After living in Darwin for over 13 years, this year I decided to get a kayak and jumping into the notorious Darwin water that most people are avoiding because of the crocodile and box jellyfish. This dry season of 2021 has been the best so far since I live here. Some nice and cool mornings and not too humid.
Crocodiles in Darwin 🐊
The biggest and most common questions about any activities in Darwin is ‘how often or what’s the chance you will encounter crocodiles while kayaking is “Are you not scared with the crocodile or box jellyfish (stingers)? The answer is: of course I’m scared of the crocodiles and that’s why I only do kayaking and not jumping in the water. And the kayak is an easy going I’ll get there when I get there kind of kayak, not surfski where you can fall into the water anytime.
Nightcliff Kite Corner
I launched my kayak from Nightcliff Kite Corner where many others started their stand-up paddleboarding at sunrise time. On one nice weekend day, there were about 30 SUPers having fun riding the waves at sunrise. You will be surprised by how many people are doing SUP, kayak, windsurf and kite surfing at this place. It’s like a little unique community happening in this corner.
Fun Supply Darwin provides some kite surfing and SUP lessons and fun equipment hire. They usually park at the Kite Corner or Lake Alexander at the East Point. Check their schedule on their site.
I paddled from this corner slowly to Casuarina coastal reserve way and stopped at the Surf Life Saving club and having a coffee at De La Plage cafe. There’s a creek near this spot that saltwater crocodile has been seen around.
East Point
When the first time I got my kayak, I tried it out first at the Lake Alexander at the East Point to know and get used to it and after I had the confidence and comfortable with it, I tried it out on the ocean from East Point beach at sunset time. It was amazing.
The calm water and sunset in the background were so relaxing. I paddled from the beach up to just pass Pee Wees restaurant. On this water where it’s not far from Ski clubs and others, you will see so many yachts anchored down.
I was a bit surprised but not surprised at the same time that I passed across other kayakers, two individual sport kayakers, one paddle fishing kayak, and two others just floating around taking photos of the beautiful Darwin sunset.
I’m looking forward to paddle on many other spots around Darwin.
Bundilla Beach – Cullen Bay
The Bundilla beach (formerly Vesteys beach) has a smooth ramp that goes straight to the water and it has a spacious parking lot so it’s easy for me to get ready launch. We can go two ways either to East Point or Cullen bay.
How it started
It was on my birthday in 2018 my loved one got me a surprised present by booking the Fun Supply Darwin kayak rent and took me for a drive earl in the morning blind folded and I thought it was going to Palmerston. End up at the Kite Corner and the kayaks are ready for paddling. I was scared of the crocs but decided to jump on it.
Turned out to be the best experience in Darwin with the most beautiful calm water and burning sunrise sky. Here’s one of the photo