“Well, it is a ship cruise, after all,” said the staff to the guest, explaining why we had to spend a full day sailing away from the Kimberley coast of Australia, only to turn around and sail back. To be in compliance with Australian laws, the National Geographic Orion must make one stop outside the country, and East Timor is the closest destination to make this an international voyage.
It turns out that a few days at sea is the perfect way to get one’s sea legs, get acquainted with the ship’s layout, recover from jet lag and attend some important lectures that are best not rushed. In fact, calm seas and gentle breezes typically prevail on this passage, giving the expedition team a 48-hour window to host a mini Kimberley University before the whirlwind of the expedition begins in earnest.
Expedition Leader Darrin Bennett started off with a Zodiac briefing and an overall plan for the voyage. After an introductory talk on basic photography skills, the entire photo team patiently sorted out some of the camera settings that might help create memorable photographs, followed by Cristiana Damiano’s fascinating summary of the Kimberley’s geological history. Finally, before dinner, National Geographic photographer Massimo Bassano took the stage to entertain with a few amazing tales of his adventures on assignment for National Geographic magazine.
After sunset, the ship approached Com, a settlement on East Timor that would serve as our international stop. A few guests signed up to go ashore for a brief shopping spree on the quay while the purser cleared us into and immediately out of East Timor. Local vendors and artisans lined both sides of the concrete dock and offer handmade treasures. The bargains were too good to pass up, but within 20 minutes we were back in the Zodiacs, returning to the ship with arm loads of jewelry, scarves, placemats and assorted trinkets.
The first full day on board comes to an end, and the National Geographic Orion heads south towards Wyndham, our first stop in the Kimberley.
