24) Western Australia: Marrangingi Island to Jar Island. 30th August to 8th September 2014.

We left Swifts Bay and headed directly north along the eastern coast of the mainland to Murrangingi Island. Between the mainland and the island there is a lovely spot in which to anchor and be protected from winds coming from the E to SE range and the swell coming from the West. We were up early the next morning as we were keen to round Cape Voltaire at slack tide and before the winds started to blow for the day. 

Cape Voltaire and its numerous rocky crags, islets and small islands separate Montague Sound to the west and Admiralty Gulf in the east. The conditions for our crossing were ideal - It was so calm as the wind hadn’t piped up for the day and there were no currents to impede us as it was slack tide, so we motored up towards Cape Voltaire. We thought we may enter and anchor in Krait Bay, near the tip of Cape Voltaire, to have a look around. As we approached the bay we noticed that there was only a very narrow opening between the two reefs that extend out on either side of the bay. This didn’t thrill us and it wasn’t inviting at all. It was also a shame to miss ideal conditions to get around and clear Cape Voltaire. So decision made we motored around Cape Voltaire and were able to sail almost completely to the Osborne Islands.

We did not see the Osborne Islands on our journey south and being a collection of five islands we decided to stay a few days. This group of islands offers the sailor over a dozen calm and sheltered anchorages, depending on the prevailing winds and swell conditions at any given time. We put the sails down just as we neared South West Osborne Island and then motored around the bottom and anchored in the eastern bay, protecting us form the swell.

The next day we motored during slack water through the narrow passage that separates Carle Island in the south from Middle Osborne Island in the north. The passage is made even narrower by the pearl farm leases that lie between Carle Island across to the mainland, then extending north to just below Middle Osborne Island. You basically very slowly motor along the black buoy line lying to the south and around to the east between Middle Osborne Island and the mainland. There is just enough room and depth to manage this safely. 

Will not be swimming here.

Just as we got around to the bottom of Middle Osborne Island we noticed a very large salt water crocodile sunning itself on the beach. We had intended on going to check out the beach after anchoring but decided we would give it a miss on this occasion.  

The little black line.

At first glance you are fooled into thinking that there is no bay in which to anchor that hasn’t got buoys around it or in it. However, careful navigation around the islands does revel gaps in the buoys allowing yachties access to prime anchoring locations. 

So we followed ‘the little black line’ and went around to the eastern bay, known as Cliffy Point Bay on Middle Osborne Island. We were very careful not to anchor too far to the south, as there is the wreck of the SS Sunbeam in that corner of the bay. 

Part of the pearling fleet.

Then not too far to the northern side due to the huge fleet of anchored boats and floating accommodations, that service the large scale pearling industry around the Osborne’s’. We queried whether this lease was also part of the extensive Paspaley pearling leases which are also found in a large bay near Cape Bougainville, Freshwater Bay and Jar Island, in Vansitart Bay.

The SS Sunbeam - just barely visable.

Apparently the SS Sunbeam was lost in 1892, ironically while on a pearling voyage. Forward a 100 or so years and they are smack dab in the middle of a huge pearling operation. 

Two of the three arches.

Over the next few days we managed to stay in a number of anchoring locations and also check out some nice beaches. The day we planned to check out the three arches was cut short due to a large salt water crocodile sunning himself on the nearby islet. He wasn’t noticed by us until we were nearly on top of him, so we very hastily beat a retreat in the dinghy back to the boat. Lest he followed us. 

Time to move on as it was early September and we were planning to return to Darwin by October. There was no wind so we motored north to Parry Harbour, a nice anchorage but one we had already seen. The next day we left Admiralty Gulf and had a nice long sail around Cape Bougainville and into Vansittart Bay, but it was dark by the time we reached Freshwater Bay. Luckily we could follow our previous co-ordinates for this anchorage and knowing we could safely do it all in the dark.

We then sailed south to Jar Island, a very popular spot due to the very calm anchorage which allows yachties access to the numerous art sites on the island and a DC 3 plane wreck on the mainland. We sailed south for a few hours when we started noticing the now familiar black pearl farm buoys.

We had been warned that you must closely follow these buoys south keeping them to starboard at all times and we religiously obeyed this rule. What we didn’t expect was the fact that the buoys come uncomfortably close to the northern and western shore of the island, but continuing slowly we had just enough room and deep water to get around and into the anchorage.

