The Kimberleys

We are slack.

We left Derby what seems like a lifetime ago. Our first stop on the famous Gibb River Road was Windjana Gorge.  This place was huge and of a late afternoon HEAPS of fresh water crocs!

You know the rule....Never smile at a crocodile!

This is an amazing sunset at Windjana National Park.  We were both chuffed at finally making it to the first stop on the Gibb :)

Near Windjana Gorge is Tunnel Creek.  This is an underwater cave system.  A bit spooking on your own as all you have is a small torch and your wadding through water with the possibilities of fresh water crocs swimming past you!  It was amazing though!

Next stop on the cross country adventure was Bells Gorge.  This water was sooooo cold!  I braved it to my knees but Foo went all in!

Can you see him?

On the way to Bell Gorge we had to conquer a few water crossings.  This one was the deepest so far.  The water made up over the skids on the car and up the back of the camper.

After talking to our lovely neighbours for the last two camps we headed off to Mornington Wilderness park.  This place had 2 gorges and 2 water holes.  This is Diamond Gorge.

Cadjeput Hole. 

Massive Boab on the way to our next stop.

On the way to Manning Gorge we stoped off at Galvins Gorge.  This was one of the easiest walks to the water hole and the nicest so far.

Next stop Manning Gorge!  This gorge was spectacular.  The water was crystal clear.  It took us at good hour to walk to these falls but it was so worth the climb it was beautiful!

Us behind the thundering waterfall.

Not the best shot of me but I gave it a go.  Was like a little kid in a candy store had soo much fun.

Weeeeeeeeee

Foo trying to walk on water :)

Oh no!!!  The trouble starts.  After fueling up at Mount Barnett Road House (which is 1km from Manning Gorge camping) we found a poor couple only 200 mtrs from the road house with water in their fuel.  That was the end of their holiday as they had to be towed back to Derby.  Unfortunately we found out that we got our fuel from the same bowser and so we were praying that we didn't have any water but as we crawled into Drysdale Station our water light kept coming on.  Bugger!  So all we could do is drain the tank and hope all is good.  Lucky we had once again a great neighbour who helped foo pull the whole fuel tank off the car and flush it out.  By the way they did it in the dark!  I tell you there are great people out there!

The next day we were going to head to Mitchell Falls but because of the water in the fuel we were a bit hesitant so we decided to pull the plug and keep going on the Gibb just in case.  Thankfully they did get all the water out but....................on the way to Home Valley Station our next hiccup came in the shape of two punctures!  It was definately a long drive after getting the punctures as foo had to keep pumping up the tyre as we one had one spare and a puncture repair kit which just wasn't working.

 

After crawling once again to Home Valley Station we made it finally.  This place was like 5 star camping after what we had been staying at.  There was lush green grass everywhere it was fantastic! After having to purchase two new tyres (for $870) we were back to business :)

Home Valley is right next to the Pentecost River so Matt went out in the boat one day and caught 5 barra!  None legal though.  While I relaxed by the pool :)

If you look closer there is a lizard on the car.

This boab was next to the famous El Questro homestead. We had to pull up and have a fish.

Our last stop on the trip was El Questro.

First day there we went fishing at Chamberlain Gorge.  Matt caught a 48cm barra. This is still the closest to being legal. Legal size of the barra up here is between 55cm and 80cm. At this stage Matt has caught about 15 barra to 0 legal!

And I caught my FIRST barra!  Just a baby but still caught one :)

This is at Zebedee Springs.  This was like sitting in a bath.  The water was wonderful!  Neither of us wanted to get out.

Back at the camp ground we had a friendly visitor.

This is the famous Emma Gorge.

Finally we made it to the end of the Gibb.

Prison Boab tree at Wydham.

Well Matt finally got the nerve to take the boat out at Mambi Island on the lower Ord. Knowing full well that there were big crocs everywhere. This is his first close up sighting in the boat as he drifted by. It was about 3m long! Unfortunately there were no decent fish caught!

We made it down to Kununurra and back to civilisation. The water from the wet season is still thundering out of Lake Argyle. Tour guides said that this wet season (lake Argyle water capasity when full and not overflowing usually holds 12 Sydney harbours) the amount of water held in the dam at the end was 44 Sydney Harbours! And the flow rate out of the Dam now is still at 1.5 olympic swimming pools PER SECOND!!! so just imagine the flow rate when the spill gate was 9 metres higher than that. That is why there has been just so much carnage and erosion this year. Fantastic to see tho!

