Stories from the Coral Coast, part 4

Denham has a buckled jetty set over a deep channel that cuts through an otherwise shallow bay.  Its sides are warped. Its boards are aged. Its pretty much perfect.

Located on the midwest coast of Western Australia on a far flung peninsula, Denham is a place of solitude and wonder. The clean coastal waters of Shark Bay are teeming with more sea life than you can imagine. Boat tours in Denham and nearby Monkey Mia can take you further afloat for a full sea experience; we didn't need to go any further than the jetty.

From the jetty, we watched hulking rays skim the surface as we drank our morning coffee. We came back again in the afternoon as a dugong made his trek around the shallow Denham waters. He paused at the pier's edge, so close we could have given him a little pat of love. As we turned to go, a loggerhead turtle raised his flipper as if to say hello. As the moon came up, the jetty came to life with locals and campers alike. Casting their lines for fresh squid. Reeling them in, hand over foot. New found friends taught us the art, having no idea they'd launch us into a new hobby and a new blog.

One day. One jetty. Experiences for a lifetime.


This is the fourth in a meandering series of short stories and pictorial posts about our recent trip to Western Australia's Coral Coast. Travel tip: Denham Seaside Tourist Village is tops for service and location. We look forward to visiting again.