In the early hours of the morning, we arrived in a historic location known as Careening Bay. In 1820, the crew of the ship HMC Mermaid stopped to conduct repairs on the ship’s damaged hull. They left behind a clear mark of their visit: an inscription of the HMC Mermaid embedded in a nearby boab tree. The mark is still visible today.
Our day was full of excitement and surprises, beginning with an early landing at Careening Beach for sunrise birdwatching. We had the most incredible encounter with a dingo puppy playing where we landed. The dingo (Cannis familiaris) is an ancient lineage of dog found in Australia. Dingos have lean, hardy bodies that have adapted for speed and stamina.
As the morning progressed, we continued our short walk to find birds and the precious tree where the HMC Mermaid carving is still visible.
The afternoon found us on a beautiful and secluded beach facing west, which was perfect for sunset cocktails. As we watched the sun go down, we relished in our great memories and the adventures ahead! We are in Australia and the Kimberley is as wild and as beautiful as we predicted! Cheers!