This is the Ivanhoe Crossing which is still closed now and will be for some time. The flow coming down still is massive.

This is the local Kununurra park with our caravan park in the background.

Diversion Dam

Sunset out in the boat on Lake Kununurra

Matt Cruising in the boat.

Lake Kununurra sunset from the boat

After the hectic bumpy roads of the Gibb we decided to do a flight over the Bungle Bungles.  I scored the front seat with the cute pilot :)

The beehive domes!

Argle Diamond Mined.  Thats a massive whole!

Foobie all alone in the back seat.

Well thats it folks till next time. 

Cheers!

Barra Land!!!!!

Well, back again a bit quicker than usual. No its not just to boast, but we are about to hit the Gibb River Road, so we thought we would get a few last pics up before we head out of range for a few weeks.

As you may see, I have let things go a bit wild in the last few weeks(well months). The weather has been cool and i have not had a shave since...........I think it was the Alice Springs Races actually a couple of months ago. But it is now time so i took this before Sharna Sheered me.

We have spent a few days in Broome as we said last blog. We headed out on the Sunset Camel Tour on Cable beach. It was really cool, tho pretty expensive at 70 bucks each for an hour. Still we are glad to have done it. 

Well anyone on Facebook would have seen these next few pics. As we have said we headed out on a Barra tour out from Broome on our last day. It was extremely pricey at 285 bucks a head for a full days and for us both to do it, was costly.......Although I thought it was very worth it!

There were 3 of us on the tour. Sharna and I, another bloke called "Mundie" and of course the guide - "Slim". The Charter was Slims Barra Charters and he is one of the barra charters in Broome, tho he specialises in Barra only as some do deep sea stuff as well.

He picked us up at 6am and we drove 150kms to the Fitsroy river at a place called the Telegraph Pools.  It was a slow start to the day but by mid morning the Barra had arrived.  This is my biggest catch for the morning about 35cm and weighing approx 1kg....... 

And this is my afternoon catch!!!  102cm thumper and weighing approx. 45kgs (in Kris' terms!)  This thumper was caught by trawling with a classic hard bodied lure (below).

Isn't she a BEAUTY! actual weight was about 20kgs. It was a real struggle to hold her up straight .

This is the lure I caught her on. I took this after Slim changed 2 of the Trebble hooks, They were both bent to crap!

That was all we caught on the boat all day. I was very happy obviously but Sharna and Mundie felt a bit rorted. I got as much info out of Slim about how, when, where and anything else i could to keep catching them on our adventures through the top end.

This was on our way to Chile Creek on Cape Leveque.  This one is for you ma!  They were yellow wattle.

After setting up camp we drove down to the river mouth and beach for a look at the local scenery and this is what we got!  Not a happy chappy this arvo!  We were bogged for an hour with the sun setting in the background and us trying everything to get out.  In the end after almost 25mins of scanning the cb we had victory!  Two cars came to see the sunset and we were saved!

The next day we headed up to One Arm Point for some fishing and arrived just in time for the show at the Hatchery.  This is a green turtle.

Barra Cods

Finding Nemo!  Clown Fish.

Sharna caught the only fish up at One Arm Point.  Her favourite the reef cod!  Only kidding she hates them because thats all she can catch!

This is a wild camel on the way to Middle Lagoon.  Middle Lagoon was half way up Cape Leveque and amazing!  We both enjoyed this place the most and would definately go back tomorrow if we could.

Out fishing at Middle Lagoon.  Finally a black snapper. The only fish that was worth a photo.  Not like the mackeral the other boat caught!  We did trawl and I had 2 strikes but lost them.  We also chased tuna schools to no avail.  Was a wild day on the water with at one stage a sail fish that was easily 2 metres long swam by.

Our view from our campsite at Middle Lagoon.  Just beautiful!

Well folks thats it for another blog.  We have been in Derby for 2 nights preparing for the next big adventure!  We are off on the Gibb River Road tomorrow for 2-3 weeks with no reception so don't panic we will stay safe and will be in contact once again then.

Cheers!