Cruising the Kimberley coast on Le Laperouse, Darwin to Broome

[TheRealTMA]

After today I’m inclined to agree with you

Question: What’s under Ashmore Reef ( as in the rocks).

a) limestone
b) volcanics (ie undersea volcano)
c) don’t know
d) Continental rocks off the Bonaparte Basin & adjacent

Answers , b and c were given by the three geologists on the expedition team.

When I googled it, I found none were correct and the answer is d

Question: what’s this green mineral?

a) epidote
b) olivine
c) peridote

Again, the three opinions. Answer I think was a). c) at least was reasonably impossible given the geological setting.

I think I’ll apply for a job

Only half being a smart-cough here but the technical knowledge of the Geos compared to the knowledge of the zoologists, botanists and the other naturalists is quite disappointing..

One way to get free cruises! Go for it.

 

[JohnM]

One way to get free cruises! Go for it.

Just tell me which ones he's signed up to do - so that I can find alternatives...

Going to sleep in a Zodiac puttering at 2 knots in water 30cm deep is, I am led to believe by my 20-something 'passionate' OHS 'consultant', considered an unsafe thing to do and I must avoid such mortal dangers at all costs...

 

[Quickstatus]

we weren't allowed to land on the island

By orders of the...

Captain

classical pianist

Did they have a grand piano

case-free

Do they supply RATs

permanently-stationed Border Force ship who apparently are interested in everyone who approaches the reef.

The High Court decided that excising Ashmore Reef from Australia's migration zone was invalid. Hence the boys in blue or whatever colour they wear.

technical knowledge

I suspect the passengers mostly did not care or bothered to check up on the veracity of the info?

......
Dugongs
Did the esteemed professors talk about dugongs?

 

[Quickstatus]

technical knowledge

I suspect the passengers mostly did not care or bothered to check up on the veracity of the info?

 

[RooFlyer]

I suspect the passengers mostly did not care or bothered to check up on the veracity of the info?

The birders (‘twitchers’) certainly know their stuff and expect a good standard of what they’re being told. I’m simply expecting the same in my field, expecting the same from the couple of Geos on the naturalist staff. But of course there’s a lot fewer of us , so I guess the birders get their choice

 

[zig]

Random question - are guests provided with refillable water bottles for off ship activities?

 

[RooFlyer]

Random question - are guests provided with refillable water bottles for off ship activities?

Yes, quite nice aluminium ones.

 

[RooFlyer]

Day 5 saw us arrive at Careening Bay, where in 1820 Phillip Parker King (surveyor son of NSW Gov Phillip Gidley King) beached his HMC Mermaid to careen (clean) the hull. He was quote the explorer.

Phillip Parker King - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

First order of business was a tour of 'Blue Eye', unique to this series of Ponant vessels - two glass 'eyes' very close to the bow and 3.5m below he waterline. There's a bar here (natch) and when moored, with the underwater lights on, will attract fish to see.

Set up like the innards opf a whale, of course.





Then lunch (we were still moving towards Careening Bay - an excellent baked snapper and ceviche of whiting.



While in the middle distance 3 whales spouted & mucked around. II still can't get pics off my zoom camera - forgot the card reader and can't wi-fi them off, due to only having one wi-fi log in





Today's white wines & Champagnes



Life then carried on -



At Careening Bay we found another Ponant vessel, Le Soléal, who is doing the same cruise, going northwards. Its bigger than our vessel - I scoped it out for the current cruise and decided Le Laperouse was better, and I think I got it right.

 

[RooFlyer]

Getting the dock ready for zodiacs



Bow thrusters



Zodiacs away



Dock fully deployed



Ooooooh - some interesting-looking black rocks -



A wet landing (as most of them are)



The main thing of interest here is an ancient boab, which was carved by King when he was here in 1820.



HMC (His Majesty's Cutter) Mer maid 18 20



Interesting patterns in the sand





The rocks, while interesting, were not very photogenic .

