Horizontal Falls

Huge day today in sunny Western Australia. I leapt (well more correctly lurched) out of bed at the unchristian hour of 5.00am to prepare myself for a 5.40am pickup from the hotel. I am so in the zone at the moment that I broke one of my cardinal rules today and got on a single engine plane not once, but twice. I didn't need a scotch nor did my heart race even increase slightly. For those of you who know my love of flying, in particular small planes, you will no doubt be somewhat bemused that I ventured forth in such a craft.

We took off at sunrise, It was stunning.

We flew over the Buccaneer Archipelago. It was pretty nice as well.

We flew over the Horizontal Falls. they were OK.

We breakfasted on Talbot Bay and watched the sharks circle as they waited for their own meal.

Then we took out the jet boats for a ride through the falls.

We actually did this multiple times and in a much smaller boat than the one pictured. It was quite a rush. The large gap is 20 metres wide and the boat is 6 metres across. The small gap is only 7 metres wide and needless to say we didn't go through that one. Apparently they used to do it in the smaller boat but their competition capsized two vessels so they decided to stop the practice. The boat had to churn 8,000 rpm just to hold against the current. That equates to about 10 knots. 

After that we flew over some more of the Buccaneer Archipelago which hadn't got any uglier since earlier in the day. 

And landed in Cape Leveque for lunch which was also just awful.

All in all I had a pretty damn sensational day. I saw some truly remote and dramatic parts of the Kimberley. Every step of the way, the whole experience, was first class. The staff without a doubt and with no exceptions were stellar. They had personality and professionalism all rolled into one. They personified everything that Aussie service could be and should be. I unreservedly commend the Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventure to anyone who visits Broome.

Tomorrow I head out to Kununurra for a few days. Hoping to check out the Bungle Bungles and maybe cruise the Ord River.