Kimberley, Australia Expedition Day 1 of 14
Written by Scott David Martin | April 29, 2023

The Dash [ - ] goes behind the scenes of a WABU filmmaking expedition in the remote Northwest region of Australia, The Kimberley. In this 14-part series, we’ll share the highs and lows, from marathon shoots aboard luxurious yachts to heart-stopping encounters with nature's fiercest creatures.

**A bird glides at sunrise over Montgomery Reef ©SEABOURN**

Our Gateway to Adventure

I was standing in the arrivals hall of Broome International Airport.
Gripping my carry-on like it was a flotation device.

24 hours in transit.
Four airports. A few hours of sleep.

Landing in Broome should’ve felt like relief.
Instead, I felt a cocktail of anxiety, fatigue, and anticipation crash over me.

We made it to the gateway of the Kimberley.
One of the last true wilderness frontiers on earth.
But our bodies were already running on fumes.

I looked around at the team.
Surrounded by camera bags.

Duffels.
And Pelican cases.
All stacked like Tetris pieces on an airport trolley.

Everyone was quiet.
Focused.

That weird kind of alert you get when your brain's too tired to blink.
I told myself: This is the calm before the storm.

**Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Center ©SEABOURN**

Three Days in Broome: The Fear I Didn’t Expect

We had a simple plan for Broome:
Scout Day. Shoot Day. Embarkation Day.

Day 2 we scouted the shores of Roebuck Bay.
Crimson tide flats. Ridiculous birdwatching.

By Day 3, we were rolling cameras at:
Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park (yes, real crocs..yes, way too close).
Cable Beach at golden hour (silly gorgeous).

**Aerial view of Roebuck Bay on day two**.

BUT all I could think about was my stomach turning.
You'd think I was pumped.
BUT I couldn’t eat. Not even a salad.

I told myself it was the heat.
I knew it wasn’t the heat.

Standing outside our hotel as the sun starts to dip.
Marc looked over and said, “You good?”

I nodded.
But in that moment…
My chest thumped like it used to before a big game.

I thought: I’m nevous.
But I want the bat in the bottom on the ninth inning.

The Team That Signed Up for the Impossible

Most commercials have dozens of crew members.
Hair, wardrobe, logistics, safety, sound, creative, backup creative…
Backup for the backup.

BUT the Akiko?
The vessel we’d call home for the next 12 days…
Allowed just 10 of us.

Eight crew. Two talent.
Everyone on this team had to be a world-class teammate.
No ego. No quit.

Round here, we call em’ Water Buffaloes.

The squad:

KT – our client and compass
Robin – expedition leader and living legend
Manjit + Britt – our endlessly game on-camera talent
Marc – Producer, Assistant Director, and calm in every storm
Andrew – Writer, Production Manager, morale booster
Chris – Drone whisperer
Manny – Hair, makeup, wardrobe, miracle worker
Dave – Our DIT and tech sorcerer
And me – EP, Director, Cinematographer, Photographer

We were all wearing at least three hats.
And carrying kilos of gear.
We weren’t just documenting an expedition.

We were living one.

That night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling fan spinning slow.

I thought…you asked for this.
You asked for the biggest challenge of your career.

I rolled over, looked at the call sheet, and whispered:
“Don’t mess this up.”

Lights, Camera…Nausea?

Red Earth & Reptiles