Jason Fleischer, Scenic Group's director of expedition operations, likes to joke that everything in Australia is out to kill you.
He said it was what made expedition cruises to Australia's remote Kimberley region “a little more adventurous”.
Crocodile menace aside, expedition cruises are flocking to the Kimberley's warm waters this year, providing access to the ancient Montgomery Reef, Horizontal Falls and Aboriginal culture.
“If you love Antarctica, this is the next place to go because you can't go there unless you're on an expedition ship, and it's beautiful, but there's another side to it,” Flesher said.
Just two years ago, there were only three cruise operators in the Kimberley. This year, Flesher said, at least eight operators were sailing in northwestern Australia. These include Lindblad Expeditions, Ponant, Seabourn Cruises, Scenic, Silversea Cruises and Australia-based Coral Expeditions.
A waterfall in the Prince Regent River area of the Kimberley region of Australia. Photo courtesy of Scenic Group.
According to Flesher, the Kimberley's red sandstone rocks, interesting terrain, greenery and indigenous culture are reminiscent of the American Southwest and are appealing to Western movie fans.
As the cruise industry blossoms in this rugged region, operators are recognizing the importance of not overwhelming national parks and indigenous communities. The Kimberley people have lived here for over 50,000 years, longer than any other group has lived in one place.
In the absence of a local itinerary tool, Flesher said cruise operators there are creating their own and working together to avoid overwhelming the area and its people.
And because the Kimberley is known for tidal fluctuations of between 8 and 14 meters every six hours, scheduling can be tricky, he said. Timing and cooperation are critical, dictating when ships can call at ports along remote coasts.
Operators must obtain permits from a number of governing bodies along with indigenous communities. If you plan to land your Zodiac in this area, you must first ensure that there are no saltwater crocodiles in the area.
Respect tradition
Wunambal Gaambera, a Kimberley Aboriginal traditional owner, was chosen as the godparent for Seabourn Pursuit. Photo courtesy of Seabourn Cruises
The area and its indigenous communities are so important to the cruise lines that operate here that Seabourn has named the area’s Wunambal Gaambera traditional owners as godparents for its second expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit.
Traditional owners is an Australian term for people whose ancestors are connected to a particular piece of land. The Wunambal Gaambera traditional owners are from Ngula Jar Island, located in Vansittart Bay. Yirinni on the Hunter River; Ngauwudu, on the Mitchell Plateau, is in the Kimberley, which Seabourn plans to visit.
Seabourn will also donate to Wunambal Gaambera to help them produce and sell their arts and crafts, supplying them with pearl shells, art supplies and polish.
Robin West, Seabourn's vice president and general manager of expeditions, said Kimberley cruises had received an “overwhelmingly positive response” from cruisers and were particularly popular with travelers from North America and Australia.
“We are always looking for new destinations to visit, as our guests are always looking to discover the natural and cultural wonders of the most remote places on Earth,” he said. “That’s what the Kimberley has to offer, so it was natural to explore the region aboard Seabourn Pursuit.”
For Scenic, the two helicopters onboard the expedition allow us to work with indigenous communities to offer unique tours. Scenic has permission to fly guests directly to specific indigenous areas, such as a pool above a waterfall far from crocodiles or a pearl farm for tours. Guests can also visit indigenous communities and experience their culture through traditional art and dance.
When the waves are too strong to carry guests aboard the Zodiac, a helicopter can be used to bring natives to the ship to perform and chat with guests.
Nurse sharks swimming near the Zodiac in Kuri Bay. Photo courtesy of Scenic Group
Who should go?
Adventurous travelers who have been to Antarctica and the Arctic want to go somewhere new, said Claire Maguire, an adventure-focused travel advisor and owner of Fort Lauderdale-based Cruise Planners franchise Island Girl Travel and Vacations.
“Now everyone has been everywhere,” she said.
With less than a week to go before the inaugural voyage from the Kimberley, Maguire hopes to attract qualified guests to the region by pitching the destination to guests who understand where they've already been, aren't interested in the cold polar regions, or are drawn to the tropics. He said he would select them. (Even in the winter, the Kimberley has an average temperature of 80 degrees, and temperatures can reach 101 degrees.)
But crocodiles come with a caveat.
“It’s probably not for someone who thinks it’s going to be some kind of vacation where you jump off and swim in the ocean in the Caribbean,” she said. “I think they will be qualified very carefully.”
