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              | PRINCE REGENT AIR PHOTO - The Prince regent River, in the SE corner of St. George Basin, is described in detail in the FSC Cruising Guide. Even with these detailed descriptions, the ride through the whirlpools, rocks and islands before
TIDE HEIGHTS - The tides in the Prince Regent River are about an hour later than White Island and about the same height. Further upstream at the Kings Cascades, the tide is nearly an hour later on springs and about two-thirds the height range. CAMP CREEK - Care should be taken at the left hand bend about 1 mile up from the mouth of Camp Creek (2a on map) where there are a couple of large drying rocks (below left) nearly in mid stream. From the anchorages near the mouth of Camp Creek it is a pleasant dinghy trip about two miles up the creek past these rocks to the first set of freshwater rapids at the tidal rockbar (below right).
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From the tidal rockbar and rapids, it is a 10min hike upstream along the creek bank to a great swimming hole (above left). It is then a further 20 min climb over the rocks and along the track on the left hand side of the creek to another two sets of waterfalls (above, centre & right) and to several more swimming holes.
KINGS CASCADES
Kings Cascades anchorage (right) is a very popular stopover with charter boats so you may not have this spot to yourselves. A climb to the top along a rocky track to the right of the falls is well worth the effort. From the track there are expansive views (left) About 100m above the Cascades there is a beautiful swimming lagoon (left). If you have the time, it is worth swimming a few strokes across this lagoon and taking an easy leisurely stroll further upstream across the relatively flat terrain interspersed with low waterfalls, pandanus, paperbarks and tussocky grass. CATHEDRAL FALLS
Either walk the last 50m to the base of the falls or wait until CONCLUSION The Prince Regent River is a "must see" river for cruisers on the Kimberley coast. The combination of scenery, waterfalls, rocks, swimming holes, calm anchorages, sandbars, fishing and crocodiles makes for an interesting and pleasant experience, usually shared with many others doing a similar journey (except for Cathedral Falls). |
This page was last updated 10 April, 2008 - download Prince Regent River.pdf |
entering St George Basin is exciting. There are stunning views of Mt Waterloo and Mt Trafalgar (left) from the "Basin". Once in the river, there are rocky mangrove islands, reefs and sandbars, all of which are accurately marked in the FSC Guide except the rock in Camp Creek described below. 
A rough track leads around the left hand side of the gorge, past the upper falls and up on to the plateau with magnificent views back down over the falls and the very deep blue swimming hole (left). Up on the plateau it is easy walking for several kilometres past small falls, rock pools and bonsai gum trees such as shown in the photo on the right.
The reason most cruisers visit the Prince Regent River is to experience the Kings Cascades, 8 miles upstream from Camp Creek. 
Leaving the anchorage at Camp Creek just after half tide (on springs), then avoiding the reef outside the mouth of Camp Creek (2b on map) and another reef in mid-stream (2c on map) there should be sufficient water to cross the drying sandbars after passing between two small islands (left). Kings Cascades will open up on the southern side (right) just after negotiating a kink in the river with a hole deep 
enough to anchor through all tides. The all tide 
anchorage is shown on the map at 1d and it is out of the current.
down over the falls, past the anchorage and out to the main river where the charter boats normally anchor. 
Now for one of the best kept secrets in the Kimberley! About 
5 miles upstream from Kings Cascades are the most amazing waterfalls, Cathedral Falls. Between Kings Cascades & Cathedral falls the river bed is mostly dry at low tide. To reach these falls, motor upstream with the incoming tide and anchor opposite the cliffs (left), at the mouth of the small mangrove creek leading south in to the falls. Travel up this creek in the dinghy for about 200m until this rockbar (right) is reached. 
the rising tide covers the rockbar and dinghy in to the base of the falls. From the pool there are great views of the falls (left) and many flat rocks to stand on and have a 
shower. This is a unique place in the Kimberley, rarely visited by charter boats because of its isolation and their tight time schedules.