 

[RooFlyer]

Tea time, and Olga, the classical pianist belts out a wide variety of tunes. The other night, she gave a concert







Today's sunset





Tonight's menus





I went French and bought a white wine to go with it. I was going to get the Frederic Emile below, but to his credit the sommelier 'down-sold' me and said the cheaper Fronholz was better.



A couple more pages of the whites, for interest

 

[Quickstatus]

bigger than our vessel

Seems to have double the lifeboats. Yours only has 2?

 

[RooFlyer]

Seems to have double the lifeboats. Yours only has 2?

I think the other also has only 2. The other orange thing is a rescue zodiac. Our lifeboats carry 150 people each.

 

[Daver6]

Day 5 saw us arrive at Careening Bay, where in 1820 Phillip Parker King (surveyor son of NSW Gov Phillip Gidley King) beached his HMC Mermaid to careen (clean) the hull. He was quote the explorer.

Phillip Parker King - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

View attachment 287540

First order of business was a tour of 'Blue Eye', unique to this series of Ponant vessels - two glass 'eyes' very close to the bow and 3.5m below he waterline. There's a bar here (natch) and when moored, with the underwater lights on, will attract fish to see.

Set up like the innards opf a whale, of course.

View attachment 287538

View attachment 287539

Then lunch (we were still moving towards Careening Bay - an excellent baked snapper and ceviche of whiting.

View attachment 287541

While in the middle distance 3 whales spouted & mucked around. II still can't get pics off my zoom camera - forgot the card reader and can't wi-fi them off, due to only having one wi-fi log in

View attachment 287542

View attachment 287543

Today's white wines & Champagnes

View attachment 287544

Life then carried on -

View attachment 287545

At Careening Bay we found another Ponant vessel, Le Soléal, who is doing the same cruise, going northwards. Its bigger than our vessel - I scoped it out for the current cruise and decided Le Laperouse was better, and I think I got it right.

View attachment 287546

View attachment 287548

Was the barman's name Jonah by any chance?

 

[ric_melb]

A new totally enjoyable trip report from RooFlyer. A pleasure for those of us that haven't ventured far from home base over the last few years. Commentary is absorbing and there is some great clarity in the photos. Thank you.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thank you. But you also have to put up with the occasional grizzle. Like this one.

Four days ago I put in a request for a tour of the Bridge and/ or below decks, after we were invited to. A bit annoying that I got no response after 3 days. But more annoying when, today, they said no ‘Coz Covid’ . I can understand that, but why would it take four days for them to tell me that? If it was never going to be on, how come they invited us and reception took the request?

But more happily, we had these guys visit us this morning

 

[RooFlyer]

Dinner - French menu. It was probably the nicest evening meal of the cruise so far.

Amuse bouche of corn consommé



Starter of seared tuna and sesame



Main of cod and citrus



Desert of mouse



and! I asked for the cheese



This is the main restaurant. Rarely crowded

 

[tgh]

You seem to be dining on your pat malone here, is that your choice ?
SS Maitre 'd always finds groups for solo's and tables for 1 or even 2 are pretty uncommon

 

[TheRealTMA]

You seem to be dining on your pat malone here, is that your choice ?
SS Maitre 'd always finds groups for solo's and tables for 1 or even 2 are pretty uncommon

They know he's from Tasmania?

 

[RooFlyer]

You seem to be dining on your pat malone here, is that your choice ?
SS Maitre 'd always finds groups for solo's and tables for 1 or even 2 are pretty uncommon

Sometimes ( especially outside the main restaurant where there is less room to spresd out) but often with others I’ve gotten to know. Last night I was beside a lovely couple of ladies from England. There are lots of tables for 2 inside & out and often 2 couples will take adjacent tables for two. I've not seen any matchmaking and would find that very uncomfortable.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Sometimes ( especially outside the main restaurant where there is less room to spresd out) but often with others I’ve gotten to know. Last night I was beside a lovely couple of ladies from England. There are lots of tables for 2 inside & out and often 2 couples will take adjacent tables for two. I've not seen any matchmaking and would find that very uncomfortable.

Matchmaking - so what wines have you settled on. No rieslings I assume?