If you've never experienced a small ship expedition, hang on to your sunhat, kick off the trappings of formal wear..........and join me in the awesome Kimberley region of Western Australia aboard M/V Orion.
Early morning I enjoyed walking a few laps around the open deck as the sun came up........with expectations of an exciting day ahead. On Orion I was never disappointed.
Last year in the sub-Antarctic is was different in that it was cold and spending time outside was somewhat tough. There was no dining on the open decks then, whereas, on this trip, we were able to enjoy any and all meals outside if desired.
The decks were swabbed early, some mornings crew members were already at work revarnishing the teak rails and trim...........
....the Jacuzzi was sparkling and ready. Off in the distance land was calling on each beautiful sunny morning. Red rocks glowed.............exciting names such as Nares Point, Crocodile Creek, Talbot Bay, Raft Point and Montgomery Reef beckoned, and early in the trip many whales were spotted between the ship and shore............
.............whales playing............
..........a mother and her calf very close to the ship.
Orion dropped anchor............
........the Zodiacs were lowered........
.........seats installed for longer trips out, shorter ones we sat on the sides...........
.....these guys were awesome boatmen, many years of experience on the water in all conditions, we actually had many of the same crew members when in the sub-Antarctic last year!
Paula, armed with camera, visor and sunscreen, ready for a visit ashore......................
...........and our new, very special, best friends from Sydney, sisters Julianne and Eugenie in front. Behind them sweet Jean from England. We did meet some lovely people on this trip.
I kicked off my shoes and enjoyed the warm spray as we headed to shore......temps. were 90-100 degrees during the daytime.
We visited so many stunning gorges, rock formations, coves and beaches over the the days aboard Orion................these pics are not in any particular order, just want to get some up here so you can share what we enjoyed so much.
Yes, the water was always a spectacular color - sometimes turquoise, other times cobalt, every shade of blue and green imaginable - these photos have not been tweaked much - these were the colors we were privileged to sail on........
.....AND always 'the blue umbrella' surprise, usually awaiting us around an unexpected corner. Orion's fun refreshment Zodiac with a cool drink, perhaps a sandwich (yes, even a veggie version for me!), and on this day we were handed ice cream cones!
Sometimes several Zodiacs pulled up together and it was party time...........we were a contingency of 100 passengers on this trip.
Back to Orion later in the afternoon............another adventure-filled day and viewing stunning scenery more of which I'll share in future posts.
Sunset viewed from our cabin, time to ready for dinner................after a perfect day.
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