Our final day in the Kimberley began with a welcomed sleep-in and an excursion around Yampi Sound. The breeze was up in the morning so our Zodiac trip hugged the coastline allowing us to get some great views of the region’s spectacular geology. This part of the Kimberley has some of the area’s most remarkable rock formations. The elaborate twisting and folding of the sandstone layers at Nares Point almost defy comprehension.
From Nares Point we could also see the mining operations over on Koolan and Cockatoo islands. Remarkably, the iron ore here is among the richest deposits in the world. Given the remoteness of the coastline we’d been travelling along over the last several days, the open-cut iron ore mines here were somewhat surprising and reminded us that civilization was not far away.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a refreshing swim at Crocodile Creek. Nestled away in the southeast corner of Yampi Sound, Crocodile Creek is a scenic inlet with a beautiful waterfall and freshwater swimming hole. It is one of the few safe swimming holes along this coastline that is readily accessible by boat. Contrary to the image its name may evoke, the creek is in fact named after the rocky headland at its entrance, which at certain angles (and possibly an excessive amount of time spent at sea) appears somewhat like a crocodile. This creek is a recreational area for the miners at Koolan and Cockatoo Islands who put the basic infrastructure in here.
As we sailed out of Yampi Sound in the late afternoon we were treated to another beautiful sunset. Those of us on deck were also rewarded with views of humpback whales arriving this time of year as they migrate north to south from the cold waters of the Southern Ocean to the tropical waters of the equator. Viewing these majestic animals as the sun set on another great day rounded off our expedition perfectly.
