7 – 9 Mile Beach (WA69762 – WA69761)

Beach trip report

Another combined report but this time one beach was kayaked and the other walked.

General Location Port Denison
Aboriginal Tribe/Language Group Amangu People
Access to beach Road access to south end of Seven Mile Beach
Beach Classification Wave Dominated – Reflective
Start Date/Time 7 March 2018 06:48
Start Location (inc Lat/Log) S29° 10.177’ E114° 53.319’
End Date/Time 7 March 2018 08:49
End Location (inc Lat/Log) S29° 07.089’ E114° 52.367’
Mode of Travel Kayak/Walk
Distance Travelled 4.9km kayak – 1.4km walk
Location of intersection (lat/Long) S29° 07.735’ E114° 52.455’
Location of Sand Sample (lat/Long) S29° 07.783’ E114° 52.502’ – S29° 07.238′ E114° 52.384′

For three days and nights we camped at Seven Mile Beach RV friendly campsite. To our surprise travelling companions we met south of Perth near Busselton a few week back arrived soon after we had set up camp. A fantastic family on the trip of a lifetime around Australia, Kaysey, Jeremy with gorgeous daughters Charlie and Scarlett.

We suggested while they were here they might want to consider join the Mile Beach Club! Well Jeremy became so enthusiastic, not long after unhitching the van he bundled the family into the back of their LandCruiser and were driving along Seven Mile Beach. In less than 15 minutes we received a distress call requesting assistance “Bogged on the beach the sea is lapping the back tyres”. We of course went to their rescue.

Obviously the recovery dampened any attempt that day in completing any further mile beach campaign. However we have awarded Kaysey, Jeremy, Charlie and Scarlett membership to the MBC for being so brave and enthusiastic.

Following directions and advice from the local ranger, informed of restricted access to the beaches further up the coast I decided to attempt to kayak the length of Seven and Nine Mile beaches from our campsite at the south end of Seven Mile. As indicated on my electronic maps the beaches were joined by a very small rocky point. I had also studied the weather reports and observed the sea conditions the previous days, conditions appeared suitable but sea kayaking in sit-in kayaks does have hazards.

With a gentle trailing current I managed to paddle most of the 4.7km of Seven Mile Beach in good time. Approaching the intersection of the two beaches, I started to encounter some very tricky swell and lots of patches of rocky reefs and shoals, to avoid these I had to move offshore a fair distance. I had to alter course several time to avoid running onto rocky patches that would have most certainly capsized my kayak if I got to close. Looking further ahead the situation appeared to be even more perilous. Judging I was close to the intersection between the beaches, I managed to find what appeared to be a narrow channel to the shore.

I had to navigate through 200 metres of sholes and very choppy swell and at times cresting waves. About 15-10 metres from the shore there was a rocky ledge right along the beach in front, I picked what -appeared to be the best point to surf over this ledge and was lucky to not get tipped out by following waves. I made the shoreline and quickly hauled the kayak up onto the beach above the high water line. I when back down to the water to study the course I had chosen, to my astonishment the channel which was in places no more than 2-3 metres wide, appeared to be the only way on and off the beach for as far as I could see along the immediate shoreline. I think this day I just got very lucky.

Returning to where my kayak and gear was drying out in the sun I checked my GPS and was astonished to find I was only 23 metres from the intersection of the mile beaches, I had plotted earlier. I climbed one of the dunes behind the beach for a better look along Nine Mile Beach and concluded any further attempt at kayaking north would be foolish if not suicidal. Nine Mile Beach is only 1.4km in length so I felt quite comfortable walking the 2.8km there and back.

Returning to my kayaking just before 09:45 I observed the sea conditions had deteriorated somewhat and the prevailing south westerly breeze was strengthening. It was these factors and the memory of the passage in that I chose to wear my Personal Floatation Device (PFD) and used the kayak skirt which I had earlier stowed inside the kayak on the way up. Feeling a little more secure I hauled the kayak out onto the rocky ledge and timing my takeoff carefully to avoid being dashed back onto the rocks I jumped into the kayak and paddled as hard as I could. Once I made it through the passage back out to deeper water I turned for home. I was warmly greeted back at the beach by an enthusiastic bunch of well wishers.

 

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