A Tale of Two Tides
Two pontoons sit moored in the water on either side of Australia. These two vastly different locations have one thing in common; an overnight experience that allows total immersion in the surrounding natural wonders.
WORDS Shaney Hudson
As an island continent, Australia is filled with waterborne wonders and natural phenomena: fragile coral reefs, sacred waterways, tropical islands, and tidal estuaries teeming with life and ripe for adventure. The best way to see them? Total immersion by staying on a pontoon on the water. Travel from one side of the country to the other and discover two exclusive live-aboard experiences.
Dine aboard Jetwave Pearl.
Horizontal Falls, Western Australia
MORNING
Watch the tides turn at the iconic Horizontal Falls (Garaangadim) in Talbot Bay, the ancestral country of the saltwater Dambimangari people. A natural phenomenon found nowhere else in the world; the falls are caused by tidal fluctuations where thousands of gigalitres of water are forced through a tiny opening – just 12 to 20 metres wide in parts – between two gorges in the McLarty Ranges. The force is so strong and the pressure so great that the rapids look like a surreal waterfall cascading sideways through the land. The best way to see it in all its powerful glory is from above.
Flying in from Broome (Rubibi), Derby, or Cygnet Bay (Borrgoron), the scenic seaplane flight over the Buccaneer Archipelago allows you to take in the sheer scale of the falls. While those staying overnight at Horizontal Falls take multiple trips through and near the falls, allowing guests to understand the physical power of this hydro-site, the view of them from above increases their otherworldliness: the delicate whirlpools that circle and dissipate, the furious rapids gasping through the ochre- and rust-coloured cliffs, and the white-water wisps that have made a successful escape from the gorge.
“The remote location means there is little to no light pollution in the sky, creating the perfect conditions for stargazing.”
AFTERNOON
After experiencing the Horizontal Falls, go deeper into the Kimberley (Nyikina Mangala Country) with a cruise up Cyclone Creek, with its spectacular red rock formations, secret spots where the barramundi lie in wait, spectacular birdlife, and estuarine crocodiles lurking in the mangroves.
Returning to the pontoon, consider a dip in the pontoon’s unique natural pool setup. Guests can find respite from the 30-plus temperatures in the steel-reinforced mesh pool on one side, while wildlife can say hello on the other. Each day, a group of social tawny sharks comes to visit. Gathering near the surface, the sharks are clearly visible through the turquoise waters from the pontoon, while those brave enough to get in the water can join the sharks in their domain for a closer look.
Touch down for a water landing after a scenic flight
EVENING
Whether you’re staying in luxury on board Jetwave Pearl in a secluded private bay, or on the main pontoon in a private air-conditioned cabin at the mouth of the Falls, staying overnight on the water means you’ll experience Horizontal Falls like no one else.
Staying overnight is the only way to experience the sensation of travelling through both the incoming and outgoing tides. And come evening, it’s time to settle in with a drink as the light shapeshifts around the cliffs, the red hues of the surrounding landscape illuminated by the sun’s last rays.
When night falls, feast on locally sourced barramundi, before you spend the night searching the stars. The remote location means there is little to no light pollution in the sky, creating the perfect conditions for stargazing, including spying the Milky Way. Finally, let the gentle turn of the tide rock you to sleep in one of the most remote regions in Australia.
The Details
TOUR
There are two overnight stay options to experience the magic of Horizontal Falls. For the most in depth experience , try the Luxury Overnight Stay aboard the beautiful Jetwave Pearl.
Enjoy swimming and snorkelling, a shark show with local Tawny Nurse Sharks, a guided fishing charter, and a relaxing cruise through Talbot Bay and Cyclone Creek, before sunset drinks on the rooftop lounge. Prices start at $1785pp
Reefworld, Queensland
MORNING
An hour’s catamaran ride from the mainland, Reefworld sparkles on the horizon like an aquatic oasis. The only permanently moored pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays (Ngaro Country), Reefworld allows a completely immersive experience in the world’s largest coral reef system, a spectacular marine life force that rules the waters off the coast of Queensland.
Located within the Whitsundays island group – a daisy chain of 74 tropical islands dusted with white-sand beaches – Reefworld is situated on Hardy Reef, a spectacular underwater platform reef that is protected from the elements and offers spectacular swimming, snorkelling and submersible experiences for all ages, abilities and confidence in the water. Guests have their pick of submersible rides, scuba diving and scenic flights: but once you arrive, it’s hard to do anything else but gather your wetsuit, snorkel and flippers, and make a beeline for the water. Dive into the warm embrace of the Coral Sea, with the water surrounding the platform staying a balmy 25 degrees year-round. Underwater, another world awaits. Large schools of yellow-tailed fusiliers opportunistically swim towards the pontoon, giant Māori wrasse drift slowly with the tide, and trevally lurk in the shadows.
Discover an incredible underwater world as you snorkel the reef.
“Featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the room acts like a personal underwater observatory, allowing you to wake up to an aquatic wonderland.”
AFTERNOON
After drying off on the sun loungers on the top deck of the pontoon and feasting on a buffet lunch, climb aboard Reefworld’s semi-submersible submarine. The interior of the smaller vessels is lined with two panels of reinforced, sealed glass, allowing an incredible, aquarium-like window to the underwater world around the pontoon. A popular alternative to swimming, what’s remarkable about the submersible is how at ease the fish are with it, and how much more insight you can gain into the world’s largest coral reef system by listening to the experienced crew.
The real excitement comes not with a glimpse of a sea turtle in the distance, but with the arrival of George, Reefworld’s resident Giant Queensland Grouper. Despite his impressive size – over two metres long and estimated to weigh in at 350 kilograms – George glides around the submersible with gentle, curious grace, nonplussed by the attention he receives.
EVENING
After the day-trippers have left, the real adventure begins. Spend a night at sea and sleep under the stars on a Reefsleep experience. What makes this experience so special is that this is the only opportunity to stay overnight on the reef. Well, that and the delectable meal that’s include. And the canapes. And the sunset.
Two accommodation options are available to an intimate group of up to 28 people. First, stay on deck in a Reefbed, falling asleep under the stars listening to the gentle lap of water. Situated on the top deck, the Reefbeds are canvas sleep pods, fully enclosed from the elements and with full sized, comfortable mattresses, with a canvas zipper for privacy.
Those after the ultimate experience should try Australia’s first underwater accommodation, staying in one of two spectacular Reefsuites below the waterline. Featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the room acts like a personal underwater observatory, allowing you to wake up to an aquatic wonderland surrounded by calm blue water and an abundance of marine life. If you’re lucky, you may even be graced with an appearance by the resident rockstar himself: George the Grouper.
Sleep atop the Great Barrier Reef with Reefsleep.
The Details
EXPERIENCE
Reefworld is the only permanently moored pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef and offers a completely immersive experience of this natural wonder. The refurbished Reefworld pontoon features two Reefsuites – Australia’s first underwater accommodation. Enjoy a scenic cruise through the Whitsundays before embarking on private guided tours of the reef, a spectacular dining experience under the stars, and the best night’s sleep you’ll ever have.