Salty Dog Sea Kayaking is a family owned and operated business which Neill and Hayley Kennedy have been operating in the Whitsundays since 1997.
Their passion for adventurous water sports led them to this amazing part of the world and It’s here that they chose to put down roots, raise a family & share our love of nature & sea kayaking with our visitors.
Salty Dog Sea Kayaking guides are carefully selected- as much for their character and local knowledge as their more obvious sea kayaking skills. They are without exception extremely experienced and fully qualified and importantly love their job & lifestyle.
Our kayaks & equipment are replaced regularly to ensure the best standard of equipment is available to our clients.
We pride ourselves on our service and value our hard earned reputation for offering the best sea kayaking experience in the Whitsundays.
We look forward to meeting you and sharing our love of adventure and nature in the beautiful Whitsunday Islands.
NEILL AND HAYLEY KENNEDY – OWNERS
OUR GUIDES
KANE HARRIS
Kane graduated Latrobe University in Bendigo, Victoria in 2020 with a Bachelor of Outdoor Education.This is when Kane built his skills in whitewater and sea kayaking. Part of Kane’s training included a 16-day expedition in the Whitsundays, which sparked his love of the area. He has since spent his working life on programmes including bush walking, cross country skiing, rafting, canoeing, bike riding, and sea kayaking in both Victoria and Tasmania.
Kane’s love of the outdoors began in 2017 when he was guiding in the Cocos Islands, Western Australia.
Kane is passionate about the environment and educating the importance of healthy ecosystems, human impact and the protection of species and loves, sharing his knowledge and experiences with people.
Kane loves the Whitsundays so much; 2023 is his second season with us at Salty Dog Sea Kayaking. What does Kane do on his days off? Sea kayaking of course.
AIDEN VALSINGER
Growing up around Melbourne and the surf coast, Aiden was a water baby from an early age. At 17 he entered the world of Outdoor Education and hasn’t looked back since. His interests include everything outdoors, including caving, to hiking, and of course sea kayaking.
Since 2019, Aiden’s love of the outdoors led to working with schools on their outdoor programmes, which has included orienteering, hiking, rafting, abseiling just to name a few.
Aiden excels in his ability to connect well with our kayakers, in particular our student groups. He also excels in his retention of random trivia and fun facts. Aiden’s kayaking experience includes working in Gippsland, Melbourne and the Whitsundays. He hopes to take his kayaking all over the world and we are excited to hear stories of his future adventures.
BRADY STACKHOUSE
Brady grew up in New Brunswick, off the east coast of Canada and always enjoyed the outdoors. Brady’s big breakthrough happened when he was 18 years old and a family friend offered him work at his kayaking business in Grand Manon. This is where Brady’s love of kayaking took off.
Brady has travelled widely and areas visited include South East Asia and South Africa. Now, with over 8 years of kayak guiding experience in Canada and New Zealand, Brady is spending his first season in Australia working with us here at Salty Dog in the Whitsundays.
He happily shares his knowledge and love of the outdoors with our paddlers.
OUR ETHOS
In an effort to keep our beautiful Whitsunday Islands in pristine condition, the Salty Dog Guides are regularly involved in beach clean ups. The Salty Dog Team are fantastic ambassadors that support, encourage and lead in beach clean ups.
Many of our kayakers have willingly helped us keep our Whitsundays clean during their tours. This helps improve our environment, creates a safer place for native animals to live and gives a sense of purpose and joy to those involved.
Some of our little legends helping us in a beach cleanup.
About the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef
THE WHITSUNDAYS
Welcome to the Whitsundays, heart of the Great Barrier Reef, and one of the world’s most spectacular aquatic playgrounds. Situated midway along the Queensland Coast of Australia, the Whitsundays area consists of some 74 picturesque islands rising from warm, sparkling sapphire blue waters, white sand beaches and an abundance of incredible marine and wild life. With 70% of the region protected National and Marine Park, this is a truly unique and stunning destination.
The Whitsunday Islands, most of them uninhabited pristine National Parks, feature empty white-sand beaches, stunning views and sheltered tropical waters – encompassing every person’s dream of an island paradise. These stunning islands are bordered by the majestic mountains of the Conway National Park on one side, the famous Great Barrier Reef – one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ on the other and cradled by the calm waters of the Coral Sea. From world class island resorts to the cosmopolitan resort village of Airlie Beach on the coast, the Whitsundays has something for everyone, from honeymooners to families to backpackers.
There are numerous ways to experience the wonders of the Whitsundays. The sheltered waterways ensure the Whitsundays are the perfect cruising or sailing destination. Explore the spectacular Great Barrier Reef, snorkelling, swimming, diving, or on a scenic helicopter flight. Cruise out through the islands, and sail through some of the most beautiful waters in the world.
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Cruise Whitsundays is based at Airlie Beach – the gateway to the Whitsundays. Airlie Beach is situated approximately 1,100km north of Brisbane and 700km south of Cairns, in the heart of the Whitsundays. Vibrant Airlie Beach is a colourful and inviting holiday village lying on the shores of a palm fringed beach and overlooking the calm waters of Pioneer Bay.
Located on a peninsula that stretches out to the Whitsunday passage, Airlie Beach provides an ideal mainland base for an unforgettable Queensland holiday. The town offers an excellent range of accommodation such as stylish resort hotels, hillside apartments, cosy bed & breakfasts, motels, camping and caravan parks as well as a host of backpacker accommodation.
Airlie Beach provides many of the essential services for travellers to the area. The shopping areas are open seven days a week and every Saturday the foreshore parkland hosts a market with stalls selling fresh fruit & veggies, local arts & crafts and more.
