he Buccaneer Archipelago, with over a thousand islands set in a turquoise sea, is one of the world's little-known cruising gems. A huge tidal range of over 11 metres (one of the three largest in the world) has given rise to the so-called 'Horizontal Waterfalls'; two narrow gaps between cliff faces in Talbot Bay. At each of these gaps, the tides fall so fast that the water levels on either side of the gap don't have time to equalise, and the result is a spectacular mid-ocean cascade.

The colours of the Buccaneers are stunning, too. Where the mud rivulets of the Tarraji River delta drain into the shimmering green ocean, the sea becomes the colour of a rich pistachio milk shake. Further out, the waters vary from aquamarine to a vivid turquoise. On land, the deep red of the super ore-rich 'Iron Islands' is matched only by the hues of the spectacular sunsets over the islands, while the vegetation ranges from pandanus lime-green to the deep emerald of rainforest trees.

There are many options for cruising the Buccaneer Archipelago, from the super-luxury of the MV Mustique to the slightly less glamorous Kimberley Quest. For sheer fun and total relaxation though, it would be hard to beat the cruiser The Specialist, operated by Jim, Catherine and Scott of Unreel Adventure Safaris. I was privileged enough to join a three-day cruise of the Buccaneer Archipelago, flying by seaplane out of Derby to meet The Specialist at Talbot Bay. "We thought of making both legs of the trip by boat," said Jim. "That would mean more time for fishing but less time at the Horizontal Waterfalls - so it was a difficult choice."

With a company name like 'Unreel', fishing features big on the day's agenda. I'm the world's worst fisherman, and watched in total disbelief as the baits were stolen from my hook while others were hauling in giant redfish, bream and Spanish mackerel. I was also gobsmacked by the range of other things to do and experience during a cruise - from spending an extended length of time at the Horizontal Waterfalls to swimming at remote beaches and rock-pools, and visiting a hermit couple who have made the Buccaneers their home. All the while, the boat passes through scenery that amazes by its ever-changing diversity.

The expedition began with a seaplane flight from Derby Airport. This flight provided a panoramic introduction to the Buccaneers, as the plane soared over the mangroves of Cyclone Creek and then across the deeply furrowed Kimbolton Range, between King Sound and Spokes Bay. We finally crossed Dugong Bay, with not a single dugong to be seen, and touched down upon the placid waters of Talbot Bay, like a feather on a waterbed.

The first evening was spent socialising and swapping stories, with a huge feed prepared by Jim and Scott. "I'm the world's best cook," said Jim, but this turned out to be a blatant lie. When he further exhorted us to catch plenty of fish so as not to go hungry the next day, we could see by the smirk on his face that enough food to feed an army was lying in reserve in the boat's roomy fridge.

A highlight of the cruise was the near-full day we got to spend at the Horizontal Waterfalls. These falls are two yawning gaps in the McLardie Range, which encircles Talbot Bay. At a spring tide (at full moon, when the sun and moon are both pulling the sea in the same direction), there can be a difference of up to 12.5 metres between high and low tide. The two waterfalls are caused when the tidal levels on either side of the respective gaps get out of sync, and the waters rush through the gaps in an attempt to find equilibrium.

I happened to be visiting the Buccaneers during the neap of the month (i.e. new moon), when the Horizontal Waterfalls are a little less spectacular than at full moon. But the tidal difference (from 2-4 metres) is still mightily impressive. We got to challenge both of the gaps, soon coming to appreciate the subtle differences in ebb and flow between high and low tides. Nothing can prepare you for the second gap, a mighty thundering torrent that seems to split the cliffs asunder.

"Some people only get to spend ten minutes here, on a scenic flight over the Horizontal Waterfalls," said Jim. "They might just as well stay at home and watch the spectacle on DVD!" While this might sound a little dismissive, what is beyond doubt is that flight seers get to experience only a tiny fraction of what the Buccaneer Archipelago has to offer.

That evening and the next day, a lot more of the Archipelago came within radar, as we cruised out of Talbot Bay and passed Koolan, Iron and Cockatoo Islands. These islands are composed of some of the world's richest reserves of iron ore, assayed at up to 97% pure FeO2  (iron oxide).

Here in Yampi Sound, the waters are placid and the breezes are calm. For centuries, right up until at least the 1920s, Cockatoo Island was visited each year by trochus fishers from Makassar (now Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi, Indonesia). It is believed that the visitors negotiated fishing rights with the local Mowanjum and Umida peoples, allowing them to collect water, firewood and bêche-de-mer in exchange for iron axes, spearheads and dugout canoes. Many Indonesian words subsequently became a part of the Mowanjum language.

Opposite Koolan Island, Crocodile Creek is a misnomer. In fact, there isn't even one crocodile in the creek, which serves as a cool and most refreshing swimming hole. By now, we had repeatedly been warned of the dangers of swimming in crocodile-infested waters, and took the advice to heart. Not all were so concerned however. Dave Barlush, of the company Seeair Broome, reckoned that "your chances of being taken by a crocodile are about the same as being bitten by a bee and struck by lightning at the same time!"

In the nearby shelter, dozens of visiting boats and cruising yachts have left improvised plaques, insignia and graffiti - including a Wandjina figure by Danny Woolagoodjah, the designer of the Wandjina used in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Directly opposite Cockatoo Island is the entrance to Silvergull Creek, home for the last ten years to Phil and Marion Ray. Phil and Marion have turned their property, with sensational views over Yampi Sound, into a lush garden, now often visited as an example of a 'model settlement' by groups of young Aboriginal people. The two settlers are renowned for their hospitality, though it is possible to see a little 'visitor fatigue' in their faces, as a constant stream of guests drop in during the dry season (April to October).

After a leisurely afternoon at The Squatter's Arms, including a dip in their legendary spring-fed swimming pool, it was time to pour ourselves into the speedboat for the trip back to the good ship The Specialist. We stopped to re-fuel in Dogleg Creek, where Shane Kemp's service station offered the only petrol and diesel available in the Buccaneers outside Derby. The price of the fuel had me thinking for a moment that I'd run into a latter-day buccaneer. Yet Jim reassured me that the price was very reasonable, given the remoteness of the area and the cost of transport.

We cruised out of Yampi Sound and between Gibbing Island and the mainland's Koomi Point, then out through Goose Channel and between Hidden and Shirley Islands into calm waters. A tawny nurse shark that we encountered turned out to be so tame that Jim was soon playing footsies with it over the side of the boat. The shark stayed alongside our craft all night, and the next morning was still there, presumably waiting for breakfast.

One obstacle, 'Hell's Gates', remained to be negotiated. This is a sometimes-treacherous whirlpool between Gerald Peninsula and the Muddle Islands. We got through the whirlpool unscathed, and the reward was a stopover at one of the Buccaneers' real gems - 'Waterfall Beach', where a rock-walled cataract spills onto the pristine sands fringing Cascade Bay. Sadly, I was discouraged from jumping ship to settle here permanently - though the natural charms of the bay are more than just a little enticing.