Hello all

We are working up a plan to stage a small boat adventure next season designed to provide trailer boat owners the capacity to undertake an extended trip through the Kimberley wilderness within the safety of an organised group. The objective simply is to give people who own suitably equipped boats, but lack the requisite experience or confidence, the opportunity to get in and see the amazing oceanic wilderness north of Derby and up to Kuri Bay.

We expect to confirm the project by January 30 2012, but much of the information has been prepared and is below. This is the first public release of the project (on Fishwrecked!), and it presently appears the first convoy is almost full with friends and friends of friends, we are however planning a second convoy and will finalise dates in January

If you would like to be kept on the updates list for the trips please email Dave Hancock directly at: [email protected]

Cheers Dan

(Images below shot by Dave Hancock the 2012 Convoy Leader)

Snapper Inlet at Cone Bay

Includes Convoy leader and crew and tender, 2 pre-arranged discounted fuel caches (fuel at your own expense), comprehensive field medical kit and qualified WEMT, satellite phone and internet (charged at $3 min) day by day guiding and route/logistics organisation,  mechanical/electrical technician on the lead boat. There is a significant amount of pre-departure information made available to the group and one team meeting and boat inspection prior to departure (to be held as an overnight at Garden Island) for any boats based in Perth.

Eligible vessels

Minimum length                              5.8m

Minimum fuel Capacity                 600 ltrs (tanked or external)

Insurance                                            Full cover mandatory

Vessels must be in current Australian registration, meet all DOT safety gear and equipment guidelines including a digital EPIRB, have 3 anchors and carry 100m of spare anchor rope, posses a working VHF and 27meg radio, be fitted with a modern sounder and GPS that has anchor alarm, carry a minimum 2 spare propellers, and be under the command of a skipper in possession of a current RST with not less than 3 years boating experience.  Your boat will need to be equipped to sleep the crew aboard for multiple nights, with limited beach camping being available. A small inflatable tender and outboard is recommended but not essential - the lead boat will provide shore tender as required.  You must have an efficient anchoring system, with a minimum 30m chain and 50m rope.

Convoy Leader

Dave Hancock will be the overall Convoy Manager and running the trip from the 8m lead boat “Kimberley Salt” with his crew of 3.  Dave is one of only a few full time expedition organizers in Australia, and founded and owns the now USA based expedition company Field Touring Alpine. He is an accomplished photographer and has made TV documentaries for the National Geographic and Discovery Channels. He divides his year up between working in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and South America. He has visited dozens of WA’s offshore Islands, most often solo in various small boats he owns, and last year completed a 1200km journey through the Kimberley in the 8m Kimberley Salt.

Some of Dave’s images from his trip last year:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150700149600593.697275.565705592&type=1&l=9ce89d8fd5

Safety

Managing risk is the foremost concern for the convoy.  Small boats regularly visit the areas north of Derby and especially Cone and Strickland Bays, but at Raft Point and northwards, the waters are generally the domain of the big charter boats. Chart standards for the area are very high, and with sensible navigation and precaution there is no real reason to have any issues with ending up on ground you shouldn’t be on. The greatest influencing factor is of course the tides, and 9 out of 10 boats that experience problems do so because they have anchored in inappropriate channels or have run out of water. In the pre-departure briefings we will focus closely on these issues along with sensible planning for extended remote boating, overnighting in crocodile habitats, and first aid and spares back-up, including improvised hull repairs and engine issues.

What happens if I break down and cant restart?

Dave is actually also an outboard mechanic, albeit in his younger days when engines were more simple! However in a worse case scenario, if we can’t get your boat going again, a dead in the water vessel will either need to call a tow up from a pre-organised standy-by boat in Derby, or sit tight in a secure anchorage with a possible view to a tow home as the convoy returns. Neither option is ideal of course, and it underscores the need to ensure all participant boats are in the best working order possible prior to the trip. Boats should be serviced thoroughly, and all gear double checked. Spare belts, plugs, filters, prop shifters, and hubs are some of the must have spares, and an efficient fuel/water separation filter system should be in service as part of your fuel system. We will also discuss redundancy as part of the pre trip briefings and how to effect hull repairs while still in the water in the event you suffer damage from a below waterline obstruction.  Modern engines are not typically prone to sudden or unexpected break downs, but generally fail due to contributing factors. The mitigation of those factors is an important part of your preparation for this trip.

If you do need a tow from the back-up boat in Derby understand this can be a very expensive process. You should endeavour to see if your insurance can provide this cover if the need arose.

How much risk is there?

There is risk on any extended boat trip into an area that experiences such a massive tidal range, however we believe that risk is manageable by operating in a conservative manner. While this may appear to sometimes take the ‘fun’ out of a day’s activities, it will under normal circumstances make sure you have an intact boat and plenty of reserve fuel to get to your next re-supply.  The greater danger in this environment is when you ‘push the envelope’ and start breaking the fundamental rules – being impatient to get somewhere, not getting out of creeks before the tide does, anchoring over deep gullies or uneven ground that can dry out, driving anywhere at night, and motoring through unchartered waters are just some examples.  Nonetheless, it is always a possibility, remote or otherwise, that you could hit a submerged object and at best rip off your prop or gear-case or at worse sink your boat. If you are participating on this trip, you must accept this risk exists, no matter how unlikely or how well the route is plotted. It is simply impossible for the lead boat to know every possible obstacle along a route of this nature and in such a remote and wild environment.  In their 1200km trip last season Dave and his crew encountered no problems except for one night when the anchor pulled and they started heading out down the channel a fair distance until one of the snoring trio managed to be awakened by the alarm. They also did not suffer a single prop strike, despite the fact they undertook extensive exploration of small creeks and rock strewn gullies.

