Horizontal Waterfalls

9-July

Our first full day in the Kimberley. We met Michael and Jerry yesterday, and today the four of us were off on a long-anticipated trip to the Horizontal Falls.

The Horizontal Falls, located in Talbot Bay within Western Australia’s Buccaneer Archipelago, are a natural phenomenon where massive tidal currents rush through two narrow gorges, creating a sideways waterfall effect. The region experiences extreme tidal variations of up to 10 metres. Because the narrow gaps in the McLarty Range are too small to allow the water to pass through quickly, a rapid builds up, creating a “waterfall” between the bays that can reach up to 4 metres in height. The area behind the “falls” is essentially a large basin, so the water has nowhere else to go. The “falls” are also a deeply sacred site to the local Dambeemangaddee people, who know the area as Ganbadba.

There are two ways to get to the Horizontal Falls: by sea or by seaplane. As we were only going to be here for a few days, we opted for the seaplane. It would also give us a fantastic view of this spectacular part of Western Australia’s coastline.

Together with two other couples, we boarded the seaplane for the 1-hour 10-minute flight to the Horizontal Falls. Along the way, the pilot pointed out several interesting coastal features, at times flying as low as 150 metres.

We arrived at the floating pontoon, where the staff introduced us to some of the local wildlife, including several sharks, before serving us lunch. Because the Horizontal Falls are created by the tidal flow, the operators have to time each tour carefully to give visitors the best possible experience.

After lunch, we boarded their high-speed boat. Following a cruise past some of the most spectacular geological rock formations in the area, we were ready to tackle the “falls”. The skipper opened the throttle, unleashing all 900 horsepower to power us through the narrow gap. He made several passes, giving everyone on board plenty of opportunities to take photos and videos.

It was an amazing experience, although, as our guide explained, today’s tidal movement was not particularly large. There are two gaps through which the water flows: one is about 20 metres wide and the other only 7 metres. Tourists are taken through the wider, 20-metre opening, but even that looked remarkably narrow as the boat powered through. Every 6 hours and 12 minutes, the tide reverses and the water rushes back the other way with tremendous force.

If you look closely at some of the photos, you will notice a dark grey band above the waterline. That shows just how high the water level rises during a high tide.

Here are a few images from another unforgettable day in the Kimberley.