Kayaking in The Whitsundays

From kayaking to hiking, adventure couple Shanaee and Shannon share their dream holiday in far north Queensland.

The quiet Shute Harbour was alive with the banging of the plastic hulls of our sea kayaks, as the electrified energy bounced throughout the small group of eight. Two-by-two we slipped on our splash skirts and clambered into our designated kayaks that would be the means to our paradisiacal destination.

We had always dreamed of a proper kayaking a venture, and in the prelude to our arrival at The Whitsundays, we decided that we just had to take the opportunity to go explore some of the islands in one of the most authentic of ways. Just as the Ngaro people have done for the thousands of years before us.

We tactically navigated off the pontoon by the light of the almost full moon and the pale strip of sky that was slowly brightening on the horizon. As the world spun ever so slightly around towards the blazing sun for another radiant blue bird day in North Queensland, we paddled our sea-kayaks eastward. In the distance, our Island destination loomed, still shadowed as the low sun was yet to illuminate it.

Powered by only our bodies, my Teva sandals rested upon the pedals and sporadically adjusted the rudder in an attempt to guide us directly to our first stop. The baby blue waters beneath us barely disturbed by the wind, parted like a V-shape around the bow as we powered through the calm warm waters of the Whitsundays. As our paddles entered the surface of the glistening seas that we floated upon, they broke the tension of the rolling lumps of small swell beneath us. The splashes trickled down our arms, with every graceful stroke taking us closer to the next leg of our journey. Climbing clumsily into the kayaks was apparently not the most challenging part of the day. It became clear that getting out was almost as tricky!

As the kayak glided onto the coral filled sand, small waves crashed against the island and lapped over our kayak. Shanaee wriggled herself out of the seat, hands pushing down hard against the sides of the kayak. Just as all her faith was in the grip she had on the seat, her arms suddenly gave way as the slipperiness of the wet plastic gave way! Dripping wet and covered in sand, the shocked Shanaee traipsed over the coral in her brand new Teva Hurricane sandals. As the first one out of our kayak, her job was still not done. Shanaee kindly, but reluctantly, pulled me and the Kayak further out of the inconvenient waves. The thick supportive sole, securely strapped to her feet, kept the sharp shells from slicing skin on her feet as she sank into the sand, struggling as the water slipped back out with the waves.

Crisis averted, I shouldn’t have pulled the skirt off so soon. I was soaked by the waves and the air filled with giggles and laughter at the whole situation of shambles.

A path to the left of the beach meandered through dense forest and up toward the top of the island. It was now, not so hot, but humid and our skin beaded up as we strode upward toward the ultimate view. The path that was only dappled with slight shade from the trees, was not much respite for our rapidly heating bodies.

After a few breaks, snacks, water and stripping off our skin-stifling shirts; we made it over the loosely stoned path to the top. It is the view that you might find yourself day-dreaming about when you’d rather be anywhere else but in your office on a slow rainy day in the city. We stood in the wind that had picked up as it whipped over the exposed lookout. It was a refreshing and cooling, but mildly warm wind that was the perfect sensation to raise feelings of adventure and awe.

Thanks to our Teva sandals, we were able to easily scale some nearby boulders. Here we were met with the full 360 degree view of the surrounding islands. Filling in the spaces between the tropical islands; scattered dark reef patches featured throughout the rich blue waters - which are typical of Northern Australia. The very fine sediment in the region leaves only the reflection of some of the bluest water you would ever see.

The continuing path meandered through the forest and hugged the hillside coastline high above the brilliant blue below. We ambled through the terrain effortlessly around the cliff-top path and were met with many just as beautiful views. Boats sailed throughout the islands interposed in the vast surrounding ocean, as whales and dolphins interacted below. Eventually the path twisted left and doubled back on itself taking us suddenly down. The trees opened up to reveal a lonely hidden beach, a hammock swung lightly in the breeze and a half-decimated shack, likely a victim of Cyclone Debbie a few years earlier - sat apathetically under some palms towards the back of the beach. We gathered near the hut to put together our wraps, and Shanaee swung blissfully in the hammock, obviously in another world as we both regathered our energy for the return journey.

We set off and Shanaee had found a second wind, zooming off into the lush forest-covered track. The path went up and down, left and right, through dried creek beds, over small bridges, and then finally, out of nowhere... our kayaks, safely where we had left them on the sand.

Before we knew it we were back in our kayaks. Our strange duathlon of sorts hardly halted by the perfect procurement of versatile footwear that had taken us from the open seas to the rocky island tracks, and back again! As we blissfully paddled back to the mainland we reflected upon the rich history of the area.

The Ngaro peoples’ seafaring life can be traced back to over 9,000 years. To fish for the abundant sea life, they used advanced canoes constructed from three diamond shaped pieces of iron bark panels, sewn together with a fibrous root. We couldn’t help but envision how peaceful the area would have been without the large ships and catamarans sailing past.