Today's expedition led us to Vansittart Bay, named by Phillip Parker King after Nicholas Vansittart, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Our day began with an early breakfast in the outdoor café. At 0630, our bird nerds went out with Mike and Santi to Vansittart Bay to explore the savanna woodland and vibrant bird life. Non-birders took a tour of a beach on Anjo Peninsula in the Zodiacs, and we went for a short walk over a sand dune and across a saltpan where we visited a wrecked C-53 sky trooper (DC3) from WW2.
After lunch, we visited Jar Island where we saw some beautiful examples of art, which features flowing, elegant human figures and some naturalistic animal rock art styles. This art is exceptional and very old. On the walls were a number of different Gwion Gwion styles.
Some of us joined the birding naturalists, Mike G and Santi, in search of the magnificent Kimberley birds, adding an educational aspect to our adventure.
As the sun set, we gathered on the beach for drinks on Jar Island, hosted by our amazing bartenders, Ricky and John, along with the expedition team. We returned to National Geographic Orion for dinner, followed by a screening of the documentary, “From the Heart- The Kimberley” with one of Australia’s famous naturalists, Ian Morris.