It is very important to not cut any corners, as there is a significant reef off the north-western corner of the island. We also arrived as advised at low tide which allows you to clearly see the rock, or more correctly the group of rocks, that you must steer around on their western side, just prior to reaching the anchorage.  

View of the western anchorage from tne top of Jar Island.

We stayed a few days after this hair-raising adventure and circumnavigated the island in the dinghy as the southern and eastern shore proved too shallow to cruise around in our yacht. 

South of Jar Island.

By the way we do not recommend doing this in a dinghy either, as the south-eastern shore even when calm has huge waves crashing around it and the dinghy was nearly swamped several times before reaching the calm northern beach anchorage. 

Northern Jar.

We were saturated from head to toe but luckily for us we had managed to keep the dinghy from turning over several times, no doubt a disappointment for the local crocodile population.

Bradshaw drawings.

 

The next few days we must have scampered over, under and around every bit of rock on the island. There is a huge amount aboriginal art above the western beach and inland from the northern beach. The art depicted at Jar Island is of excellent quality and what is now known as from the distinctive Bradshaw series. 

It ended up being a very hot and uncomfortable few days but it was rewarding with good art and plenty of exercise, something rarely offered on a boat.

Later the same week we motored over and anchored off the mainland in search of the DC3 plane wreck. We had two vastly different coordinates for the plane but after studying the book and the chart plotter we felt that the choice we made would be the best bet, and we were correct. After walking up hill from the beach, you then set out across a very flat, hard salt pan until you reach the tree line.

 

Just behind the tree line is the wreck, and amazingly still in good nick. The aluminium fuselage is still largely intact but the wings came off during the landing and engine was later removed.  

 

Apparently the plane had left Perth to travel to Broome many miles south of here. Disorientation due to bad weather, darkness and fuel reserves running low the pilot successfully landed the plane here on the 26 February 1942. All four occupants were later rescued three days later.

 

It was a very interesting few hours and well worth the trip in the dinghy.

23) Western Australia: York Sound to Swifts Bay. 22nd to 28th August 2014.

The following morning on our way to Hardy Point, in the Bonaparte Archipelago, we were surrounded by a large pod of whales that came to check us out. They were one moment surrounding the boat and then the next they just up and disappeared. We were on our passage north and we knew we were at the northern extremity of their winter playground and very soon we would not be seeing their familiar water spout, tail flips or magnificent breaches.

The weather prediction for the next few days was going to be perfect. The winds were favourable, from the right direction and not too much nor too light. Perfect to sail offshore and check out the Maret Islands and avoid notorious Scott Strait. It was a great sail but it took twelve hours and we ended up having to anchor in the dark. Very scary in unchartered waters so we anchored a fair way out from the reef just in case.

One of the Maret twin.

The Marets' are twin islands that are linked at low tide by a causeway. They are very conspicuous due to being completely flat topped. None of the surrounding islands or mainland have similar features. A unique erosion event - maybe?







Then it was onto the Prudhoe Island group. We ended up staying longer here than expected as it was a great spot to hide while some unfavourable winds raged. We were returning to the mainland coast and bays and needed to head in a south-easterley direction and this was exactly where the strong winds were coming from, so we cooled our heels for a while. 

Anchored at dusk outside Mudge Bay.

Finally the winds had eased so we left Prudhoe Island early and sailed east to avoid the reef system in central Montague Sound. Finally safe and back in deep water we had to turn on the motor to go directly south as the winds were still preventing us from doing so. 






When we were in Montague Sound before we had spent a fair bit of time checking out two of the large three bays found at the southern end of the Sound. This time we were heading south to check out the remaining bay - Mudge Bay.

We arrived late in the day as we had covered a lot of ground since leaving Prudhoe Island that morning. Correction, I should say a lot of water. We anchored in a reasonably sheltered spot off one of the outer islands in Mudge Bay, as the large bay is unchartered and we had been told that it was also notoriously shallow.  

The beautiful beaches of Mudge Bay.

We also had been advised that Mudge Bay had numerous colonies of the largest oysters on the Kimberley coast. However the catch was that they are best found at low tide and a Spring (lower lows) low tide would be best for finding them. We had arrived too late in the day and it was still too windy to head out in the dinghy. So we set the alarm for 0500 hours the next morning. Normally I hate early mornings but once up and about it was a beautiful time to see pretty Mudge Bay. 

The huge difference between high and low tides.

