Several days into our Shark Bay kayak expedition, we had rounded the northern tip of the Peron Peninsula and were now travelling south along its eastern coast towards Monkey Mia.
Herald Bight
Herald Bight is a broad, shallow bay on the eastern side of the Peron Peninsula, partly enclosed by a long sandbar. After seemingly endless wildlife encounters, we entered the bight to find the water becoming increasingly shallow and almost perfectly still.
Around the Sandbar
The next morning brought our first grey skies of the expedition as we set a course directly for the end of the sandbar, passing three more eagle rays and a turtle along the way.
At the end of the sandbar, we contended with shallow water and an awful smell as we passed a huge bird colony.
On the other side of the sandbar, we stopped for morning tea and a wander through the mangroves. With the grey skies persisting, Leanne layered up against the cold.
Cliffs Again
At lunch, still struggling to warm up, Leanne added a layer and made the most of the little sunlight we had.
I chose another way to warm up, climbing high above the beach to try and spot more wildlife.
Overcorrections
Having not spotted any megafauna from my vantage point, we aimed for the furthest bit of land we could see. Our shortcut gradually brought us out into deep, glassy water, punctuated by the occasional dolphin, but when we began to grow tired two kilometres offshore, we cut our losses and headed back for the coast.
Back in the shallows, we were greeted by the familiar sight of sharks cruising along the coast.
Along the beach, hermit crabs had carved elaborate trails through the sand.
Intertidal Adventures
As the tide fell, paddling gave way to walking, until we eventually had to unload the kayak and carry our gear through the shallows.
Monkey Mia
The following day, we had just ten kilometres left to paddle before our luxurious stop at Monkey Mia.
Upon our arrival, Monkey Mia’s famous dolphins were putting on a show in the shallows.
We made the most of our luxurious stop with a hearty lunch and a fresh supply of snacks before climbing back into the kayak to extend our route further into Shark Bay Marine Park.
