In the sparsely populated Kimberley region of Western Australia, jagged landforms reach like fingers into the turquoise-blue ocean waters. Along the coastline north of Derby, they used to reach even farther. But rising sea levels submerged part of the coastal landscape, giving rise to hundreds of islands and low-lying reefs that compose the Buccaneer Archipelago.
NASA/Michala Garrison; U.S. Geological Survey
The Operational Land Imager on Landsat 9 captured this image of Buccaneer Archipelago on June 11, 2025. The scene encapsulates the striking interactions between land and water in the area where King Sound opens to the Indian Ocean.
The powerful tidal currents stir up sediment in shallow areas, producing the beautiful turquoise swirls visible in this image. This power, however, can be hazardous to seafarers and divers as water rips through the archipelago’s constricted passages. One infamous place of turbulence, known as “Hell’s Gate,” lies in the passage between Gerald Peninsula and Muddle Islands.
Learn more about this archipelago in Western Australia.
Text credit: Kathryn Hansen
Image credit: NASA/Michala Garrison; U.S. Geological Survey
在西澳大利亚人烟稀少的金伯利地区，参差不齐的陆地如同手指般伸向碧蓝的海水。在德比以北的海岸线上，它们曾经延伸得更远。但随着海平面上升，部分海岸地貌被淹没，形成了如今由数百座岛屿和低矮暗礁组成的巴卡尼尔群岛。
图片来源: NASA/Michala Garrison; U.S. Geological Survey
陆地9号卫星的陆地成像仪（OLI）于2025年6月11日拍摄了这幅巴卡尼尔群岛的影像。画面展现了金声湾通向印度洋处陆地与海水之间的壮丽互动景象。
强劲的潮汐洋流搅动浅海区域的沉积物，造就了图中可见的瑰丽碧绿漩涡。但这种力量对航海者和潜水员来说也暗藏危险，因海水会在狭窄的水道间汹涌穿行。其中最为人知的湍急水域被称为“地狱之门”，位于杰拉尔德半岛与马德尔群岛之间的海峡中。
文稿来源: Kathryn Hansen
影像来源: NASA/Michala Garrison; U.S. Geological Survey
