HORIZONTAL FALLS SAILING & HAT SNACK CRUISE KIMBERLEY ISLANDS
DAY 19
Horizontal Falls
Locals call them the (Horries) is as described by David Attenborough a great natural wonder of the world. Located on the coast of the Kimberley region in Western Australia.
The falls form when seawater rushes through two short and narrow gorges which are about three hundred metres (1,000 ft) apart. The falls are located in the coastal Mclarty Ranges within Talbot Bay and within the Buccaneer Archipelago.
The seaward gap is about twenty metres (70 ft) wide. The landward one is about ten metres wide (30 ft).
The natural wonder is caused by the sea level change due to tides of up to ten metres (33 ft). Water builds up on one side or the other of the gaps faster than it can flow through. Creating a wall of water up to four metres (13 ft) high. With the change of the tide, the direction of the falls reverses from inflow to outflow and back again.
Cruise Kimberley Islands
Captain Steve, dropped anchor in Talbot Bay. Tendercraft took those who decided on a helicopter flight to the pontoon floating in the bay. Helicopter doors removed and flown by a barefoot pilot. Best for the heat or a water ditch I guess. Several passes over the falls and back along the ranges. Rising air thermals buffered the helicopter on banking. Just the secure seatbelt to hold you in place stopping a fall to the water far below. Headset commentary. A few seaplanes out of Broome doing sightseeing flights. These were landing and taking off from the bay. Allowing passenger's to go jet boating through the narrow gap. Myself and most of our ship mates did the jet boating as an excursion extra.
Too dangerous for anything other than multi-engined jet boats to pass through the Horizontal Falls entrance. A high speed thrill similar to jet boating in river canyons. On steroids. Expect a wet ride. Our ship MV Oceanic safely anchored alone in Talbot Bay for the night surrounded by rugged mountain ranges.
There is no land access to Horizontal Falls by road or track. Seaplane or ship only. There are calls for a complete ban on travel to Horizontal Falls by the traditional land owners for the reason given below and cultural obligations. Access through the narrowest gap by tourist jet boat are discontinued as of 2023. Talks are ongoing between Dambeemangarddee Aboriginal Corporation and the Western Australian state government.
Traveldriven
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 Media Release
Charges were laid last Friday 26 May 2023, against the master and company that owns the high-speed vessel Falls Express, which collided with rocks at Horizontal Falls on 27 May 2022 while carrying 25 passengers and 2 crew on an eco-tour of Talbot Bay in Western Australia.
Dozens of people onboard Falls Express were seriously injured as a result of the domestic commercial vessel’s operation at high-speed through the narrow 7.5m gap at Horizontal Falls.
The response effort, by emergency services and other domestic commercial vessels operating in the area at the time, was rapid and commendable.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has meticulously investigated the incident, gathering, and analysing evidence over the past year.
With support from the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, charges have now been laid under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 (the “National Law”).
The master, Edward James Whisson, has been charged with two safety-related offences— failing to take reasonable care, and not implementing and complying with the safety management system for the vessel and its operations.
The owner, Journey Beyond Adventures Pty Ltd (trading as Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures), has been charged with two offences for failing to, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure the safety of the vessel, its equipment and the operation of the vessel; and failing to implement and maintain a safety management system that could ensure Falls Express, and its operations, were safe.
As this matter will now proceed to the Magistrates Court of Western Australia, it would be inappropriate for AMSA to comment further.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
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MV OCEANIC & BROOME SEAPLANE
HORIZONTAL FALLS BY HELICOPTER
HORIZONTAL FALLS BY
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH
HORIZONTAL FALLS BY SEAPLANE
HORIZONTAL FALLS
JET BOAT CRASH 2022
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