Sydney’s Hidden Kayaking Secret

It’s not often I think of Sydney Habour as the perfect place to go kayaking. In fact, when I first thought about going kayaking in Sydney, I didn’t really have any high expectations on what would be involved and what I would see. However, I was pleasantly surprised and by the end of our trip I was awakened to the beauty that Sydneysider’s have on the doorstep here in Sydney.

We arrived early at our embarkation point at the Spit Bridge Sydney which is a short drive from where we live on the Northern Beaches. Although it was a chilly Autumn morning we were kindly greeted by our friendly guide Angela who warmed up the day with her enthusiasm and quickly took us through gearing up with life jackets and the necessary signals and tactics we would be using on the water.

Getting ready for our Sydney Harbour Kayak

After our quick briefing we were out on the water and the conditions couldn’t have been better, the glassy water on the Spit Cove was a beautiful mirrored reflection of the foreshore. As Elise and I got into a rhythm on our kayak we watched up above as people on the road were busily rushing around on a Saturday morning; all the while we relaxed with our paddles in hand and listened to the peaceful calm of the cove and the water lapping against our kayaks.

Angela our Guide kayaking on Sydney Harbour

I had driven over the Spit Bridge many times before but this was the first time I had an opportunity to be on the water and I was instantly amazed at the beauty of the trip. Although the foreshore was hugged with many multimillion dollar houses, Angela our knowledgeable guide indicated all the celebrity owned houses along with a long string of history of the cove.

The views during our Kayak

By mid morning the wind had picked up a little and it was getting a little chilly on the water, so it seemed to be the perfect time to stop and have some morning tea on the shores of a little bank of the National Park we had kayaked to.

Our pitstop in the cove for morning tea

We were in a rush the morning when preparing to go on this Kayaking trip and we hadn’t had a chance to grab any breakfast, so it was a pleasant surprise to see the banquet of food that was provided for morning tea and it was the perfect resting point in the sun and in amongst the trees and shrubs of the National Park.

The delicious selection for morning tea

After our pit stop we kayaked further down into the National Park and in amongst the mangroves. This was by far the most exciting part of the trip and it was a joy to be amongst nature in Sydney. I sometimes forget what is available in our own home city. Elise and I on countless occasions looked at each other and said “Are we still in Sydney?” We were just amazed to think that we had such beauty only kilometres from where we live.

Elise amongst the mangroves

We really do have to commend Angela for being the perfect tour guide during our kayaking journey in Sydney. Guides can either make or break a tour and Angela did her best to make sure that everyone was taken care of. We had a couple in our group who were very inexperienced and she did her up most to get them paddling and a part of the group. No matter what your level, this kayaking tour is for everyone.

Angela our guide for Sydney Harbour Kayaks

One thing we learnt from this Kayaking tour, was that you can never be too sure what you have around you and it is important to continue exploring your own backyard. There are little hidden secrets just like this one that you never knew existed.

Taking a rest during the trip

If you would like to find out more information about kayaking in Sydney or would like to take the same eco kayaking tour we did, you can contact Sydney Harbour Kayaks or visit them on Facebook.