Kimberly transit to Kuri Bay
Thanks to chris for the inspiration to post, and the info on how to insert text, but will save that for another day.
Big trip that cost us a lot of money ($4000 in boat fuel alone and over 1000kms), but compared to the peeps on Orion who payed $20K plus for a cabin with a view I think we got to see alot more. Thanks to the crew way up yonder who let us stay on empty barges and house-boats and who supplied fuel, its handy to know the right people!
The highlights: Hells Passage in full run, scared the beejesus out of me and I go to war zones on occasion to shoot (pics), waking up and checking the anchor and finding a lunar eclipse well under way (seriously thought I was dreaming!), and having a big saltie smash the back of our transom, launch itself over the 8hp Merc auxillary, and eat the drainpipe of
f the bait board. Hope it didnt get stuck in its throat. Amazing he knew exactly where the only bit of fish flesh and blood was on the boat after we washed it fearing such attention. Every day just got more amazing, we saw no other trailer boats north of Cone Bay. We missed Montgomery reef by 5kms after wisely turning around in a 40kn easterly and ran for cover to the closest Island, where we found a lagoon, tranquil waters, and a hole in a reef full of GT's! If you ever get a chance go to kingfisher island, it has everything.
Id like to say we had an epic, but we didnt. I will say we had a close call one night when we pulled the anchor and only one of us just woke up to the alarm. Had we grounded in the extra-ordinary 10m deep canyon we were now surrounded by, the boat would have probably filled with water on the 50o slope before she floated herself. And there were crocs everywhere. We threw caution to the wind and went deep into huge mangrove swamps both in the 8m and in our $800 blow up. You really need to keep your wits about you and be so on the ball, you get the feeling that you are seconds away from disaster at any given moment, buts that was probably just the Indiana Jones in us after a few too many tequilas.
We carried a tonne of fuel on-board, and went thru it twice
A Kimberley convoy would be a good idea for next year if anybody is interested.
PS Salt is probably gonna be for sale now Ive done this trip, which was her third big traverse of the area. Let me know if you want any details
Dave Hancock
Wen
Posts: 49
Date Joined: 21/10/10
Stunning
Awesome photos... what camera and lens you using for these shots?
field
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 06/02/11
Im using a Nikon D3s mostly,
Im using a Nikon D3s mostly, its a $6000 body, and various lenses but many of the above pics shot on a 10.5mm pro nikon lens (worth about $2000).
This expensive gear doesnt create good shots but! I can get the same results on almost any 35mm cam, this gear does allow you to shoot quickly and reset your brackets and exposures very efficiently, which is handy when the light is running out. The 10.5 lens is however super sharp most of the time and paying top dollar for glass makes a big difference
This is why theres no fishing shots - I cant affor a rod lol
Dave Hancock
dave@fieldtouring.com
Jacko
Posts: 72
Date Joined: 15/10/08
Bloody awesome!!!!
Bloody awesome!!!!
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read it in English thank a Soldier.
scottland
Posts: 3038
Date Joined: 10/05/10
nice pictures mate
bloody awesome
i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
Man they are some of the best
Man they are some of the best Kimberley shots I've seen. I love the photos of Croc Creek at night mate, where did you launch and retrieve from?
field
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 06/02/11
we went in at derby and got
we went in at derby and got smashed in stokes bay, the boat was so heavy. Pulling into Lachlan Island channel was like arriving at nirvana! 14 days later we got smashed going back, and had to shelter behind pt torment for the winds to drop and just made the water at the ramp. Stokes wasnt the favourite piece of water we encountered during the trip!
Dave Hancock
dave@fieldtouring.com
Bones76
Posts: 476
Date Joined: 03/11/08
fantastic pics
fantastic pics
channy
Posts: 242
Date Joined: 30/11/10
wow amazing photos! i wanna
wow amazing photos! i wanna go there.
crasny1
Posts: 7002
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Wow
Read Both Yours and Chris's report and just stunned. On a fishing forum with hardly any fishing pictures but who gives a damn with beautiful shots like that.
LOL about the cant afford a rod.
Spectacular.
