7am and disembarkation for my group at 8.





Disembarkation went smoothly, after I remembered to retrieve my passport at the last moment, They'll only give it to you if your credit card coughs up for what you owe! I was dropped at the port gates and picked up by Broome Dinosaurs Adventures for a boat ride to see some dinosaur footprints across Roebuck Bay. The touring never stops!!

A super well run and very obliging organisation. The tour, including a nice morning tea on their vessel was expensive, but worth it. I was reunited here with my friends I was going to cruise with. He had been released from covid iso in Darwin a fe days prior and he and his wife had flown down to Broome then. Looking back to the port and Le Laperouse.

 

[RooFlyer]

Off we choofed across a choppy Roebuck Bay to see the brachiopod dinosaur footprints at the waters edge. A very enthusiastic wife-and-husband team kept us very informed about Broome, the bay and the dino prints.







After about 30 mins on the beach we went around the corner into a mangrove creek and had some morning tea and 'bubbles'.



Then back to their base, abt 2.5 hrs in all. Tide was in and the mangroves had done their hidey thing.



Driven by them to the Cable Beach Resort where my fionids and I had 3 nights. We were immediately welcomed by one of the locals, outside our room.

 

[RooFlyer]

Going to go back with a few pics from my zoom camera:

Talbot's Bay, Horizontal Falls

The incoming tide (flowing away from us in the bay)





The unnamed 'other' falls that we did transit



Brahminy kite



The falls with outgoing tide (towards us)




Whales off Lacepede Islands











Birds

 

[RooFlyer]

Back to Broome. We had dinner at the Cable Beach Resort's Sunset Bar and Grill, with almost-ideal seats# to see the sunset and an expensive! meal

# That solar panel just has to go!

 

[Daver6]

Disembarkation went smoothly, after I remembered to retrieve my passport at the last moment, They'll only give it to you if your credit card coughs up for what you owe! I was dropped at the port gates and picked up by Broome Dinosaurs Adventures for a boat ride to see some dinosaur footprints across Roebuck Bay. The touring never stops!!

As opposed to the Perth Dinosaur picking you up on Saturday night

 

[tgh]

Perhaps my best sunset pics…anywhere.. were taken on cable beach..

 

[RooFlyer]

Now to the Cable Beach Resort. I didn't like it very much. The gardens are fantastic - mature palms & other trees, lush vegetation everywhere, well maintained etc etc. But the place is expensive and I didn't think it was worth it at all.

My friends and I shared a 'Pearler's Bungalow', ideal for parents & kids but also sold as suitable for 2 sets of adults. It isn't. We took it because it was the only option for 3 when we booked.

It appeared to have built as having a bedroom and en-suite surrounded by a roofed deck on 3 sides, but has been modified to have the deck enclosed, with the enclosed area now housing a kitchenette, dining & couch area, and the second bedroom and ensuite. The main bedroom is now windowless, and has 3 sets of doors opening out to the other rooms.

The now enclosed areas, including second bedroom, have blinds only, and no privacy unless all the blinds are drawn - there are walkways to other bungalows on 3 sides. The original central bedroom still has the corrugated iron walls on the outside, making now-internal fittings awkwardly affixed and the flatscreen TV mounted on a corner, utterly impractical.

Outside - see-though windows right around it



Not ours, but an adjacent bungalow, with total see-through.





Lounge and dining, original, now internal bedroom on the left.



TV mounting and various doors into internal bedroom.




No pics of my room, but the blinds were poor at keeping out the light and had to be kept closed almost the whole time, lest a passer-by get an eyeful . My en-suite was dated, without mixer taps and a shower-over-bath, which I can tolerate on occasion (esp since this is clearly designed to be a kids room), but no hand-holds and an awkward exit from the bath. The Queen bed was 2 singles pushed together with a ridge down the middle. 2 out of 3 of the bungalows around us had young kids, who of course opened up between 5 and 6 each morning. I know, that's the norm but it didn't impress me, a light sleeper on holidays in an expensive resort. The old, kids-in-First argument. I slept very poorly all 3 nights (numerous reasons - uncomf bed, early noises, early light noise from the street nearby). I couldn't wait to leave.


But as I said, the grounds are terrific. The ones below don't do it justice.



There was an adults-only pool, than goodness and it was great.







On the northern side of the property are numerous more 'hotel' type rooms/apartments and they at least had little decks to sit out on and have a drink and admire the views



Anyone stayed in these?

 

[RooFlyer]

We had a nice but very expensive dinner at the Sunset Bar and Grill, with some musical accompaniment. Which, unfortunately I could hear in our bungalow 500m away, over the top of the aircon!! Three complaints finally got it turned down.

The second night one of my friends had a significant birthday and we had dinner at the Italian restaurant on site, Chichettis, which was excellent (but again, expensive).



It took some doing, but I arranged Champagne on arrival (no comments please - I'm a boy on a budget)



Wagyu steak tartare



Frutta del mare



Chianti classico (I'm sure TRTMA will review it for me )



Coffee afterwards

 

[Daver6]

Anyone stayed in these?

I'm sure @JohnM has recently and covered it in one of his TRs.

 

[Quickstatus]

That solar panel just has to go!

And the photobombers can be rubbed out with one of the smartphone apps.

Something like YouCam Perfect (disclaimer: favourite of Insta Influencers)

Great TR - just goes to show that a passport is often not required

 

[JohnM]

As opposed to the Perth Dinosaur picking you up on Saturday night

Keep that up and you'll be walking, fella...

I'm sure @JohnM has recently and covered it in one of his TRs.

From post #12: A longer brush with Broome

 

[zig]

I stayed in one of the Pearler's bungalows 20 years ago. It appears that the only change that has been made in all those years is the very ugly wall mounted TV.
I chose the bungalow as I had previously stayed in a studio room and found it to be quite noisy. The rooms have timber boards and all I could hear was the guests above clomping around all night.

 

[Daver6]

I think this is the problem with Broome. A complete dearth of quality/luxury accommodation. It truly is overpriced for what you get. No wonder people in PER just go to Bali if they want somewhere warm and luxurious in the winter months. Cheaper to get there, better accommodation at half the cost.

 

[RooFlyer]

Great TR - just goes to show that a passport is often not required

Except we had to take and submit our passports on this one . Not sure if legit - or if just a hostage so we paid our on board bills! - but we were told because we visited Ashmore Reef (outside Aust migration zone). We also had to submit an incoming passenger card)

 

[Pushka]

Except we had to take and submit our passports on this one . Not sure if legit - or if just a hostage so we paid our on board bills! - but we were told because we visited Ashmore Reef (outside Aust migration zone). We also had to submit an incoming passenger card)

If Ashmore Reef was included as it was outside Aus borders then of course passports needed.

 

[Steady]

I stayed in one of the Pearler's bungalows 20 years ago.

aah, a few decades before @JohnM retired, sounds PERfect