NOW: DERBY AND THE HORIZONTAL WATERFALLS
Our run from Fitzroy Crossing to Derby was our longest drive for weeks. We even had some music on the Ipod and could hear it because we were on the sealed highway. It actually surprised us that there weren’t too many unidentifiable rattles or creaking noises.
Derby has a long curving jetty where the Fitzroy River meets King Sound. You can fish and drop crab nets from the jetty or just watch the sun set over King Sound. We saw one very excited fisherman hook a huge jewfish and then drag it the length of the jetty into the beach because he couldn’t lift it up from the water.
Our clothes needing soaking before washing and we needed the supermarket, chemist and butcher. Derby met all these needs as well as having a great Aboriginal art gallery. We had also booked our overnight stay at the Horizontal Waterfalls when we were at the Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre and this trip leaves from Derby.
We left Derby Airstrip, you wouldn’t really call it an airport, in the afternoon and flew over the town and floodplain out to the Horizontal Falls.
The float plane landed smoothly alongside the pontoon and houseboat which pleased me greatly as I’m not a fan of small planes! The first order of business was to put our overnight bag in our cabin, don a lifejacket and board the Fast Boat for our first trip through the waterfalls. It was fast, exciting and difficult to catch on camera as you really needed to hold on to the handrail and plant your feet either side of the saddle seat. After the wild ride we cruised up the calm waters of the inlet.
Back on board the houseboat we entered the shark proof cage with googles and snorkel to watch the local sharks. From underwater I could see one shark but when I stood up I realised there were a dozen sharks and only a wire cage between them and me. I got out pretty quickly. The view was actually better from the boat deck anyway! Once the sharks were fed we were also served dinner while the sun set over the ocean.
After a calm quiet night in our cabin we had a cooked breakfast and another trip through the horizontal falls. Every trip is different depending on the tide and the light on the cliffs and water. Our seaplane flew us back to Derby over the beautiful islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago.
Before leaving Derby we visited another Prison Boab Tree, enjoyed curry puffs cooked by a local lady at the Saturday markets, watched the sunset on Derby jetty and enjoyed a lovely dinner at the cafe at end of the wharf. Derby was a good spot for some down time!
NEXT: BROOME AND CAPE LEVEQUE.
See you on the emu track
Cheryl and David
