Montgomery Reef and Freshwater Cove

 Unfortunately the weather forecast turned out to be correct this morning and the wind is already up to 19 knots before the first lot of zodiacs are launched to take a 15 -20 min run to Montgomery Reef where the tide is running out and exposing the reef. The seas are very lumpy with wind against tide and it looks like it will be a very wet passage. 

Our group departure is scheduled for 8.30 am, which is when the early group will return. As we watch them get out of the zodiacs it looks like they got soaked. 

We are much more fortunate, as either conditions have lightened, or we have a better Zodiac driver. We managed to get to the reef dry. Montgomery Reef is the World’s largest inshore reef and has a tidal range of up to 10 m.

At high tide the reef is under water, becoming visible as the tide runs out. By the time we reached the reef the tide was about half way out. As the reef emerges there are spectacular waterfalls of salt water running off the reef. A large valley runs through the reef creating a “river” that we explored in the zodiacs.

Wildlife sightings were mainly birds and lots of green turtles, who proved quite elusive to photograph, except for this one we managed to sneak up on.

He took off pretty quickly once he saw us

On the other side of the “river” we were looking directly into the sun, which made photography difficult, but it did provide an interesting shimmering effect of the water running down the reef.

Finally we were reaching the end of the “river” and with the receding tide it was getting a bit shallow so we turned around and rode the current back down the”river”

End of the road, time to turn back

The trip back to the ship was a bit bumpier than the way out, but we managed to stay dry almost until we got to the ship when a big spray got us. Getting off the zodiac was challenging as the boat was being thrown all over the place with chop around 3 feet high alongside the ship.

Once everyone was back on board, the ship weighed anchor, and we set out for Freshwater Cove on the other side of the bay, about a 15 minute journey. The anchor was set again, and the wind had abated to around 10 knots, so the afternoon zodiac ride into the beach at Freshwater Cove was bound to be more pleasant and would only take about 10 minutes.

At Freshwater Cove, after reaching the beach, we have a 1.3 km hike up a slight gradient over a rocky but not too difficult path. We are greeted on the beach with a very quick welcome to country by a local aboriginal woman representing the family who once lived here. We get a dab of ochre on our face and we are soon off uphill to see some more aboriginal cave art. The last bit of the trail to get to the cave was a bit challenging and quite a few of the team needed help to traverse some large steps.

It was pretty hot, but everyone got there without drama. Those who didn’t think they could do it didn’t come, but did a short nature walk on sure instead.

On shore at Freshwater Cove getting ready for our hike to the cave with the aboriginal art.

Typical terrain the path to the cave ran through 

Waiting for us at the cave was our aboriginal guide who explained that this area was where his grandparents lived before being moved to a reservation in Derby, and the family still look after this site. The cave is called the cyclone cave, because it is where they sought shelter during cyclones, and one of the paintings depicts a cyclone.

There is a lot of art in this cave, some of which gets touched up to keep it fresh, as our guide explained, to ensure the paintings are preserved. 

Here are some of the other paintings.

Q

Back on board we have a few hours to relax before the Captains Farewell Cocktail party. The cruise does not end until 29 th, but they seem keen to farewell us early.

The crew turn up to say farewell and we head off to dinner with a couple we have met from Narrabeen.