 Crocodile Creek Pool

Trip outline

Wherever possible transits are undertaken with the flow of the tide in order to minimize fuel consumption, as such the outline below is a guide only. You should expect to spend time at various anchorages awaiting optimal tide patterns ( good chance for a spot of undisturbed fishing!).

Day 1

Derby – Lachlan Island

Our first view of the Kimberley after leaving the muddy waters of the sound, breathtaking!

Day 2

Lachlan Island – Cone Bay

Today we traverse Hells Gate and round the peninsula to the amazing Cone Bay

Day 3

Explore and fish Cone Bay

Barramundi everywhere, monster coral trout and macks, stunning creeks and estuaries

Day 4

Whirlpool Passage, Hidden Island and Silica Beach

Big day of transits along the way we visit the remarkable Silica Beach for a swim, troll some lures off Hidden Island, and overnight in the perfect anchorage at Pontoon Bay in Silvergull Creek

Day 5

Phil and Marions commune at Silvergull

In the morning we visit the Kimberleys most famous residents and take a swim in the spring fed tank

Refuel today at Dog Leg where we have secured a discount for the group and proceed to negotiate the channel into Crocodile Creek. Not everybody will fit into the floating pond at Croc Creek, so those boats that miss out on the way up can sleep over in this truly breathtaking pool on the way back! This is one of a few nights we will also be able to get off the boats and sleep safely on the ledges above the upper pool.

Day 6

To the Horizontal Waterfalls and Talbot Bay

Another big transit day through some amazing scenery, we’ll stop along the way to fish a great spot we found near Slug island and if the tide is right visit the vast exposed reef-bed at Turtle Flats.

In the evening you get the chance to shoot the waterfalls on the tourist jet boat (approx $50 pp)  Note: convoy boats will not be permitted to enter the falls unless the tide is at full slack

Day 7

Talbot Bay and Cyclone creek

We stay in the bay and explore the upper reaches of cyclone creek and the mangrove swamps. Today is an opportunity for boats to go exploring on their own, fish for barramundi, and do some crocodile watching.

Day 8

To Raft Point

This is our ‘ocean crossing day’, and the first real time we will be truly offshore as we set the quickest route across to Steep Island and Raft Point. We will need good conditions for this 55km crossing and if time and conditions allow will drop by the amazing sanctuary that is Kingfisher Island, replete with its lagoons, sandy beaches, deep channels and a reef hole that at low tide traps an amazing number of massive GT’s, sharks, and a plethora of other marine creatures. Catch and release only here as the competition is a bit unbalanced! We will also quickly visit the channel entry into Montgomery reef, or make a longer visit on the return route.

Day 9

Raft Point and Ruby Falls (Red Cone creek)

We are now well and truly into the wilderness, this is an enchanting place with ancient rock art, stunning vistas from high cliffs, and across the bay the massive mangrove system of Red Cone Creek, teeming with crocodiles and apparently Barramundi! We visit the falls at the head of the creek and spend the day exploring the area and fishing

Days 10 – 15

To be determined

We have 2 options from this point – to continue the adventure all the way to Kuri Bay, where we can organise a fuel cache and overnight at the pearling farm, or we slow the pace down and enjoy a leisurely retracing of our route with added side excursions and lots of fishing on the way back. To continue north requires passing a ‘point of no return’ where most boats will need to get fuel in order to get back to Dog Leg with sufficient safe reserves. The route to Kuri adds an extra 130 kms return.  We’ll make a decision on the final legs after consulting the convoy members.

If you would like to be kept on the updates list for the trips please email Dave Hancock directly at: [email protected]

Legal, corporate, and Trip set-up

All owners of boats and participants on vessels must sign a release and indemnity and ultimately undertake participation at their own risk. Part of that acceptance is agreeing and understanding the organizers do not guarantee safe passage and cannot exclude every risk that may be encountered in a trip of this nature.  This trip is designed for persons whom are independent, experienced, and are possessed of an adventurous nature and understand no matter how small the risk, that it still exists and accept that risk as being integral to gaining access into the wilderness areas of the southern Kimberly coast.  While the trip is being operated by Wetspot Charters which is owned in turn by the convoy manager Dave Hancock, it is a not for profit non commercial undertaking and any revenues exceeding our costs of operation will be donated to his preferred charity in Pakistan to assist the rebuilding of Talis Village which was badly affected by a landslide in 2011.

Daves images of Talis Village:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150770769585593.721178.565705592&type=1&l=b590a1add0

 Eastern extremity of Cone Bay

DETAILS:

Cost:    $795 per boat - Max 10 boats in the convoy.

May start date to be confirmed

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