The National Geographic Orion cut a beautiful silhouette in the early morning light of Koolama Bay. An expedition team lead by our naturalist Mark Z. headed into King George River setting out to summit the rocky plateau. Their reward, a uninterrupted view gazing the length of the King George River, a highlight of our expedition thus far. Not a drop of water fell over the falls, a stark reminder of the savage shifts in climate between the seasons in this remote part of the Kimberley.
The King George River was found by European explorers quite late in 1911. The river mouth is obscured from view, tucked away in the far corner of Koolama Bay. Aboard our Zodiacs whilst exploring the bay, we happened upon a herd of dugong feeding on sea grass. Motors were silenced and our Zodiacs drifted gently with the tide as we observed dugong all around us. Grazing below us and periodically surfacing to give us a glimpse of their whiskered faces, these rare marine mammals provided a surprise wildlife encounter none of us will soon forget.
As the dugong herd moved on, we headed up the King George River aboard our intrepid Zodiacs. Each bend in the river revealed sheer cliffs and incredibly beautiful rock vistas. The red rock faces were banded across the cliffs where the trapped moisture permits cynobacteria to grow.
At the base of the falls, our ever-surprising hotel team appeared with morning tea. Taking in the enormity of the gorge, protected from the sun in the shadow of the cool cliffs, sangria and croissants were the order of the day.
The hiking team returned to the river and with the full fleet of Zodiacs reunited we cruised back toward the National Geographic Orion. Winding through the river we spotted eastern reef egrets, white-bellied sea eagles, ospreys and a pied oystercatcher pair with chicks. The water too was brimming with life, crocodiles patrolling the mangroves, beautiful schools of baitfish and green sea turtles as we passed across the bay.
Back on board, our naturalist Marieke divulged the secrets of the Koolma and the engrossing tale of adversity and survival. Following lunch, the expedition team swapped stories of their exploration of the rocky plateau and recanted the diverse species of bird and reptiles we had observed on the hike.
The day ended with an expedition to a secluded beach in Koolma Bay. Expedition naturalist Martin led a nature walk whilst Doug continued our education into the world of photography. For a few game to again attack the rocky terrain, our naturalists Andrew and Shaun led a contingent up to a cliff face high above Koolama Bay. Atop the cliff an osprey dropped out of the sky to pluck a fish from the surf in front of our eyes. A silence fell across the hikers as gazed out across the Timor Sea and wondered what we would encounter on our passage tomorrow.
