Day 15 Cruise Ashmore Reef

Lost in the immensity of Indian Ocean and situated 630 km off Broome, Ashmore Reef Marine Park is an Australian External Territory that covers 583 square km. Diverse shades of blue between the deep and shallow waters, surround the three tiny islands. Ashmore Reef is known to be the favourite place of more than 40 bird species. 100,000 seabirds breed there every year, including crested terns, white-tailed tropicbirds and greater frigatebirds. The islands are also a haven for thousands of migratory shorebirds like curlew sandpipers, bar-tailed godwits and great knots – some of them coming from very far places like Siberia! The reef is home to around 500 species of fish but also marine turtles, dugongs and many playful dolphins. Given the rich and fragile environment, Ashmore Reef has been declared a Sanctuary zone, providing the highest level of protection for the wildlife and minimising disturbance from human activities.




Today we were offered snorkeling or swimming amongst the reef, however we opted to have a quiet day and I found some time for craft on the pool deck whist Kevin read.