Kimberley Coast Cruising, 4WD Tours Kimberley Region, Outback Tours, Bungle Bungles
Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/667822
My first ever small ship expedition was to the amazing Kimberley Coast about 20 years ago. From that moment I fell in love with the concept of small ship cruising, whilst at the same time realised that there was another side to the Kimberley, consistently one of my three favourite destinations on earth. I first travelled to the Kimberley in 1967, driving a tour between Darwin and Perth in a 2WD coach on dirt roads. The character of the place and the red dust got into my veins instantly, and we were as one. Over the next twenty odd years, the pull of the Kimberley was a constant and luckily I was able to visit every year or two. That is why I was so amazed on my first Kimberley Cruise. How could I have been visiting for so long and not even known what was on the other side of that rugged inhospitable land to the north west of the Gibb River Road? Now I have an even bigger dilemma. The pull remains, but there are two parts to see. Over the years I have cruised the Kimberley Coast about half a dozen times, and seeing the faces of people who are experiencing it for the first time gets me every time. There is also an amazing therapeutic effect being away from the hustle and bustle of life in a city. Imagine travelling back in time to be face to face with Aboriginal art the experts believe is 60,000 years old, or gazing up in your Zodiac admiring the towering red sandstone cliffs of King George Falls, thrust skyward as part of the Kimberley Plateau approximately 2 billion years ago. Luckily for me the faces I have seen experiencing it for the first time have been those of family and friends, many of whom I met on those trips. Sharing the sense of discovery and sheer awe of the amazing environment is one of the guaranteed ingredients to a happy life – long lasting shared memories. Luckily for me I share those fond memories of the Kimberley Coast with my wife, children, friends and even my eldest grandchild. However, I will be very jealous when my two youngest grandsons cruise from Darwin to Broome this year – but I do look forward to sharing our stories together on their return home. Finally, although the environment hasn't changed since my first Kimberley Coast Cruise, luckily for you the quality of the ships on offer has. And we have three beauties chartered exclusively for APT guests. Whether you are looking for an all in adventure aboard Coral Discoverer, a more luxurious time on L'Austral, or the perfect blend of both on APT's very own MS Caledonian Sky. Happy planning and we hope to welcome you on board soon. Warm regards, Geoff McGeary OAM APT Company Owner Welcome to the Kimberley Rob, Geoff and Lou McGeary WELCOME TO THE KIMBERLEY 5