Yesterday we flew out to the Horizontal Waterfalls with Seaplane Adventures.
Taking off in the seaplane from the dusty Derby airport, we had little idea of what the next 15 hours would bring. The thong wearing pilot Jeremy, offered me the co-pilots seat which I gratefully accepted. The front seat provided a brilliant position to see the changing country side. Heading north we flew over some incredible flood plains and muddy creeks, rivers and gulfs. The mind boggles at how many mud crabs must live in this area. The further north we went the less mud could be seen in the water and the water gradually turned a more blue colour. By the time we could see our destination, the Horizontal Waterfalls, orange mountains had replaced the mud flats and the water was a clear aqua colour. Simply stunning views as our seaplane pilot dived steeply towards the water and our landing in the glassy calm waters next to the house boats that would be our base until tomorrow morning. I've never experienced a smoother landing as we glided onto the water. Jeremy does a few of these landing each day and he has it off pat. It seemed strange to then dismount from our plane straight onto a floating platform with some incredible looking boats mourned up alongside of our plane.
The seaplane flight and landing was going to be hard to top but the young crew aboard the house boats tried first with a swim with and info session on Lemon Sharks. An interesting half hour was spent swimming in a cage next to where these 2m sharks swim to for a free feed of barramundi.
Next we climbed aboard an incredible speed boat powered by 3, 300hp outboard motors. The power of these motors was to be put to the test a little later but in the mean time we travelled up the gorge passing through the type of Kimberly coast you see on the travel programs but nothing beats actually seeing first hand the colours of the towering cliffs and the water that reflects like a mirror. A very special experience.
After being in awe at the scenery it was back passed the house boats as each turn in the gorge provided a different view of the Kimberly sunset that we were being treated to. The grand finale was about 6 trips at great speed through the two gaps in the cliffs that create the famed horizontal falls. The first and wider of the two falls is about 20m wide and with the water level inside the gorge being about a metre higher than our side the trip back and forth was exhilarating to say the least. With the 900hp roaring behind, our front row seats provided a brilliant vantage point to experience the full effect of the rushing water and wind in our faces.
Next we were off to the narrower of the two gaps and the water was rushing with even greater force than the first. With a gap between the cliffs of about 10m and the water level differential of about a metre the ride through was even more exciting than the first and with Carol and her newly found friend Desy screaming at the top of their voices, the scene was anything but calm.
After our skipper decided he had provided sufficient adrenalin rushes it was back to the house boats for a great night dining on barramundi and enjoying a few drinks with our fellow thrill seekers.
A great night ended with us sleeping in our own room on the house boat.
We were all up before 6 for a nice breakfast and a few more runs through the first waterfall and a close up look at the narrower falls. Our skipper making the decision that the 2.5m differential through the second falls was too great to safely pass through.
The flight home took us over the Buccaneer Archipelago. They claim there are about 1000 Islands within this area and it is to see why. Islands for as far as the eye can see. Landing back in Derby we had an overwhelming sense of having just experienced something very very special.
After a restocking exercise at Woolworths we headed out of town hoping to reach Windjana Gorge before dark.