We headed up to the Surf Club on Sunday afternoon where we met up with Jackie and Trevor again as well as another few of their friends.  We'd a lovely afternoon eating nibbles and enjoying drinks on the lawn in front of the surf club and watching yet another glorious sunset over Cable Beach.

On the move again the next morning heading to Derby. We stopped off again at Willare Bridge roadhouse for one of their coffees and delicious bacon and egg toasted sandwiches.  We got to Derby just before lunch and checked into our caravan park - Dunbara Burru.  Its not that big a park but well run and spotlessly clean and instead of grass or a concrete pad we have astroturf.  Its great and so pleasant to walk on.  We headed into the local Woollies for a few supplies then headed to the other van park in town.  I'd heard from Ken and Susie that they with their friends Maria and Lynton were there for one more night so it was a good chance for a quick catch up.  

And of course there was another sunset to see - this time down on the Derby Jetty.  Ken and Susie were going too and we met Nudge and Carol down there.  It was a lovely sunset though nowhere near as spectacular as the ones at Cable Beach.  We came home for tea and a couple of quiet drinks with Nudge and Carol as we'd an early start the next day.

This was our much anticipated trip to the Horizontal Falls.  Nudge and Carol were booked to do the 24 hour stay and we'd been going to book it too but I got cold feet when I realised there was no cancellation option and this was all being booked at the time when WA borders were still closed unless you had a suitable place to self isolate which we didn't at that stage.  Anyway by the time I tried to book that date and those close to it were sold out so we opted for the day tour and waitlisted for the other one.  So we were both picked up by bus from the van park at 8am and out to the airport.  That was the last we saw of them as they went on a different seaplane to us.  We had a half hour flight out to the floating pontoon in Talbot Bay.  It was brilliant especially as you are allocated seats according to weight to make sure the plane is balanced and I was nominated to fly up alongside the pilot in the copilot seat.  I got to wear the headset and chat to the pilot and of course a great view for photos.  When we arrived at the pontoon we had morning tea then we got the chance to watch the sharks being fed while I swam in a cage and watched.  Fascinating to see how those jaws snapped and clamped - and these were only tawny nurse sharks.  There were lots of other fish too - bat fish, queen fish and lots of little ones.  

Next up we about 30 of us piled into a boat - not a jet boat but just as fast - 4 x 300hp Yamaha outboards!  We got the front seat and it was fantastic.  We went through both gorges of the falls multiple times.  It was difficult to get decent pics as I was hanging on with one hand and gripping the phone for grim death in the other and half the pics had my red finger nail on the top!  But what a thrill and adrenaline rush.  We came back from there and had a quick drink and toilet break then back onto the same boat which now travelled at a much more sedate pace and we had a cruise around Cyclone Creek.  This is so called because its very sheltered and where boats shelter safely during a cyclone.  Its also where they lay up the houseboat and pontoon during the wet season.  The water was an amazing colour and we even saw a Kimberley Rose in flower.

We came back to the pontoon where we had a delicious lunch of fresh grilled barramundi served with some delicious salads and a bread roll.  After lunch we were back into the fast boat for another crazy spin through and around the falls.  Below I've pasted a description from the net describing what the falls actually are.

We were able to go back and forward through both gorges in the morning but by the afternoon it wasn't safe to to through the narrow gorge.  I've attached a little video which shows the powerful boat just remaining stationery at the entrance to the narrow gorge.  The water was flowing at a speed of 40 kmh and there's 2 million litres of water per second flowing through at high tide. 

Sadly it was time for our return to Derby, but once again I was copilot and we then flew over the falls and could see them from the air. It was an amazing day out and I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone coming to the area.  Nudge and Carol got back this morning and they also had an amazing time.  Since they were there longer their activities included helicopter flights over the gorges and Talbot Bay, the chance to fish (one lady caught a 12kg travalley), dinner and breakfast and an overnight stay on a massive luxury boat and one final scoot up and around the falls this morning.  If its not on your bucket list you need to put it there - Sir David Attenborough described 'the Horries' as one of the greatest wonders of the natural world.

Today we stocked up with a few things as we're heading off grid for the next week or so.  I got a load of washing done and generally got us sorted for a speedy take off in the morning.  This afternoon the four of us took a drive out to the Prison Boab tree - a Site of Significance to the Aboriginal people as many of them were imprisoned there often because they'd been kidnapped (blackbirded) for the pearl trade or for killing and eating cattle which they found on their land - though of course the newly established pastoralists didn't see it that way.  We also saw Frosty Pool - a concrete pool created by Corporal Frost when the army were in Derby back in the 1940s to allow them to cool off.  Our final stop was the old Derby Gaol which was a depressing building used to sometimes incarcerate over a hundred Aboriginal people at a time - kept there in chains - the heavy metal rings used to secure them are still on the floor.  

So tomorrow we're heading towards Cape Levecque but we're in no hurry and plan to spend a few nights at spots north of Willie Creek and Quandong Point.  That why I thought I'd better knock out a quick post before we go bush.