This morning we woke to a beautiful sunrise and a gentle southeasterly breeze as National Geographic Orion made its way across the Bonaparte Gulf towards Koolama Bay – our destination this afternoon. At 9:30, I had the honor of giving our guests a presentation entitled, “Teeth, Scales and Crocodiles – An Introduction to Australian Crocodiles.” After this, our cultural specialist Birgit gave an excellent talk about aboriginal customs and lifestyles across northern Australia.
National Geographic Orion arrived at Koolama bay at lunchtime, and after lunch we boarded the Zodiacs and took our guests up the mighty King George River, on the hunt for wildlife and to enjoy the incredible scenery. As we approached the river mouth, we were greeted by a solitary black-necked stork fishing in the shallows. Further along, we came across a dugong and a green sea turtle within close proximity. There were white-bellied sea eagles and a brahminy kite flying overhead, and many other birds in the mangroves to be spotted. It was a great start to our Kimberley portion of the voyage, and we’re looking forward to our day tomorrow at Vansittart Bay.
