15.05.2026

'Dirk Hartog Island' - this was our destination for the day. The island is named after its discoverer, who first set foot on it in 1616. So in the morning, we traveled 25 km to the other side of this peninsula, to Denham, and from there onto the boat. This time we were with the 'young people', as a group of lively Australian seniors was also on the tour. Two young women skillfully navigated the boat across the ocean in an hour. When disembarking, we had to walk through some water, and at the bar, they served coffee or tea and cake for breakfast. This part of the island is private land and the small lodge is run by the mother of our captain. A lot of boxes were unloaded from the boat, as everything must be brought here, including the fuel for the jeeps. We then trekked through the barren terrain - it is dry season. The sandy tracks require all-wheel drive and good driving skills. The mother, daughter, and the second young woman, who was German, also had fun bouncing us around the terrain. We visited various coastal sections, at the first one we saw young sharks in the clear shallow water and also a turtle. It is said that there are 28 species of sharks in Shark Bay. Upon closer inspection, one can spot a small shark, about 1 meter long, in the greenish water over a rock. At the next beach section, there were waves several meters high crashing against the rocks. The spray shot up through holes in the rocks like geysers. What a natural spectacle! We did not explore the entire island, as it is too large, 80 km long and 3-11 km wide. Afterwards, we had a very delicious lunch prepared by the lodge's cook, but before that, we observed a lizard about 1 meter long, which was also having its 'lunchtime'. Around 2 PM, there was a 'gin tasting'. You can drink gin, but in the sun, and we had plenty of that, one must be careful. Afterward, it was time for swimming or paddling. Additionally, we discovered a multitude of starfish on this part of the beach, washed into the shallow water by the surf. What a variety! They had a diameter of about 15 cm. They are relatively hard, and we initially thought they were already dead. But when we placed the first one on the sand, it slowly moved back towards the water. Around 4 PM, we returned at a brisk pace and with equally lively music. By 5 PM, the small town was already empty, the shops closed, and only a few pubs were open until 7 PM, which is hardly imaginable for German holiday spots. With the sunset, we arrived at the resort and it quickly becomes very dark! Because of this, we arrived too late for 'dolphin watching' right at our doorstep, what a pity...