Cruising the Kimberley coast on Le Laperouse, Darwin to Broome

[Cruiser Elite]

I packed a snazzy off-white jacket for the occasion.

May the AFF fraternity be arbitrators on this?

Best there be matching white shoes also

 

[RooFlyer]

Tonight's menus





I again went French



This was an excellent scallops carpaccio

 

[RooFlyer]

May the AFF fraternity be arbitrators on this?

Best there be matching white shoes also

Absolutment!

 

[tgh]

I get the impression that Rooflyer is enjoying his cruise..if so..

 

[RooFlyer]

@Major I just met your friends. Great confusion at first because I thought they were talking about another couple and then we sort it out.

 

[RooFlyer]

Next morning, off to see some more rock art. Another wet landing:




A bit of a hike through moderate bushland, but some scrambles over rocks towards the end



'Cyclone cave'. Note 'some' of our group taking photos while our indigenous host explains:



A ray

 

[RooFlyer]

In the afternoon we had one of those experiences that no end of photographs can satisfactorily convey. We were at Montgomery reef, we experiencing the very large shallowly covered reef, apparently rising out of the sea as the tide dropped around it. It happens over a period of time, and you are on the move, so can’t properly demonstrate what’s happening.

I was in the first zodiac out, which meant I saw the start of the effect; others saw the effect more writ large.

Anyway, back out on the zodiacs from the morning visit



The vessel had to reposition, so the deck was put half-way



The ‘live station’ at lunch was a very strangely titled Tasmanian shrimp. I didn’t know we had prawns in Tasmania, but there you go. Really nicely finished Asian styled wok prawns with vegetables and various condiments and seasoning. Only showing the start here.



Obviously another small vessel had the same idea as us, this afternoon. It’s the snazzy little one with the helicopter on the back



Our position with the full extent of the reef shown. At the moment there’s only a very small island showing above water



It starts with a vast amount of water being still and seeming to have a bulge upwards above the rest of the water around it.



Gradually the reef emerges from the water, again appearing as if it’s going up but of course we are going down around it. Turtles and other wildlife sliding off the reef trying to get out of the way and some sharks in the water surfing for some easy prey.






A bird carries off a fish



Waterfalls and cascades start to pour off the reef. There’s about 30 km X 15 km x 7-odd m of water above the reef and it all has to slide off.

 

[RooFlyer]

The phenomena continues.

We are in a channel between two reefs and now all the other reef on the other side starts to emerge.



We see lots of turtles, a few rays even erupting from the water, lots of fish splashing around and even a couple of sharks starting by.











Vast and powerful eddies is in the water as the water Cascades off the reef and flows down the channel.

 

[Matt_01]

Tonight was 'white night'. Everyone was encouraged to bring some semi-formal white gear and wear it tonight.

In the 1980's I actually owned a white dinner jacket. I would have made comment about the matching white dress shoes but @Cruiser Elite beat me to that.

 

[RooFlyer]

In the 1980's I actually owned a white dinner jacket. I would have made comment about the matching white dress shoes but @Cruiser Elite beat me to that.

I hope my white shoes as demonstrated scrubbed up to everyone’s satisfaction.

 

[JohnM]

Montgomery Reef I would rate as one of the most spectacular natural attractions I've experienced. The illusion of Atlantis rising is impossible to get out of your mind - even though the observer is falling.

Hopefully things will work for you to do Horizontal Falls when it's cranking, another spectacular thing up there.

Edit: Just saw your Horizontal Falls 'Office View' pic. Good stuff.

 

[Port Power]

Montgomery Reef I would rate as one of the most spectacular natural attractions I've experienced. The illusion of Atlantis rising is impossible to get out of your mind - even though the observer is falling.

Hopefully things will work for you to do Horizontal Falls when it's cranking, another spectacular thing up there.

Edit: Just saw your Horizontal Falls 'Office View' pic. Good stuff.

I totally agree Montgomery Reef is a stunning wonder! @RooFlyer was also fortunate there is currently a full moon for Horizontal Falls to be at its best.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I hope my white shoes as demonstrated scrubbed up to everyone’s satisfaction.

If they were ‘matching’ shoes as requested then best you put a pic of that snazzy white jacket in the Bit of Humour thread?

