Sea Kayaking

This is an expedition-style sea kayaking tour, meaning that we carry all of our food, water, camping gear and personal effects in the kayaks with us for 5 days. Unlike some other sea kayak expeditions run by Exmouth Adventure Co, there is no opportunity for re-supply on this tour. Our sea kayaks are double Eco Niizh expedition kayaks, and there may be a small amount of single Eco Behzig sea kayaks available on request (subject to availability and tour numbers).

Each day we cover between 8 and 16km in the kayaks, dependant on the area we are exploring. The exact itinerary for each tour will vary depending on the wind, swell and tidal conditions that are forecast. You can expect to encounter a variety of sea conditions, from serene mangrove creeks to strong tidal currents, to rolling swell as we explore the islands.

Expedition Camping

The sites that we use on this tour are publicly accessible ‘wilderness’ camp sites on Angel, Gidley and Dolphin Islands. Exmouth Adventure Co operates under a strict ‘minimal impact’ ethos – we pack all of our waste out with us (yes, even human waste). There are no facilities at any of the campsites, and Exmouth Adventure Co supplies all of the gear that you will need to ensure that your camping experience is as comfortable as possible: twin-share (3-person) hiking dome tents (private tents are available for a $100 single supplement), self-inflating mattresses, sleeping bag and liner, inflatable pillow, camp chair etc. No fires are permitted at any of our camp sites, however the star gazing opportunities are second to none!

Wildlife Watching

Between June and September, humpback whales are commonly seen in the Dampier Archipelago whilst migrating between their Antarctic feeding grounds and Kimberley calving grounds. Four species of turtles (flatback, hawksbill, loggerhead and green) can be seen in the area, with flatback, green and hawksbill turtles nesting on several of the outer islands.

Osprey and white-bellied sea eagles are a common sight, and if you look carefully you may be lucky enough to spot the shy Rothschild’s rock wallaby on some of the larger islands.

PETROGLYPHS

Your tour begins with a cultural awareness presentation delivered by the indigenous rangers at Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation to set the cultural context, followed by a rock art tour at Ngajarli to view an array of rock engravings, shell middens, grinding stones and other cultural artefacts, with some estimated to be more than 47,000 years old.

The engravings show human images, extinct animal species such as megafauna and Thylacines (Tasmanian tiger), as well as existing avian, marine and land animals. These engravings have deep meaning for Ngarda-Ngarli, providing a tangible link to stories, customs and knowledge of their land and resources, connecting them to the events and people of the past and their beliefs today.

As we sea kayak around the islands of the Dampier Peninsula north of the Burrup Peninsula, we'll catch glimpses of more of these incredible petroglyphs. With over 1 million individual engravings, we'll be paddling amongst the largest outdoor art gallery in the world!

TOUR INCLUSIONS

• Cultural Awareness presentation and rock art tour delivered by MAC indigenous rangers
• Complimentary airport pick up/drop off
• Dampier town camping accommodation on Day 1 + 4 days expedition camping on archipelago islands
• Double sit-inside sea kayaks with rudder for comfortable cruising, paddles
• PFDs (life jackets)
• Long sleeve sun shirts, broad-brim hats
• Snorkelling gear: snorkel, mask and fins
• Gloves (fingerless paddling gloves are great for sun protection and blister prevention)
• Dry bags for packing clothing, sleeping gear etc
• Comfortable camping gear: tents, pillows, self-inflating mattresses, sleeping bags and liners, camp chairs, shade shelter
• Healthy and delicious food, drinks (alcohol not included, byo welcome). Due to the off grid nature of this tour, some meals towards the end of the tour may be dehydrated
• Transport to and from KTA Karratha Airport 
• Qualified and experienced guides
• Complimentary tour photos taken by your guide

GUESTS BRING

• Drinking water bottle (capacity for at least 1 L)
• Sunglasses (polarised are great for seeing under the water)
• Sunscreen, zinc or SPF lip balm. Please consider using ‘reef safe’ sun protection products
• Bathers/boardshorts, surf tights or sarong for sun protection on legs
• Camera (spare batteries, power bank)
• Towel or sarong
• Footwear that may get wet (crocs are our guide’s footwear of choice, sports sandals or reef shoes will also work). Thongs/flip flops are not suitable for this purpose.
• Head torch (spare batteries)
• Drinks for sunset happy hour. Note: NO GLASS please. Drinks must be in cans, plastic or cardboard container
• Camp clothes. Please pack warm clothes for cool nights. Camp clothes should include as a minimum: 1 pair of shorts and 1 pair of warm long pants; 1 x T-shirt and 1 x warm fleece; beanie and warm jacket/puffy (August can have some cool, clear nights); 1 pair of shoes and socks for around camp; rain jacket/wet weather gear (not often required at this time of year in the north-west, but if you don’t bring it, you know what will happen! Your guide can give you information on the expected weather conditions on the day prior to departure); something to sleep in, underwear etc. 
• Toiletries should include insect repellant, and (biodegradable) wet wipes or a flannel that you can wet with a little fresh water for a wash. Please keep in mind that fresh water is prioritized for drinking and cooking (we carry all of our water for 5 days in the kayaks with us), and little to no fresh water may be available for personal washing.