The main game in coming up to Cygnet Bay was to do an overnight stay on the pontoon at Garaan-Ngaddim. Non indigenous Australians probably know it better as the Horizontal Falls.

We flew in a sea plane from Cygnet Bay to the pontoon moored in Talbot Bay, about a 45 minute flight.

From 3,500 ft there were great views of the Buccaneer Archipelago. Landing on water was a first time experience, much smoother than what I had envisaged.

We had our first look at the falls from the air as we circled around before landing. Spectacular sight.

The pontoon works like clockwork. We arrived about 3.30 and were given a quick briefing on what we were going to do and then shown our rooms for the night.

This was quickly followed by a speed boat trip for an hour through the falls and surrounding waterways. An experience indeed!

These ‘falls’ are caused by the changing of tides from high to low and the resultant flows of water back and forth through the narrow gaps in the sandstone ranges. The flow changes direction every six hours.

There are two horizontal falls, the wider first one and the very narrow second one. There are generally three levels of water in this chain of waterways. There is the sea level (Talbot Bay) and if we are experiencing a rising tide the water will be flowing down into the ‘inland sea’ behind the first falls.

Across the ‘inland sea’ is the second horizontal fall and the water will flow down through that into the second ‘inland sea’.

For a brief moment when the tide peaks the water levels will be the same across all three ‘seas’. They will then reverse as the tide changes and water flows out.

The Horizontal Falls is a phenomena unique to Australia.

The local indigenous people maintain these ‘inland seas’ are culturally significant and very important to their beliefs. They have native title over the area and allow boats to pass through the first horizontal fall but not the second. The second one would be rather problematical anyway, rather tricky and dangerous.

They believe the Woongudd Woman, lives in the ‘seas’ and was responsible for all of creation. When the water flows out of the ‘inland seas’ through the falls, it is the spiritual snake going out into the world to continue creation.

When water flows into the ‘inland seas’ through the falls it is the snake returning to rest. I hope that is the correct retelling of the story.

So that is why in the near future passing through the first falls may not be allowed.

We returned all in one piece to the pontoon a little after 5pm. This was the appointed time for those who wanted a swim, a loose word for waist high paddle, in a cage beside the pontoon.

Next to the cage a flotilla of sharks gathered to feast on bits of barramundi thrown in by one of the crew. Various other fish also gathered for the event. The sharks ignored the swimmers, they are blind and generally bottom feeders and dwellers. The sharks not the swimmers. Entertaining.

After the shark show it was time for pre dinner drinks and nibbles. BBQ Barramundi and salads followed for dinner and we were all in bed by about 8.30pm, having to be up at 5.30am for a 6am breakfast.

Now, why all this haste? At 6.30 we were back in the boat speeding back to the falls for a last look.

This time it was different and we had a somewhat unique experience in seeing the falls for that brief moment when the water levels were even and the passages through the falls quite calm.

The dark band of rock above the waterline is the usual daily tidal movement. The narrower white band above it is the extra tidal movement at certain times during a month.

As we watched the waters started to turn and began flowing in, was the spirit returning from an enterprising night out? Quite an experience.

We then returned to the pontoon to get ready for our flight back to Cygnet Bay. As we waited four seaplanes followed one another into view, splash landed and motored up to their docks so that we could board.

We returned by a slightly shorter flight path to Cygnet Bay. Back at the van by 8.30am in good time to finish packing up and head back down the Cape Leveque Rd to the Broome Gateway CP.