Solar Eclipse over Western Australia: Sailing the Kimberley Coast

Arrive in Darwin, a frontier town on Australia’s north coast, and settle into your stateroom aboard the ship. Enjoy a leisurely day at sea as you sail west along the Timor Sea toward the Bonaparte Archipelago. Get acquainted with the ship and its amenities and attend talks by your Smithsonian Journeys Experts. (1B,1L,2D)

Scattered across nearly 100 miles just off Australia’s Northwest coast, the Bonaparte Archipelago is a maze of rugged islands, islets, and rocks where natural shelters and caves have revealed a treasure trove of rock art dating back more than 12,000 years. Explore the coast of Bigge Island in Zodiacs, discovering a jagged landscape of weathered sandstone, sharp cliffs, and tidal flats. (B,L,D)

Awaken this morning and head out on deck to witness the total solar eclipse begin to darken the skies over the Kimberley at 9:17 a.m. Positioned off the coast of Bigge Island only 50 miles from the point of greatest duration, you’ll experience more than five minutes of totality. Later, head for the cliffs and caves of Swift Bay, which shelter stunning galleries of rock art. Spend the next day exploring this wild landscape, inhabited for millennia by the Wunambal Gaambera people and completely cut off from the modern world. (2B,2L,2D)

From Prince Frederick Harbour, glide into Hunter River, a stunning landscape of soaring red cliffs edged with rainforests and thick mangrove forests that support a rich diversity of fauna, including saltwater crocodiles, white-bellied sea eagles, and kingfishers. Venture into this remarkable environment by Zodiac, seeking out diverse mangrove species and wildlife with naturalists. (B,L,D)

Anchor off the beautiful shores of Careening Bay. In 1820, the leaking HMS Mermaid was brought to shore here for repairs during a mission to survey the Kimberely. You’ll have an opportunity to see the Mermaid Boab, a massive, surreal-looking tree in which the ship’s carpenter carved names and dates into the bark 200 years ago—now a National Heritage site. (B,L,D)

With the biggest tidal range in the southern hemisphere and an intricate coastline of rocky cliffs and reefs, the Kimberley coast sets the stage for unusual natural phenomena. At Montgomery Reef, as the tide ebbs rapidly and the sea level drops more than 30 feet, the reef appears to rise out of the water, and its sea grass beds and corals—and the sea life they harbor—are suddenly exposed. Seabirds such as egrets and sandpipers forage in the tidal pools and marine predators arrive to catch creatures that cascade off the reef. In Zodiacs, ride along the edge of the reef to witness this fascinating feeding frenzy, watching for sea turtles, reef sharks, and rays. (B,L,D)

Cruise into Talbot Bay, site of another astonishing tidal phenomenon. Here, two narrow gorges in rocky cliffs create what is known as the Horizontal Falls. When the tide falls quickly, waters trapped behind the cliffs rush out, creating a cascade up to 13 feet high. Marvel at this otherworldly spectacle, called “one of the greatest wonders of the natural world” by British naturalist David Attenborough. (B,L,D)

Trace the coast toward the Lacepede Islands, an archipelago of wispy atolls rich in bird and marine life. This protected nature reserve hosts one of Australia’s most important breeding grounds for seabirds, including a colony of brown boobies that is possibly the largest in the world, as well as roseate terns, lesser frigate birds, and masked boobies. The sandy islands and the surrounding waters are also a nursery for green sea turtles. As landings are prohibited here, set out in Zodiacs to cruise the shores, viewing the islands’ abundant wildlife with naturalists. (B,L,D)

Disembark in Broome this morning and transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)