We arrived in Derby, a few days ago and booked into the Entrance caravan park. We have a lovely shady camp site and feel the van is safe to be left each day while we do day trips.
Our next tour was to see the Horizontal Falls. We were picked up from the park and driven out to the airport. I’ve always said I needed more than one engine on a plane , but here we were getting into this little, one engine seaplane. !!
Here we are all buckled in , and off we went, that was the last time I gave a thought as to what we were doing. It was so beautiful flying over the surrounding hills of Derby, then over the lakes. I was on cloud nine with my camera, and not a care in the world.
Our Lady Pilot was great, flying low and from every angle to give us all plenty of opportunities to take photos.
Back and forth over the bays and the Horizontal Falls ,before coming down to land in Talbot Bay at the pontoon.
What a magic place , we motored up to the pontoon where morning tea was served. Cup cakes and tropical fruit and drinks.
After morning tea we boarded a boat for an exhilarating trip around the bay and through the falls. So much fun, back and forth many times.
Our pilot was great giving us a thrilling ride ,sometimes a bit rough, but so much fun back and forth through the gap in the cliffs where the tide was rushing through. It was only a small tide of about 1meter that day.
we were given plenty of photo opportunities, gliding up close to the cliff walls and to the narrow gap that tourists are no longer able to go through as it is apparently a sacred Aboriginal site.
From there we went up into Cyclone Bay. Calm waters surrounded by high cliffs, where all the boats and pontoons are taken if a Cyclone is predicted. They stay up there to ride out the storm.
Such a beautiful calm area to just drift around and enjoy the scenery.
After some quiet time and our pilot telling us some of the interesting facts and knowledge of the area it was time to head back out into Talbot Bay
We had time to go for a swim with the sharks that were surrounding the pool area, looking for food, before we went upstairs to have our lunch.
lots of sharks as well as other colourful little fish ,swimming freely around while we were swimming in a caged pool. A good time to be locked up !
upstairs we were treated to the most delicious BBQ Barramundi and fresh sideboard salads. All you could eat,it was so yummy.
After lunch we were treated to another boat ride, the tide had turned and now was pushing the water back into the bays,.
Another fun ride back and forth through the swirling water and gap in the cliffs .
Then it was time to go back to the pontoon where our seaplane was waiting to take us back to Derby
Once we were all back on the plane it was pushed off the jetty and we glided through the water till we lifted off and were in the air.
This time our pilot took a different flight path, first north out over the ocean and showing us the Barramundi farms and all the little islands off the coast.
The Barramundi farms looked small from above.
Then we turned south and followed the coastline back down to Derby, crossing over where the tidal waters meet up with the Indian Ocean. The views were spectacular.
Next we flew over Derby and came down to land at the airport.
What a big day out, ! One of the best. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and would do it again.