Kayaking at Monkey Mia

Post

Subscribe

Kayaking out on the ocean can be very intimidating especially if you have to battle through waves. Of course, Perth has a range of locations where you can kayak without you having to go from zero to expert within a matter of seconds; however Sharks Bay would have to be ultimate spot where you can kayak and enjoy the scenery at the same time.



The Monkey Mia Resort has a range of Kayaks which you can hire either for an hour or the whole day. I believe that if you are going to do something then do it right, so I opted for the whole day version.



I was advised to take plenty of sunscreen as the sun reflects off the water. I felt that 1 liter would be enough, given that I had just come out of winter hibernation and the only thing that separated me from the white sand was the color of my bathing suit. I also was advised to take water and some snacks.

I used the drybags provided, for my towel, camera and snacks. In hindsight - not sure how a towel would come in handy considering the amount of water I was about to face!



I was not too sure what I was really thinking when I put my fairly new Canon camera in the bag. Maybe because the sea was calm enough where I could quickly remove it from the bag to take some quick photos! The problem was more in the fact that the waterproof bag was in the front of the kayak which would require me to shuffle forward to open and remove. This action did not take seconds but rather minutes, so that dolphin and eagle rays I saw were gone before I could even say 'Cheese!'



The last time I was in any form of 'kayak' was a canoe when I was a kid. We had one oar, so to have a double paddle was a bonus. Surprising, I found kayaking to be very easy, it did not take me long to begin my adventure towards the direction of the Blue Lagoon Pearl Farm. Of course, there is a 'no go' zone around the perimeter of the Pearl Farm which I had no intention of going. Even I knew that 'this far' (demonstrates distance using index finger and thumb) means few kilometers which I knew would be a massive achievement if I did that in one day!



If there is one thing I would recommend to any person giving kayaking a go in the Sharks Bay Region is to ensure you have 'swim shoes'. The main reason for this is that there are Stone Fish which are poisonous. From what I learnt is that Stone Fish release a neurotoxin through a needle-like dorsal fin. And of course, this only happens when you step on them. As they look like their surroundings, there is a very high chance that you can step on one. And personally, I was not up for the 'complete adventure' which meant that while I was near the rocky shore lines (at times) I remained in the Kayak!



Sharks Bay is amazing to see from the land, however I believe that it is even more beautiful from water. The water is crystal clear which means you get to see a range of things you would not see from land. Of course, the best part of the whole journey was having a dolphin pop up just meters from the kayak. Of course, with camera so far to retrieve meant that it would be something to remember and not show. (Yup - should have bought that 'Go Pro' instead!)



A double kayak was $30.00 per hour or $60.00 unlimited. Of course this unlimited had to fit within the day you booked it, which means you can not book it for a couple of days or weeks at that price. Bookings can be done on the beach side of the resort, and of course pricing can change from the time this article is published. However, if you would like to find out more please visit the Monkey Mia Resort website or you can call Michael on 0428911283.

I, personally, would probably do a few things different the next time I Kayak. I would use a 'Go Pro' - for starters (or something similar). I would also consider taking some fishing rods. The thought of catching fish fresh from the sea for dinner is very intriguing. And, I would I probably kayak just a little longer. While unlimited sounds like fun - there is only so much a body can handle!

#attractions
#beaches
#boating
#day_trips
#greater_perth
#outdoor
#sport
%wnperth