They say the tide waits for no man and that certainly was true for us this morning as we embarked for a Zodiac cruise of Montgomery Reef at 6:00 a.m. The sun had only just peeked over the horizon but this was the time when the tides were best for observing an amazing natural phenomenon. On a falling tide, Montgomery Reef rears out of the ocean like a waking giant casting off its watery blankets. Hundreds of silver waterfalls run off the huge sandstone block, racing their way to the open ocean as the tide recedes. This massive movement of water attracts a lot of wildlife and we enjoyed watching egrets and herons fishing in the shallows, while the sharp-eyed among us spotted green sea turtles in the channel. En route back to the ship we made a quick stop at an emerging sandbar, where our hotel staff had kindly set up a juice bar to greet us. Following this, we got back to the National Geographic Orion just in time for breakfast!
The afternoon was a cultural affair as we landed beneath the orange bluffs of Raft Point and were met by Wayne, Jackie, and other members of the Worora, the traditional owners of this country. We'd come here to view the centuries-old rock art that is found in a local cave. In a rock shelter high above the beach, dozens of paintings adorn the walls and ceilings. While some local fauna like turtles and fish are depicted, the main work here is of the wandjina, or creator figures. Wayne walked us through the various images on the wall and told the stories that his people associate with them. Although the climb to the cave was hot and arduous, the cultural rewards were certainly worth the effort.
