With the right tides, we managed to cruise around Snake Bay. We explored Johnson Point looking for porpoises but found schools of bone fish surrounding our boat. It was a spectacular sight just drifting with them (literally a few metres away from us) on a very glassy calm sea.
We explored beautiful creeks filled with mangroves. It was so serene, calm and so rich with life in these areas. With the tides quickly receding (tides can vary between 7 meters here) we head back to Milikapiti but had to stop over at a reef to try to catch our dinner. A few big huge bites were missed but eventually Kiam landed a shark.
Cape Lavery is one of our favorite places. In this area you can see the ”Pukumani poles” around the grave of an elder of the Mungatopi clan in Karslake. Karslake is the Island off Cape Lavery (Purrampunali) and this is where the Tiwi people first encounter Europeans; the Dutch in 1705. Karslake is also a place to see turtles and collect big oysters.
Wash hair procedure. So happy we brought our shower pump.
Shower near the shore. They say never turn your back on the water in case a croc comes up from behind.
Sightseeing at Shark Bay
Kiam getting into Island life & not giving a damn if his clothes match.
Bleached trees among mangroves - Cape Lavery
Abandoned house #6 - Cape Lavery
Cape Lavery - Snake bay side
Cape Lavery - looking for oysters
Cape Lavery
Cape Lavery - Abandoned shacks at Shark Bay side
Schools of Bone fish very close to our boat - Johnson Point
Creek near Johnson Point
Creek near Johnson Point
Travelling through a beautiful creek filled with mangroves
Travelling through beautiful creek filled with mangroves
Shark caught by Kiam
Tiwi local with Barramundi - note no fancy rod and reel. Just handline and barra lolly - mullet
Heat, rain and humidity is something we constantly battle every day. While crocs are always on our mind, attacks from sandflies and mosquitoes are a daily occurrence and cause much pain and itch round the clock. Relief came from our visits to Taracumbi Falls; a magical place with cool water and small pools above the falls. We also spend some time looking for dugongs at Pretty Flower a known sea grass feeding area for dugongs. Did not see any but saw a large shark swimming near the surface.
Our friend and host Bushy and Tommy, Andrew (aka Wolfie) and Emma with both their kids took us fishing near our camp during upcoming tide. At one stage it became very hairy as the tide came in and cornered us. Bushy had to round us up as we wade through croc infested waters to get to high ground. We got some large mullet and some whiting. On two occasions, Bushy’s line was practically pulled into the water and while fighting the fish, the line snapped on both occasions. Monsters must be lurking in the mangroves.
Please enjoy some pictures below.
Looking for Dugongs in Pretty Flower
Pretty Flower is a feeding site for Dugongs
Looking for Dugongs among the seagrass
Overlooking rocky reef at Pretty Flower
Palm and cycad forest
Bushy grading road - makes a major difference smoothing corrugations
Dianne at top of Taracumbi falls
Dianne at Taracumbi falls - a magical place to cool down
Afternoon near our camp
Getting ready for fishing. Dianne, Emma and Jasmine
Looking for mullet among the mangroves
Bushy and kids - catching mullet for bait
Kids having fun at low tide
Tanaya on the sand bar
Minding the fish bucket - Bushy in the water - brave man
Kids with mullet for bait
Dianne with a small whiting
Kiam with a large mullet - our dinner
Dianne's morning catch - a stingray
Dianne with her morning catch.
Milikapiti store - a popular place for all. Very friendly people.
View over the arts centre during a downpour
Dianne and Jasmine at Taracumbi Falls
Dianne and Jasmine at Taracumbi Falls
Top of Taracumbi Falls
Relaxing in rain at Taracumbi Falls
Downpour at Taracumbi Falls
Downpour - time to leave before the roads get too wet and soft
Self-sufficient living has kept us busy hence why our blogging is so delayed. Not to mention that we were off the grid for the first few days. We have since moved from Goose Creek to Milikapiti. Bushy felt he would feel more comfortable having us closer to his home so he can keep an eye on us. I equally feel safer knowing he is now a shorter distance away. We are now camping by the sea with a whole new landscape to enjoy. Nevertheless we are still sharing our days and nights near crocs as now we see them swimming by our camp site with eyes glowing in the evenings.
Anyway stay turned as more adventure to come once we are home and have our film night sharing our experiences on the Tiwi Islands. This night will be a fundraiser for Kiss Goodbye to MS showcasing all the highlights of the Tiwi Islands. So our blogs this time around will be shorter in duration and less descriptive than the Murray River expedition last year. So please enjoy some of our photos as a taster to this incredible journey. See photos for descriptions of our locations and the wonderful people we have met thus far. Until we write again in a few days enjoy Kiam’s amazing photography.
Road in Melville Island
Storm brewing
Milikapity
Moonrise over our campsite - Milikapiti
Beautiful beaches near Milikapiti
In front of our campsite at low tide
Collecting clams at low tide
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Airport
Tropical storm brewing
Storm Brewing over the Timor Sea
Exploring tracks
Visiting Jilamara Arts & Crafts centre
Brian, Dianne and Jasmine
Tiwi Art
Tiwi totems
Tiwi Totems
Tiwi Spears
Brian showing us around the art and craft workshop
Tiwi Totems
Tiwi artist with owl
Bush camp with clams
''Pukumani poles'' around the grave of an elder of the Mungatopi clan in Karslake
''Pukumani poles'' around the grave of an elder of the Mungatopi clan in Karslake
