From Cocos to Coral Coast: Hitting the Road in WA | Part 2

With our stay at Little Bay coming to an end, it was time to hit the road again. Our day kicked off with the usual responsibilities that coincide with packing up the camper: restocking groceries, refilling the water tank, and the not-so-glamorous task of emptying the latrine. We had a quick wander through the historic town of Northampton, not missing a stop at The Shearing Shed for one of their “world-famous” sausage rolls, and we finally rolled out, aiming for Big Lagoon in Shark Bay. However, with the late start, reaching Big Lagoon on this day was looking unlikely… classic Zephyr timing.

As every good kite trip begins, the mission was simple: to find new and undiscovered kite spots, and hopefully a place worthy of dropping a new Woo pin. The goal was to reach Big Lagoon, but as the afternoon wore on, the plan started looking a bit optimistic. With Shark Bay accommodation fully booked (rookie mistake, peak season and all), we were left scrambling to find somewhere to stay before sunset.

That’s when we stumbled upon Nanga Bay, a rustic, old-school caravan park with a history as colourful as the sunset that followed. Once a working station, complete with an artesian bore, Nanga Bay sits on the southern end of the Peron Peninsula, overlooking Henri Freycinet Harbour. Cross-onshore winds, clear shallow water, and an endless sandy coastline, it was a kiting paradise disguised as a happy accident. We scored an unexpected golden-hour session and, of course, claimed another Woo location pin for the collection.

The next morning, we officially crossed into the northwest and made our way to Big Lagoon. This gem north of Denham is part of Shark Bay’s World Heritage area and a kiter’s dream: clean wind funnelling straight through the middle of a west-facing lagoon, with a deep blue channel flanked by sandy shallows and seaweed-fringed edges.

We hit it just right with the seasonal low tides, giving us heaps of space on the sandbar to set up. Winds blew a steady 16–18 knots most days, with one lighter afternoon that Ben decided was perfect for a foiling session. Unfortunately, the seaweed had other ideas, catching on his mast and sending him (again) face-first into the lagoon. At this point, it’s starting to become a theme.

We settled in for four nights at Big Lagoon, setting up the TrueKit inflatable boat to do a bit of exploring. After a quick study of Google Maps, we followed the winding channel downstream and discovered a stunning, completely empty spot tucked northwest of camp. Perfect offshore wind, butter-flat water, and picturesque scenery where the red-dirt sand meets the turquoise blue water — a contrast that makes WA so magical.

It was a great few days of slow mornings, endless sunshine, and sunset kite sessions. The tides weren’t quite right for exploring the main beaches of Denham or Whale Bone Point this time around, but that just gives us another excuse to come back!