25 Jul 2024

Zodiac cruising the King George River

Our Kimberley Explorer adventure was underway as we arrived in warm weather at Koolama Bay, ready for our Zodiac cruise through the bay to King George River. Armed with our knowledge from this morning’s geology presentation, we enjoyed a 3-hour Zodiac cruise up the river to explore the multiple nooks and crannies. As we soaked in the sights, we learned why the bay is called Koolama – after the vessel attacked here during the war. Meandering up the river, we had spectacular views of the sandstone formations eroded by the might and repetition of the water from both above and below – the Tafoni, resembling a honeycomb made by bees, was a series of holes caused by the water erosion. The banks of the river were strewn with mangrove forests, and as we cruised through at low water, it was excellent to see the banks alive with a tangle of root systems giving life to the river. We observed an Osprey nest and bird, Rock-wallabies and even a Saltwater Crocodile hauled out of the water on the mangrove bank. The highlight for most was embracing the refreshing showers from the waterfall at the end of the King George River on our Zodiacs, whether they were brave enough to go under the water or watch the others. 

After a day of adventure, we returned to Heritage Adventurer enjoying a beautiful sunset to end our Zodiac adventures.

Images © J. Mishina, Heritage Expeditions