Dining and entertainment options in and around Airlie Beach range from silver service resort dining to cafes and cheap eats. Airlie’s clubs and bars provide plenty of entertainment well into the night.
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WHITEHAVEN BEACH
Stretching over nine kilometres, this pristine expanse of pure white silica sand is fringed by brilliant blue water and lush tropical island and is considered the jewel of the Whitsundays. Recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, no visit to the Whitsundays is complete without a trip to Whitehaven Beach.
THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven great wonders of the natural world. Stretching more than 2,300km along the northeast coast of Australia, from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg, the reef is the largest natural feature on earth and can be seen from outer space.
The Great Barrier Reef is made up of more than 2,800 coral reefs and boasts a diverse range of colourful marine life providing some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world.
CLIMATE
The climate in the Whitsundays is subtropical being just above the tropic of Capricorn. Located on the same Latitude as Fiji, sunny tropical weather is guaranteed almost all year round. An average annual temperature of 27°C and an estimated average of 8.25 sunshine hours per day ensures an incredible year-round climate. Summer is over those months around January where the average temperature is over 30°C. The winter months are those around July with an average temperature of 23°C.
The Whitsundays water temperature varies from around 23°C in winter to 28°C in summer. If it’s summer time in tropical North Queensland take plenty of sunscreen with you and a hat!
About the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef
WALKING TRAILS
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service have created some spectacular walking trails in the Whitsunday Islands and mainland in the Whitsundays, complete with facilities.
| The Cairn Walking Trail with stunning views towards Border Island. For more information on these walking trails in the Whitsundays, click into the link below: |
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/whitsunday-ngaro-sea-trail/index.html
WILDLIFE
The Whitsunday Islands boast an amazing array of diverse wildlife including, wallabies, goannas, sea eagles, manta rays, giant sea turtles colourful reef fish, dolphins dugongs and humpback whales.
Whales are here from the Antarctic for calving and are usually seen from mid June through to September.
Humpback whales can be spotted in the Whitsundays between the months of June and September
THE WHITSUNDAYS
Welcome to the Whitsundays, heart of the Great Barrier Reef, and one of the world’s most spectacular aquatic playgrounds. Situated along the Queensland coast of Australia, between the cities of Mackay and Townsville, the Whitsundays area comprises approximately 74 picturesque islands rising from warm, sparkling sapphire blue waters, fringing coral reefs and white silica sand beaches. The sheer abundance of marine and island wild life is amazing. With 70% of the region protected by National and Marine Parks, this is a truly unique and stunning destination.
The Whitsunday Islands, most of them uninhabited pristine National Parks, feature empty white-sand or coral rubble beaches. They boast stunning views and their mostly sheltered tropical waters are breathtaking. The islands of the Whitsundays are bordered by the majestic mountains of the Conway National Park on one side with the famous Great Barrier Reef -( one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’) on the other. From world class island resorts to the cosmopolitan resort village of Airlie Beach on the coast, the Whitsundays has something for everyone, from honeymooners to families to backpackers.
There are numerous ways to experience the wonders of the Whitsundays. The sheltered waterways ensure the Whitsundays are world renowned as a premier cruising and sailing destination. Explore the spectacular Great Barrier Reef by boat, kayak ,seaplane or helicpter. snorkel, swim, dive in nthe areas pristine warm waters.
The options and opportunities here are endless – but to gain a better insight into the accommodation options and various attractions , click into nthe Tourism Whitsunday Website:
www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au/
AIRLIE BEACH
Salty Dog Sea Kayaking is based at Shute Harbour, Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach is situated approximately 1,100km north of Brisbane and 700km south of Cairns . Its nearest large town is Mackay which is about 120 kilometers to the south. Vibrant Airlie Beach is a colourful and inviting holiday village lying on the shores of a palm fringed beach, overlooking the islands and calm waters of the Whitsundays.
Located on a peninsula that stretches out to the Whitsunday passage, Airlie Beach is an ideal mainland base for an unforgettable Queensland holiday. The town offers an excellent range of accommodation including stylish resort hotels, hillside apartments, classy bed & breakfasts ans motels. camping. Caravan parks , camping facilites as well as an array of backpackey-style acommodation options are also available.
Airlie Beach provides many of the essential services for travellers to the area. The shopping areas include Woolworths, Coles and IGA are open seven days a week. additionally the foreshore parkland hosts a local market each Saturday morning with stalls selling fresh fruit & veggies, local arts & crafts and more.
Dining and entertainment options in and around Airlie Beach range from silver service resort dining to cafes and cheap eats. Airlie’s clubs and bars provide plenty of entertainment well into the night.
WHITEHAVEN BEACH
Stretching over nine kilometres, this pristine expanse of pure white silica sand is fringed by brilliant blue water and lush tropical island and is considered the jewel of the Whitsundays. Recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, no visit to the Whitsundays is complete without a trip to Whitehaven Beach.
THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven great wonders of the natural world. Stretching more than 2,300km along the northeast coast of Australia, from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg, the reef is the largest natural feature on earth and can be seen from outer space.
The Great Barrier Reef is made up of more than 2,800 coral reefs and boasts a diverse range of colourful marine life providing some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world.
CLIMATE
The climate in the Whitsundays is subtropical being just above the tropic of Capricorn. Located on the same Latitude as Fiji, sunny tropical weather is guaranteed almost all year round. An average annual temperature of 27°C and an estimated average of 8.25 sunshine hours per day ensures an incredible year-round climate. Summer is over those months around January where the average temperature is over 30°C. The winter months are those around July with an average temperature of 23°C.
The Whitsundays water temperature varies from around 23°C in winter to 28°C in summer. If it’s summer time in tropical North Queensland take plenty of sunscreen with you and a hat!