Diving Macleay Island

Posted on November 30, 2013 by annabelle No Comments

Diving in Kimberley waters is not for the faint hearted; saltwater crocodiles and  sharks cruise these tropical waters, and strong tides and currents can take unwary divers by surprise.  However, determined to explore an island he hadn’t previously visited, Broome based naturalist Richard Costin packed his swag on the roof of his dinghy and set off on a 500km round trip from Derby to Macleay Island, which lies to the north of Koolan and Cockatoo Islands in the Buccaneer Archipelago, to film and photograph the waters surrounding the island.

Naturalist Richard Costin's dinghy loaded with swag and stores on the beach at Macleay Island. (Richard Costin/© Richard Costin | Kimberley Media 2013)

As cyclone Alessia developed to the west, Richard dived the waters surrounding Macleay, recording corals and marine life with two GoPro Hero 3 cameras mounted on a hand-held frame and a headpiece.  Nearing the end of a spring tide cycle, the waters were somewhat turbid, but nonetheless Richard managed to record significant coral bombies rising from a sandy bottom, and fish and marine life including sea whips and Gorgonian fan corals.

Underwater Macleay Island (Richard Costin/Kimberley Media)

Camping on the dinghy for three nights, Richard also took the opportunity to explore the hyper-saline lagoon that lies at the northern end of the island.  Filled by storm surges which push water over narrow, rocky bars on the western side, the lake was filled with small fish and algae, and ringed by salt-encrusted rocks.

A hyper saline lake at the northern end of Macleay Island on the Kimberley coast. Dried salt is visible on the rocks surrounding the lake. (Richard Costin/© Richard Costin | Kimberley Media 2013)

To the south of the island white sandy beaches are littered by steep sweeps of driftwood.  Macleay is one of a handful of islands (along with Koolan and High Cliffy) with significant evidence of human habitation dating from as long ago as 27,300 ± 1100 BP. Anthropologist Sue O’Connor suggests that on other islands people camped on beaches and evidence of habitation was washed away by spring tides.

Driftwood collects on a tideline on Macleay Island on the Kimberley coast. (Richard Costin/© Richard Costin | Kimberley Media 2013)

Driftwood collects on a tideline on Macleay Island on the Kimberley coast. (Richard Costin/© Richard Costin | Kimberley Media 2013)

Naturalist Richard Costin's dinghy loaded with swag and stores off the beach at Macleay Island.

Naturalist Richard Costin’s dinghy loaded with swag and stores off the beach at Macleay Island.

Richard and partner Annabelle Sandes will be leading two Wildlife Expedition Cruises in September 2014,  visiting Macleay Island en route to Adele Island, the farthest island in the Buccaneer Archipelago off the Kimberley coast.

Book or enquire online.

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