Neels
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
madfisher
Posts: 206
Date Joined: 10/10/07
Fantastic photos mate, it
Fantastic photos mate, it makes m want to go back there ASAP
JGS
Posts: 87
Date Joined: 16/03/10
spectacular photos
sounds like a real adventure trip that has now made it to the list of places i have to see.
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Magical shots there Dave.Love
Magical shots there Dave.
Love the hells passage shot - ole grandad doesn't look to excited though..haha
Trip of a life time and well worth repeating a few times...where do I sign up.
Cheers Pete
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
And swap that guy in the
And swap that guy in the front for a bird ;)
field
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 06/02/11
ha damn right, i was thinking
ha damn right, i was thinking about asking people to re-seat but that woulda been hell rude - actually shot a big set in the falls there for a story should be out in one of the local rags in a few weeks, bout the 23 yr old guy that does the runs thru - he has taken 26,000 people thru since he was 17 and not lost anyone. Everyone else has had an accident and 6 people have been killed in the last decade in that spot. He is on a crusade to also stop mining in the area and next year is taking jet skis from wyndham to broome with a friend of mine, he is a fascinating guy
Dave Hancock
dave@fieldtouring.com
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
what local rag is it going to
what local rag is it going to be in, I'll keep an eye out?
How good are the Horizontal Waterfalls, pretty amazing place on spring tides when the water is 1m higher on one side than the other. How did you manage to get on a tour boat there? Is someone running trips apart from the cruises?
field
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 06/02/11
hopefully weekend magazine of
hopefully weekend magazine of the west australian titled "King of The Falls"
one company is doing all the runs thru now, we went thru about 20 times with punters on-board to shoot it, then we went thru with no tourists on board for a real on the edge run, almost at the extent of his ability. That was sick... Then we went thru on a jet-ski, earlier we flew past it at 15m above sea level in a Cessna 302. I took 1000 shots of the falls and sundry stuff, i better get this story published!
Dave Hancock
dave@fieldtouring.com
fisherking
Posts: 730
Date Joined: 29/05/08
Fark Yeah!!!! Makes you
Fark Yeah!!!! Makes you wanna be there hey!!!
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
bloody awesome always wanted
bloody awesome
always wanted to do a trip up there, only thing is, its a looooooooooong way to tow my boat!!! but im going to do it!
field
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 06/02/11
yes it sure is, i pulled mine
yes it sure is, i pulled mine back at 80km/hr i think it took about 35hrs. Guys will truck up and down for about a grand each way
Dave Hancock
dave@fieldtouring.com
CCC
Posts: 539
Date Joined: 29/03/10
Thanks Dave , glad the
Thanks Dave , glad the posting tips helped
Looking at your photos brings the memorys flooding back. Your pictures show the real beauty of this place mine didnt capture it near as well
Thanks for sharing.
By the way, awesome boat would have been a heap more comfy then mine.
Cheers
CCC
field
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 06/02/11
yeah i saw that sleeping
yeah i saw that sleeping layout you had, the dogleg woulda hurt after a couple of nights! and i actually felt stiffer this mornin getn outta my king size bed than i did any time i was away, go figure!
Dave Hancock
dave@fieldtouring.com
CCC
Posts: 539
Date Joined: 29/03/10
nah looks worst then it was,
nah looks worst then it was, can lay straight and more room up front then down the back. Moving everything every night to set up swags sucks bigtime!!
CCC
Peter73
Posts: 62
Date Joined: 28/05/11
I can see myself getting lost
I can see myself getting lost in Paradise like that for a long time quite easily . Top Pic's !
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15644
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Awesome
As the others have said, just awesome Dave. Glad you and CCC took the time to post, really shows off the beauty of our country and amps me up to get there one of these days.
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
Faulksy
Posts: 67
Date Joined: 05/05/10
Fantastic photos. They are
Fantastic photos. They are brilliant.
WADRay
Posts: 301
Date Joined: 20/12/09
Magic use of the fish eye
Magic use of the fish eye lense
bod
Posts: 2319
Date Joined: 03/05/06
missed this first time
missed this first time round. certainly would have been my loss if Faulksy hadn't resurrected it. Fabulous photos of a fabulous place. thanks Dave.