The water was so calm it was mirror flat and the water level very low due to the Spring tides, so we were able to find some beauties that are normally well hidden from fossickers. That evening we feasted on some lightly poached oysters in fish and sweet chilli sauce. 






Time to leave Mudge Bay and return to another favourite haunt to tie up some loose ends. We had a great sail almost to the point of anchoring, in Swifts Bay. Last time we were here, with Lyndell and Dave we had checked out the eastern bays and art galleries but had not had the opportunity to see the western and southern ends of Swifts Bay. Lyndell had advised us that the coast along southern Swifts Bay contained some of the best galleries, so hence our return.

We anchored out from the circular cove on the western side of Swifts Bay. We were intrigued about the water pipe that is attached to a natural spring, here. This is where most boats that do not have a water maker get their fresh water. But we were not that keen to go ashore due to reports of a very large and aggressive crocodile that hangs out here. Friends of ours (Barb and John) came here two years ago. The story goes that they noticed another boat in the same anchorage, but with no dinghy. After several hours waiting for the dinghy to return to the boat so they could ring and say hello, they started scanning the shore for the dinghy. It was then they noticed two tiny specks waving at them from the nearest sanstone hill. They quickly went ashore in their dinghy and retrieved the bedraggled pair. Apparently the pair had gone over to fill their water bottles when the crocodile launched itself on their dinghy. They had only moments before leapt to the land and ran up the hill while the crocodile chewed their dinghy beyond use. The crocodile then stalked them for five days until Barb and John found them. They had survived on fresh water and mussels but had lost about 14 kilos each.

The largest midden we have ever seen.

The following day we motored down to southern Swifts Bay in the dinghy. We spent about 6 hours looking in every cave until we were exhausted. We returned to the boat down-hearted about not finding any art. We were sure we were close to where Lyndell and Dave had told us the art was, but obviously not close enough.

Burial Chamber.

Late afternoon another boat arrived and we quickly rang them to have a chat. They were the first people we had spoken to in three weeks and they also hadn't any conversation for weeks either, so we all agreed to scan the southern shore together, for art the next day. 

Half way through the day we hit the mother load - a huge midden, the biggest we have ever seen and three caves with numerous art and even a burial chamber. 



 

The spirit - Wandjina.

We were respectful and didn't touch the art or the burial site but took numerous photos. We then enjoyed sundowner's on our boat with John and Paul, chatting for several hours about where we all had been and what there was to see at various locations.

A mortar and pestle.

22) Western Australia: Yampi Sound to York Sound. 6th to 22nd August. 2014.

View of Steep Island from the top of Raft Point.

We had arrived back at Raft Point a safe and familiar anchorage, and it was time to check out the remaining caves that we had missed on the way over. We had been told that the indigenous art work here was spectacular. We had seen some great stuff last time but we still needed to find two other caves, to finish the job.






After a 30 minute climb we reached the top we were breathless as we were quite deconditioned. Though our arm muscles were toned there is not much aerobic exercise to be had on a boat, as you can imagine walking around the deck just doesn't cut it. 


 
The view of Collier Bay from the top is spectacular and after walking through scrub and climbing over boulders we came across the other two caves. Peaking underneath the ledges revealed the mother load of all indigenous art.

Human???

The amount of art displayed was astounding and covered every possible part of the roof surface. It depicted everything you would want to know about Raft Point. This is one of the functions of indigenous art, to display all the food sources that could be found in the region. There were turtles, bats, dugong, wallaby, birds, barramundi and numerous other fishes.


 
It also gave an insight into their spiritual beliefs. We got the impression that life here was good. There was water and plenty of food sources so they had time to pursue more esoteric, spiritual and artistic endeavours. 

The spirit - Wandjina.

Plus it is one of the few sites that are still active - meaning the art is still being made and the older art is regularly touched up.

Back on the boat the weather report wasn't what we had hoped for. We already had three days of really windy weather but more was predicted for the rest of the week. This meant getting out to Montgomery's Reef would be easy. However, finding the narrow channel in the south east corner of the extensive reef system, that we were told existed but was not charted, was very worrisome. Then staying there some hours while the tide dropped 12m and then another six hours till it rose again before we could safely leave, would not only be uncomfortable but potentially hazardous. We would have gone if following someone, or had some coordinates or even a mud map but no we were blind as to what to find and where to find it. Bad weather just ruled this option out for us - yet again.

