Return to the red dirt: Ellen-May’s cruise
Ellen-May still remembers her first visit to the Kimberley. The region captivated her; she loved the stark contrast of the rusty, red dirt and the stunning blue ocean, and she knew should had to go back. Finally, the ‘stars aligned’ and she ticked the item from her bucket list with an 11-day cruise from Darwin to Broome.
“Decades ago, I did a Perth to Kununurra camping trip where I got to experience some of the Kimberley – it has such a fascinating history and just amazing environment.”
“I’ve done a lot of the land activities at the Kimberley, and I’ve always wanted to see it from the ocean. Some of the attractions can only be seen from the water. So, it was always a bucket list item for me.”
In October, Ellen-May boarded the Ponant Explorations cruise, which organised daily expeditions that took visitors across the water and onto land to explore the local area.
“They had a very slick program worked out. We had expedition leaders that had a keen interest in geology, biology, environment and agriculture. They did information sessions in the evenings, and the next day they would take us out on the rubber dinghies, known as zodiacs.”
Among the many stand out moments of the trip, one that Ellen-May remembered fondly was witnessing the Mitchell Falls. This iconic waterfall cascades over layers of sandstone. Reaching the falls, however, was no walk in the park.
“Getting there was quite difficult, and I was only able to do with the support of the staff. I had to get in and out of the zodiac, walked up this shell beach, before hopping into the helicopter, where we landed in a shaded area.”
She sat in the shaded area for a while before mustering up her courage to hike to the lookout.
“I’ve seen the falls from the air, but I wanted to see it up close. So, I did the hike. I had the two expedition guys with me, and they stayed with me the whole time.”
When she finally reached the lookout, she was blown away by the breathtaking view, every step of the journey was worth it.
Other memorable moments include, admiring the striking rock formations, seeing the Montgomery Reef during the low tides and experiencing Horizontal Falls – a natural phenomenon where enormous tidal currents force water through two narrow coastal gorges.
Above all, Ellen-May was elated by how accessible the cruise was noting there were accessible rooms for booking, elevators in the cruise and highly rating the Ponant team for their warmth and assistance throughout the trip.
“You get to meet people from different parts of Australia and the world. It was great fun!”
I took a book with me, but I didn’t even read a thing!"
