Darwin to Gylcosmis Bay

Pam’s Bit…….!
Left Darwin on Tuesday 8th. June after filling the boat’s fuel tanks to the brim and headed south down the Franz Joseph Bonaparte Gulf – known locally as Blownapart Gulf – how apt! We anchored at Crystal Creek for the night but next morning up anchored at 0355 to head across the Gulf to the Berkeley River. Marg and I have little comment to make about the crossing – a horizontal position accompanied by a plastic bucket our preferred mode for the day. We entered the Berkeley River at 1600 to calm, tranquil water – heaven!
The next day we moved further into the river near to Casuaina Creek inlet, later explored in the dinghy to find 40 meter waterfalls and amazing rock escarpments. Found the scree where it was possible to gain access to the top. The scree is a landslide of rocks and boulders. Bill and Sandy moored Foreign Affair up in Casuarina Creek near the falls.
Next day all except me, climbed the scree slope and walked along the cliff top to the falls before following the creek upstream about 500 meters in search of Bradshaw paintings on rocks and did not find the site. Sighted a large turtle feeding on jelly fish. The tide dropped while they were up the mountain and was a bit shocked to see everyone being ferried back to Kiella in FA’s dinghy. Kiella’s dinghy high and dry in the rocks – floated off nicely once the water rose again.
The next morning we moved further up the river through 100 meter high gorge, mooring opposite a waterfall, saw our first croc, as well as rock wallabies, eagle, small boab. Took dinghy to small 2 meter waterfall, explored the rockpools, water lilies, silky oak in flower, superb St Andrew spider and web. Then went further upriver to the rock wall small falls and rock pools. Later in the afternoon we went down to the Amphitheatre Falls 60 meters, cathedral like rocky escarpment towered around the falls.
It is now Sunday morning- sent the men for water from the Red Amphitheatre falls and it was time for some serious washing to be done. Sandy had caught a 85cm Trevally early in the morning – she shared some with us which we enjoyed for tea. Marg had caught catfish but later hooked a large rock – none worth eating! Elaine caught a barra…….coota – cant be eaten, but the next morning a she surpassed all by hauling in a 95cm, about 10kilos of Trevally –will produce 3 wonderful tasty meals. Monday cruised back to the entrance of the river for early departure next morning. New moon and pod of porpoises. The Berkeley River is majestic, tranquil and extraordinarily ancient, the geological architecture is stunning.

And now from Marg
We left the Berkeley for King George River at 6.00hrs, through some robust seas which Pam and I survived rather better this time. It was very windy inside the entrance so we anchored upriver below the falls. It was fascinating to see how different the geology of this river is – it appears more eroded and crumbly in parts, more honeycombed, with some precariously balanced rocks on precipitous clifftops. But the colours are just as wonderful as in Berkeley. The river ends in 95 metre high waterfalls, with massive rock overhangs, little caves and hanging gardens forty feet above water level.

The following day we walked up a scree slope to reach the top of the falls. Beautiful rockpools and interesting clambering, with magnificent views down the valley and to the boats below. Our peace was broken by the arrival of numbers of True North passengers who not only walked up the scree behind us but arrived by helicopter! The river had become rather crowded – the cruiser had 6 dinghies on board as well as the aircraft. By the next day we were joined by jetskis and a vast catamaran. Almost time to leave.

Kiella makes it own desal water but for the last few days the adventure has been to collect our own fresh water. Ian brought the boat under the waterfall and 75 litres was collected, wet t-shirts were the least of this event! As we had had a burn-off above the river, with visible flames and an awful lot of smoke and ash, it provided a great opportunity to wash down the boat.

Next day, Friday 18/6, we headed off to Glycosmis Bay. A very calm passage for two and a half hours until the sandbar entrance required some negotiation. We anchored near the falls and went off in the dinghy in search of the cave, mapped to indicate the start of the walk up to the top. After lunch we clambered up the cliff, over rocks and under trees, two shell middens, avoiding green ants and barbed branches, to the top, and an easier walk around to the falls, past two extraordinary boab trees. One, perhaps thousand of years old, had carved sides where plates of timber for shields had been removed.

Elaines …………….
Rock climbing, green ants, rivers that zig and zag through narrow gorges, high huge boulders, vines that have wee barbs on them that snare you, waterfalls, and fresh pools, large variety of native flowers, dark skies full of starts so bright, red tinged high escarpments……these are only a few of the reflections that I have of our time since we left Darwin. The camera has worked over time and I’m sure that it can not duplicate the grandeur that we all have just seen and experienced. I have climbed rock faces that seem impossible for this person ever to have scrambled up, the reward that having done so, has been more pictures. The early part of the Kimberley’s has totally blown me away.
What we have yet to see and discover from now to Broome I’m sure will just be as exciting.