The Expedition Diaries – Vansittart Bay, The Kimberley, Australia

The Expedition Diaries – Vansittart Bay, The Kimberley, Australia

2nd April 2017: Vansittart Bay/Jar Island, The Kimberley, Australia

Silver Discoverer – Silversea Expeditions

White sandy beaches kissed light blue seas on the shores of Jar Island. We parted the stalks of golden waving sorghum grass as we trekked the short 100 metres or so, to the rocks and boulders just in from the beach at Vansittart Bay.

Our guide suggested that the rocks had been ‘thrown’ or deposited on Jar Island through some sort of major weather or seismic event as there seems to be little logic or reason to the way they sit on this little island.

These boulders form small shelters in places – this is where the Bradshaw or Gwion Gwion rock art has been discovered. With almost African decorations, long stylized limbs and dancing figures, this style of aboriginal art is between 3-17 thousand years old.

In the afternoon we headed by zodiac to another nearby beach in Vansittart Bay where the wreck of a C53 plane from 1942 still sits. Striped back to the aluminium core, it stands as a testimony to the endurance of people in this remote area.

Note: Mrs Patton travelled as a guest of Silversea on this cruise.