For our 2022 annual warm-climate winter adventure, Leanne and I planned a multi-day kayak expedition from Denham to Monkey Mia along the coastline of François Peron National Park.
We'd heard about the route through the kayaking community and knew that at least one tour operator ran expeditions along the same coast, so it seemed like a natural next step from our inaugural island-hopping adventure in Dampier two years earlier.
We’d taken three weeks off, giving us enough time for a second expedition in Dampier afterwards. Leanne was so excited to return that she wasn’t initially convinced Shark Bay was worth cutting into our time there.
Day 1 - Leaving Denham
Setting out from the Denham boat ramp, our fully loaded kayak moved slowly, albeit with a more ergonomic setup than the jerry cans strapped on top we'd made do with on our previous expedition.
By lunchtime we'd covered enough distance to put the Denham townsite out of view, greatly improving the atmosphere of the adventure.
In the late afternoon we started seeing reef sharks in the shallows, then spotted two chairs on the beach where we could sit and watch, making it the perfect spot for our first campsite.
After a quick rinse, we settled in, unpacking the kayak, setting up camp and making dinner with the sharks and sunset as constant companions.
By this point, any doubts Leanne had about sacrificing a few days in Dampier were long gone.
Day 2 - Big Lagoon
On the morning of Day 2, we packed up camp and continued up the coastline, with the sharks still hunting in the shallows.
We were in good spirits and soon stopped for morning tea in the sun, enjoying a swim and a bit of beachcombing before continuing on.
After morning tea we made our way into Big Lagoon, a sprawling network of ancient claypans now connected by the sea, extending tens of kilometres into the Peron Peninsula, and pulled up at the Big Lagoon Campground boat ramp.
A fresh picnic lunch overlooking the lagoon, at the most developed site within the national park, was a luxurious step up from some of our Dampier meals.
After lunch we headed deeper into the lagoon, loosely following the Big Lagoon Paddle Trail. The weather was amazing, but the scenery proved repetitive.
Leanne gave up first and took a rest, while I jumped in for a swim and pulled the kayak for a while.
When we'd agreed we'd seen enough, we backtracked to the ocean and started looking for a place to camp.
We finished the day with enough time for a snorkel among the oyster stacks and corals.
Day 3 - Beneath the Cliffs
Our third day's paddle was dominated by orange cliffs of Peron Sandstone, with only a narrow strip of beach beneath them. In the sunlight, reflections from the red cliffs speckled the turquoise water with orange, creating one of the most striking sights of the trip.
Their scale was deceptive; what looked like them tapering away in the distance was actually the coastline getting further away from us.
Paddling point to point sometimes took us kilometres from shore, with the water still only chest deep. Sharks, shovelnose rays and stingrays were regular companions, including one ray longer than our kayak!
We took our Day 3 lunch in a break between the cliffs, this time with the beach entirely to ourselves.
By the time the cliffs finally gave way to more open coastline, it was late in the day and we were exhausted from the long paddle.
Shipwrecked!
Setting out from afternoon tea, the kayak felt particularly sluggish. As it got worse, we realised it wasn't just our exhaustion and made a beeline for shore to investigate.
We quickly decided to set up camp, unloading the kayak so Leanne could get camp established while I investigated the leak.
I used the paddle as a spade, digging carefully to avoid breaking it, and built up two sand supports to elevate the empty kayak.
Next, I used our largest drybag to scoop up seawater and fill the kayak to find the leak.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, a silicone repair from my original refurbishment had failed. I stripped away the old material and prepared the area for a fresh repair.
I then used Selleys Aqua Repair to bog up the hole, which had worked well on several smaller holes during the original refurbishment.
After this, it was time to settle in for another magical evening of sunset shark watching, this time with the sky and ocean blending seamlessly together.
Day 4 - Evacuation
The next morning we were treated to one of Shark Bay's more remarkable wildlife encounters, watching bottlenose dolphins beach hunt, a rare foraging technique where they chase fish through the shallows and onto the beach.
We charted a course for South Gregories Campground, confident we could find the help we needed there. We offloaded our excess drinking water before setting out, but only one kilometre later we were sinking again.
For my second go at the repair, I dried off the kayak and generously patched the damaged section with duct tape. It worked perfectly, showing no signs of weakening for the rest of the day and making us wish we hadn't already committed to the evacuation.
When we arrived at South Gregories, Leanne secured a campsite and settled in with her book while I hitchhiked my way back to Denham. There were some uncertain moments waiting and walking in the sun, but as soon as I was reunited with our car, all my problems evaporated.
On my way back to Leanne, I realised an extra 15 minutes to pick up some upgraded camp food wouldn't make a difference, and an hour later we were settled in for another evening of much more luxurious camp craft.
Day 5 - Sightseeing
Adapting to our changed circumstances, we booked a second night at South Gregories and spent the day exploring up to Skipjack Point and the reddest cliffs of the trip.
Day 6 - Departure
On our final morning, we stopped in at Herald Bight before leaving the national park.
Lunch and lookouts were complemented by a visit to the Ocean Park Aquarium, where we learned more about the wildlife we'd encountered over the previous week, as well as everything we'd missed.
Leanne also did her best to fit in with the stonefish.