 

[RooFlyer]

I totally agree Montgomery Reef is a stunning wonder! @RooFlyer was also fortunate there is currently a full moon for Horizontal Falls to be at its best.

Yes! 10.2m tidal range yesterday

If they were ‘matching’ shoes as requested then best you put a pic of that snazzy white jacket in the Bit of Humour thread?

But there shoes were matching!! Identical, in fact

Malheureusement, désolé ! The jacket has been retired after last night’s Captains Gala soirée . I can only leave you with an image of the general standard of presentation, all round.

 

[RooFlyer]

A couple more of the reef. As I mentioned, you either get to see the start of the phenomenon, or it in full flight. There are 4 zodiac 'teams. on this cruise.








Today's house reds



Whites and Champagnes



'Premium white' has been changed to Penfolds Max's Chardonnay, 2018. About $30 at Dan's. As a non-chardonnay drinker, it wasn't bad.




Dinner time, on the pool deck



Time to choose another bottle. The sommelier is 'off' so it was a bit of a cough-up. I asked for the Pouilly-Fuisse, first on the list. First came out something totally different, then came out another PF. There's been a guy who's job seems to be to wander about saying 'Bon appetite' in a Basil-Fawlty type way. He came over to sort it out. My choice unavailable, so the other it was.

 

[RooFlyer]

Aussie menu this time



I had an aperitif of my previous white (Alsace riesling), finishing it off.





Moved onto the Pouilly Fusisse which was just perfect





The cheeses are still a bit of a fail

 

[RooFlyer]

Time to talk about our Captain, pictured in post #174 with his cruise companion. This is my first 'proper' cruise so I have nothing really to benchmark the Captain on - but plenty here have, and the comments aren't pretty!! We are a vessel of about 160 pax.

The only time we've seen the captain was 1) Welcome aboard greeting, in Darwin 2) At his 2 Galas, where he gave speeches of thanks and intro-ed his officers. 3) At the first gala dinner, where he sat with (I'm guessing) some 'status' pax and received high-profile attention (as photographed a fair few posts above). He has never been seen by me, or others who have commented on it, 'mixing' with the passengers, walking around, greeting etc

Oh, and 4) Every day, usually in his own twin-engine Zodiac, having private excursions with his travelling companion.

Yesterday, at Horizontal Falls, there were 7 pax zodiacs in a queue waiting to go close (no transits through the falls being offered), and as we watched (and waited), the captain zoomed right through! At Ashmore Reef, he and friend stood in the water, verboten to the rest of us. Now, the latter you may regard as trivial, but showed amazing arrogance, in full view of the passengers in their zodiacs.

Never been an announcement from the bridge about whales being seen (there have been plenty) etc.

Experienced cruisers - what do you think?

 

[craven morehead]

Time to talk about our Captain, pictured in post #174 with his cruise companion. This is my first 'proper' cruise so I have nothing really to benchmark the Captain on - but plenty here have, and the comments aren't pretty!! We are a vessel of about 160 pax.

The only time we've seen the captain was 1) Welcome aboard greeting, in Darwin 2) At his 2 Galas, where he gave speeches of thanks and intro-ed his officers. 3) At the first gala dinner, where he sat with (I'm guessing) some 'status' pax and received high-profile attention (as photographed a fair few posts above). He has never been seen by me, or others who have commented on it, 'mixing' with the passengers, walking around, greeting etc

Oh, and 4) Every day, usually in his own twin-engine Zodiac, having private excursions with his travelling companion.

Yesterday, at Horizontal Falls, there were 7 pax zodiacs in a queue waiting to go close (no transits through the falls being offered), and as we watched (and waited), the captain zoomed right through! At Ashmore Reef, he and friend stood in the water, verboten to the rest of us. Now, the latter you may regard as trivial, but showed amazing arrogance, in full view of the passengers in their zodiacs.

Never been an announcement from the bridge about whales being seen (there have been plenty) etc.

Experienced cruisers - what do you think?

Poor form!

 

[Major]

Almost time for a sternly worded email to Ponant

 

[RooFlyer]

Almost time for a sternly worded email to Ponant

I won't, lacking context, but the Germans on the cruise certainly said they would!! This is the 4th cruise of one couple who are appalled.