Expedition cruisers aboard the larger, foreign-flagged vessels in the Kimberley once needed to sail to East Timor in order to satisfy the cabotage* requirements of Australian Customs.
Location: Ashmore Reef. Google Map ref
More recently, these cruises have been able to meet these obligations with something of a compromise by spending a few hours at Ashmore Reef. While this detour may be viewed as an inconvenience by the shipping lines, it does offer a rare opportunity for passengers to see a remote part of Australia seldom visited by normal tourists.
If conditions are favourable, guests may be able to snorkel in the lagoon and see vibrant coral reefs, a variety of fish, sea turtles, and giant clams. The reef is also an important habitat for seabirds. Bird watchers can spot species like the red-footed booby, lesser frigatebird, and common noddy as well as migratory species resting while en route between Asia and Australia.
“Like other remote sand cays on reefs off north-western Australia, such as the Lacepede and Adele islands, there are large colonies of breeding seabirds at Ashmore,” says biologist, Damon Ramsay, “It has been estimated there is up to 50,000 breeding pairs of a range of species. This abundance allows the watching of sea bird behaviour through the cycles of breeding; courting adults, nesting, young birds, and hunting.”
Located in the Timor Sea, Ashmore Reef is actually closer to Indonesia than Australia, being about 100 kilometres south of Rote, and 600 kilometres north of Broome. The marine reserve occupies almost 600 sqkms and has a rich history marked by exploration, cultural significance and environmental protection. The reef was first charted by European navigators in the early 19th century, most notably the British navigator Samuel Ashmore who named it in 1811.
However, the reef's shallow waters and treacherous coral formations led to several shipwrecks in the 19th and early 20th centuries, adding to its historical intrigue.
For centuries, Ashmore Reef has been significant for Indonesian fishers, particularly from the island of Rote, who have traditionally harvested marine resources in the area under a longstanding agreement with Australian authorities. This cultural exchange highlights the reef's importance in regional maritime practices.
In 1983, recognizing its ecological value, Australia declared Ashmore Reef a National Nature Reserve, aiming to protect its diverse marine life and pristine coral ecosystems. It became a focal point for conservation efforts, including monitoring and managing fishing activities to preserve its biodiversity.
Ashmore Reef also holds sensitive geopolitical significance due to its location near major sea routes and its role in Australia's maritime boundary with Indonesia. Visitors aboard cruise ships will most likely see one of Australia’s Border Force patrol boats anchored there as well as a few so-called “turnback boats” kept ready for any unsanctioned arrivals.
During a period of around 20 years beginning in the 1990s, there were numerous instances of boats carrying asylum seekers arriving at Ashmore Reef. During this period, the Australian Federal Government implemented several measures, including the so-called "Pacific Solution" and Operation Sovereign Borders, to deter and manage unauthorised maritime arrivals.
ExpeditionCruising.com editor, Roderick Eime, visited Ashmore Reef while sailing aboard Ponant's Le Laperouse and Seabourn Pursuit.
More recently, these cruises have been able to meet these obligations with something of a compromise by spending a few hours at Ashmore Reef. While this detour may be viewed as an inconvenience by the shipping lines, it does offer a rare opportunity for passengers to see a remote part of Australia seldom visited by normal tourists.
If conditions are favourable, guests may be able to snorkel in the lagoon and see vibrant coral reefs, a variety of fish, sea turtles, and giant clams. The reef is also an important habitat for seabirds. Bird watchers can spot species like the red-footed booby, lesser frigatebird, and common noddy as well as migratory species resting while en route between Asia and Australia.
 |
| Large colonies of seabirds can be seen at Ashmore Reef (Silvia Furtwaengler www.instagram.com/silviafurtwaengler) |
“Like other remote sand cays on reefs off north-western Australia, such as the Lacepede and Adele islands, there are large colonies of breeding seabirds at Ashmore,” says biologist, Damon Ramsay, “It has been estimated there is up to 50,000 breeding pairs of a range of species. This abundance allows the watching of sea bird behaviour through the cycles of breeding; courting adults, nesting, young birds, and hunting.”
Located in the Timor Sea, Ashmore Reef is actually closer to Indonesia than Australia, being about 100 kilometres south of Rote, and 600 kilometres north of Broome. The marine reserve occupies almost 600 sqkms and has a rich history marked by exploration, cultural significance and environmental protection. The reef was first charted by European navigators in the early 19th century, most notably the British navigator Samuel Ashmore who named it in 1811.
However, the reef's shallow waters and treacherous coral formations led to several shipwrecks in the 19th and early 20th centuries, adding to its historical intrigue.
For centuries, Ashmore Reef has been significant for Indonesian fishers, particularly from the island of Rote, who have traditionally harvested marine resources in the area under a longstanding agreement with Australian authorities. This cultural exchange highlights the reef's importance in regional maritime practices.
In 1983, recognizing its ecological value, Australia declared Ashmore Reef a National Nature Reserve, aiming to protect its diverse marine life and pristine coral ecosystems. It became a focal point for conservation efforts, including monitoring and managing fishing activities to preserve its biodiversity.
 |
| Australian Border Force Patrol boat, 'Cape Jervis' at Ashmore Reef. (RE) |
Ashmore Reef also holds sensitive geopolitical significance due to its location near major sea routes and its role in Australia's maritime boundary with Indonesia. Visitors aboard cruise ships will most likely see one of Australia’s Border Force patrol boats anchored there as well as a few so-called “turnback boats” kept ready for any unsanctioned arrivals.
During a period of around 20 years beginning in the 1990s, there were numerous instances of boats carrying asylum seekers arriving at Ashmore Reef. During this period, the Australian Federal Government implemented several measures, including the so-called "Pacific Solution" and Operation Sovereign Borders, to deter and manage unauthorised maritime arrivals.
ExpeditionCruising.com editor, Roderick Eime, visited Ashmore Reef while sailing aboard Ponant's Le Laperouse and Seabourn Pursuit.
Main pic: Guests from Seabourn Pursuit observe seabirds at Ashmore Reef (Harry Rogers)
* In a shipping context, cabotage refers to transporting goods/passengers between two ports or places within the same country by a vessel registered in another country. While the definition is the same around the world, specific cabotage laws and regulations can vary significantly between different countries. (Source: Gard.no)
* In a shipping context, cabotage refers to transporting goods/passengers between two ports or places within the same country by a vessel registered in another country. While the definition is the same around the world, specific cabotage laws and regulations can vary significantly between different countries. (Source: Gard.no)
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