Montgomery's Reef exposed as LWS arrives.

On the plus side the wind and the ebb (outgoing) tide would help propel us north up and safely out of Collier Bay. It would also take us along the eastern side of Montgomery's Reef, and if we sailed close enough we would get a good view as we headed north. Decision made, that was what we did.







Montgomery's Reef is extensive but at high tide you could sail right past and not see anything but a few small islets, because it is covered by at least 10m of water. After high tide the water level begins to drop and eventually the reef rises out of the water. The water cascades off in all directions and it looks like mini waterfalls everywhere. This is what people come to see as it is quite a spectacle.

Kid Island Beach, off Deception Bay.

We also had a good and quick sail north and arrived back at Kidd Island, just outside Deception Bay. We retraced our steps after this and quickly ticked off Sampson's Inlet, Roger's Strait, Tenggara Bay, and out of Port George IV, as we had seen them on the pilgrimage south to Derby.








We then took a detour south down towards the Prince Regent River. We were not going right up the extensive river system for numerous reasons. Firstly, it is really difficult to navigate down through the narrow passages and Whirlpool Pass just to get to the Saint George Basin. Then get across the Basin and into the river system. Secondly, the river can get quite shallow in several places so we would have to anchor just inside the river. That would mean a very long trip to get 17 nautical miles up to the waterfalls and back to the boat during one high tide period in the dinghy with a 3 horsepower engine - almost impossible. Lastly, it was mid-August and the chance that water would be still flowing over the waterfall would be exceedingly low. As it was definitely late in the dry season and most other waterfalls we had come across in July were completely dry or only a trickle was flowing over them.

The mouth of Hanover Bay Inlet.

Decision made we thought we would head down to lovely Hanover Bay. The passage down was a great sail with help from the flood (incoming) tide and we noticed several other narrow river passages that had cut their way into the flat topped red cliffs. They were indeed tempting to go into and have a look around but with no charts, it would be impossible to know the depths and any hazards that lie in wait.

On reaching the inlet the view was spectacular. Huge red cliffs flanked the inlet on both sides. There were some lovely beaches just outside the inlet and we anchored just off the largest and whitest beach in the area.







Then we took the dinghy up the inlet that evening and also the next day to check out its many river systems and potential anchorages. All this beauty around and we had it to ourselves. 

Then it was time to return to our pilgrimage north. We headed across York Sound, rounding Bat Island and Cape Brewster. We anchored overnight in the lee of Cape Brewster and planned on how we would get to Careening Bay the next day. 



 



On our way south we had come through the narrow but deep passage that exists between Glauert and Grey Islands, called Ivy Cove. This time we wanted to attempt the narrow but shallow rock strewn passage between the southern end of Glauert Island and the northern end of the mainland. Again we planned for slack water, so we set out the next morning at low tide. 

Denise at the Mermaid tree.

We reached the narrow isthmus right at the end of low tide. Great, we could slowly motor through the passage without a current pushing us. Also good we could see all the rocks surrounding the boat, but we just had to avoid the submerged ones we couldn't see. We ever so slowly picked our way through while I constantly called out the depth while Peter made small adjustments to avoid the rocks. 





This was a nervous time but we cajoled ourselves with the thought that if we beached ourselves on a rock the flood tide that was now coming in would set us free. Well that was the plan at least. Luckily we safely made it through and anchored on the beautiful beach that is Careening Bay.

'Reverie' anchored in Careening Bay. Glauert Island in the background.

The beach got its name when the 'HMC Mermaid' spent 16 days careened here on the beach while extensive repairs were undertaken to fix the boat. The iron nails that had been used to build the boat in 1816 had well - rusted. The Captain, Philip Parker King and crew carved the ships name in the large boab tree near the beach in 1820. 


After checking out the Mermaid tree Peter accidently dropped the left arm of his sunglasses through the grating on the boardwalk. He jumped off and peered underneath and located the item. He was just about to reach in when the large brown highly venomous snake made a lunge for him. Luckily his reflexes were good and he managed to avoid being bitten and we both quickly ran back towards the beach, worrying the snake maybe persuing us. Feeling safe enough we took a picture of the snake again back to catching rays under the boardwalk. Lucky escape for Peter. His fate certain death in about 20 minutes as there is no medical assistance out here. 

The large brown snake soaking up the sun.

 
Once back on board a few calming beers were had and he could finally laugh about his near death experience.