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.