After a little sleep in, we headed up the river to BBQ beach
and steep gorge. The scenery along the way was just out of this world. The King
George River really is the best of the best by far with its vertical two
hundred metre canyon walls nearly the entire length of the river.
For several miles we drove so close to the cliffs we could
almost touch the rock walls and I had to keep checking the mast was clear of
any overhanging rocks.
We dropped anchor near steep gorge and went ashore in the
dinghy. It was a really cool beautiful ravine where ferns grow and a massive
waterfall crashes down during the wet season, but unfortunately there was no
water flowing now and the beautiful swimming pool had a thin layer of scum
covering the crystal-clear water.
Bruce brushed the scum away and went for a swim, but as it was
cool and tranquil it wasn’t inviting enough for me to get in, so we headed back
out to the dinghy seeing lots of large fish in the clear water.
Once back on the boats, we headed off again towards twin
falls which are 7.5 nautical miles from the river entrance. The views and
scenery just kept getting better and better.
Just when we were thinking it couldn’t get any better, the
main amphitheatre at twin falls opens up with the most grand and awesome view I
have ever seen in Australia.
Both waterfalls were dry, but the grandeur of this place was
something to behold. We sailed both boats right up to both the waterfall rockfaces
and our yachts looked miniscule against the grandeur of the scene.
I bet Phillip Parker King wished he had a digital camera to
get a few selfies to show his mates back home.
This place must be so awesome during a big wet season and I
have already committed myself to come back here either during the wet season or
in April. No words or photos could do this place full justice, and along with
the Horizontal Falls, it’s a place all Australians should try and see in their
lifetimes.
We dropped anchor just out a bit from the twin falls on a
sand bar as the depth was 60m under the falls and after lunch we went across to
a huge rock fall in the dinghies for the daunting task of climbing to the top
of the canyon and walking around to the twin falls.
The climb was reasonably steep, but pretty easy and it
probably only took us 20 – 30 minutes to reach the plateau above the gorge. The
landscape above was remarkably flat with many small trees and was easy walking.
It was about a thirty-minute walk around to the first waterfall
with a direct view down the river with the tiny white dot that was Sirocco
right in the middle. It sure was an impressive and stunning view that no photo
could do justice.
The 100m drop over the falls was frightening considering how
unstable all these rocks are and the large undercuts. The rock where the river
flows was polished and as shiny as marble.
Out of nowhere, a helicopter appeared overhead ruining our
serenity and it did a couple of circuits then landed somewhere out of sight
towards the other waterfall. Forty
minutes later, as we approached the other falls, we heard the chopper starting
its turbine and then suddenly it appeared right in front of us coming out of
the bush, turned and flew away and then it was silent once again.
The second waterfall had a few black deathly cauldrons
before the final plunge into the gorge below, but was equally impressive with
the grand view down the river where we could see Sirocco way in the distance.
On the walk back, we stopped at one of the small pools of
water and Bruce and I went for a swim to cool off and it was very refreshing.
Then we walked all the way back and descended the rock fall down to our waiting
dinghies below. The walk down was not as bad as we thought it might be and in
no time, we were back on Sirocco relaxing.
We were all pretty well knackered after today’s activities,
but I managed to find the strength to go fishing and I caught a giant trevally
and several small cod, all which I let go, then I went and collected about one
hundred oysters off the rocks before heading back to Sirocco for a well earnt
beer and dinner.
Even though there were very few mangroves here, the bugs
were some of the worst we have experienced during the trip so far. The flying
ants eventually drove me inside where we shut the door and put the fan on to
keep them at bay.
Track Sirocco’s
progress
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