  After spending three months in the Kimberley in 1982 we were keen to return and the opportunity arose for a cruise on the Adams 11.9, RATTLE-N-HUM in 1990. The planned trip was short, only 4 weeks. However, we still had fun and caught fish. After departing Darwin in mid August and having a smooth trip across the Bonaparte gulf with light southerly winds, we made our landfall at Koolama Bay. The first three days were spent at anchor off the beach (left) behind the north eastern headland before moving into the King George River, motoring upstream to the main falls and mooring at the rock ledge below the eastern falls (right).
 To our surprise, friends Hugh and Maidie Roberts from Darwin were also anchored in the King George in their Mottle 33, EIDIAM (right). After scraping the sandbars at the mouth of the King George River on the way in and on the way  out, and making two attempts to round Cape Londonderry against the current, we finally anchored in the Governor Islands for a couple of days to gather our wits. The next tidal race beside Middle Rocks (left) was in our favour, so we were able to cruise across Vansittart Bay to anchor in Freshwater Bay.
  After an overnight stop at Troughton Island, we continued our cruise west across Admiralty Gulf past the amazing balancing rock formations of Low Rocks (left), through the Institut Islands, around Cape Voltaire and across Montague Sound to the Prudhoe Islands. Bert the mackerel fisherman, was careening his boat STORMVOGEL below the huts on the beach on the northern side of the Prudhoe Islands (right).
  Heading back to Darwin along substantially the same track, the dolphins were playing in Voltaire passage (left). This time the currents favoured our sail  around Cape Londonderry, and the late season south-westerlies had started to blow in early September. The light S-SW winds afforded us a smooth passage across the Bonaparte Gulf which allowed us to plot our course with sextant shots (far right) and on the second afternoon we were welcomed back to Darwin by this ruddy sunset west of Charles Point.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ 1998 KIMBERLEY CRUISE on "FARR STAR"  In 1997 and 1998 we sailed in the Darwin to Ambon race in FARR STAR. On returning to Darwin in early September 1998, there was five or six weeks to fill in while waiting for the easterlies to abate before heading back to Cairns. What better way to spend the time than by cruising the eastern Kimberley. The usual light September southerlies wafted us across the Cambridge Gulf to our first stop in the Berkeley River just inside the sandbar (left) at the mouth of the river.
Travelling upstream over the next couple of days  we  spent time anchored at the mouth of Casuarina Creek and dinghying up to the waterfalls for showers and relaxation each day. The climb to the top was moderately difficult, however, the views were spectacular and the waterholes refreshing. We then motored 8 miles upstream through the narrow gorge (left) and on to the amphitheatre anchorage (right). After exploring the side falls (below right) at the tidal rockbar and taking walks  further upstream, we headed back down to the mouth again after a great week "inland". Leaving the Berkeley River on a high tide at dusk we tacked slowly up the coast during the night into a light NW breeze, arriving off the sandbars at the mouth of the King George River on the next high tide at dawn. After circling a few times to find the deepest gap in the sandbars, we motored in to the King George River without even touching the bottom!  One of our favourite anchorages is beside the sandbar and under the cliffs at the mouth of the river (left). In this anchorage the cooling northerly sea  breezes blow straight up the river throughout the afternoon and into the night. Our challenge this year was to climb the rope (right) to access the falls and swimming pools at the head of the northern creek 2 miles upstream from the mouth. This was accomplished with a little trepidation on the first day,  but with much more confidence on the following day. The swimming and hiking up top was well worth the climb.
The following week we spent in and around the upper falls, climbing to the pools at the top of the falls to admire the view of FARR STAR at anchor (left). We had time for washing and swimming up top, and for catching fish and collecting oysters in the upper reaches of the King George River. All good trips must end! After 3 weeks in the two rivers we hauled the dinghy aboard and headed back across the Cambridge Gulf to Darwin in light W-SW winds. | 
