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Hi, Search the word insurance in this forum to get some info from others with similar issues.
I guess that Pantaenius have had a few too many claims related to Jurian Bay and have made the decision to stay away.
Boat insurance above the 26th parallel is hard to get now. Speaking from experience, it is also very expensive compared to the southern states, and generally comes with high accesses and restrictive conditions. The only other insurer I am aware of that covers that northern area is QBE.
Good luck, Ross
Not aware that anyone has confirmed the rock possi. But I saw the wreck on a beach in that area about 4 years ago. Possibly still there. My thoughts – don’t sail at night in the KC close to shore unless you know the area or you’re following a previous safe track. Even then, you have logs and whales that you can’t see.
Cheers, Ross
I agree with Steve. April – May is usually the strongest and most persistent southeasterlies. They start to drop off a little in June, when the north and northwest afternoon sea breezes start up with some consistency. You can just about rely on getting several days in a row of calm weather from July to Sept. But you can also get days on end of 25 knot easterlies. First week in Sept is usually my time to turn around and head to the air-conditioning in Darwin, as it starts to get hot and muggy.
If you want to see the creeks and waterfalls running, you need to be out there as early as possible in the season. They start to dry up late May/June and can often be down to a trickle by late June.
Cheers Ross
I assume you mean tide time. Leave Darwin Harbour on ebb to reach Fish Reef area around the start of flood tide in the top end of the Bonapart. Tidal stream across the Bonapart won’t affect you much because it will mostly be side on until you get close to the Berkeley/King George area.
Cheers, Ross
A couple of points for you to think about.
How big is your boat? The track to Kalumburu and further on to Honeymoon Bay is a very ordinary 4WD only track, and if you are towing a trailer boat that is big enough to head out to sea for 14 days, my thoughts are that your trailer and boat will be damaged by the time you get to HB.
Have a chat to the guys at the Mary Island Fishing Club in Derby. They have plenty of trailer boat experience in the west Kimberley coast.
Diving along the Kimberley Coast is not recommended. Crocs live around the off-shore islands such as Cassini Island. And they are much harder to spot offshore than they are up a creek or river.
Cheers, Ross
Hi Jeff,
There has been no indication that they are going to change in 2024 dry season, but always a good idea to phone the Paspayley office in Darwin to check before you head out. Alternative is the fuel barge in Dog Leg Creek.
Cheers, Ross
I’ve got the marine service, I think it’s about $375/month. The RV service gets cut off when you go off shore.
Very carefully and at slack tide. It is a dangerous trip in a small tender in anything but slack tide.
Better and safer alternative is to ask the tour operators if they will take you through in one of their boats. Last time I was there in 2021 they only took their fly-in customers through, but worth asking in case the policy has changed.
Cheers,
Ross
I’ve never anchored in there, and not a spot I have heard about other people anchoring in over LW.
Check out the FSC anchorage first, they are not always accurate, particularly in rivers that silt up. From there up to King Cascade, you should be OK on neaps, but make your own judgement on the day.
Cheers,
Ross
Should be OK, provided you work the tide to get up to King Cascade and back to a suitable anchorage such as Camp Creek or Purulba Creek on the one high tide and don’t stay too long at KC. The less stressful option is to dingy up to the falls from Camp Creek anchorage.
Another way to judge the access, is if the charter boats are going up there, then it’s usually safe to assume you will have enough tide to get up to King Cascade. Also talk to the charter boat skippers on 16 and ask their advice. Most are very helpful.
Cathedral Falls might be stretching your luck to get your big boat to in neaps. Best try it in your tender if you have the time while anchored outside KC during HW. Or dinghy up and back over one high tide to Cathedral from an anchorage the next day if you run out of tide the first day.
Cheers, Ross
That’s a fairly standard tinnie for the KC. You will be limited to the tide times if you land on mud or beach and going ashore for a while, If you are concerned, you can use an anchoring off system. I have one, but rarely use it. If you make one, use floating rope, as sinking rope catches on every rock and weed in the area. (speaking from experience). https://kccyc.org.au/topic/dinghy-anchoring/
Cheers,
Ross
