The Jolly Roger pirate flag flutters gently in the warm dusk breeze as Jimmy Buffet quietly harmonises the virtues of sailing the tropical waters of Margaritaville. Onboard the charter yacht Spinifex Spray, guests may vaguely recall their high school history lessons as Skipper Brad Beaumont talks keenly of pirates and buccaneers who laid claim to be the first white men to explore this land more than 300 years ago. Visiting the aptly named Pirates Cove where the English buccaneer William Dampier came ashore in 1699 is one of the highlights of this cruise, not just for the history lesson, but also for the opportunity to wander ashore along one of the 150 pristine beaches on the 42 islands that comprise the Dampier Archipelago. 

Flying Foam Passage
Tall ships from the pearling fleet that harvested these waters 120 years ago sheltered from cyclones in Flying Foam Passage, not always successfully, with some being wrecked on the imposing shoreline. Dolphin Island is the final resting place for some of these mariners with six marked graves found here. Nearby, the infamous Flying Foam Massacre took place in 1868, when 60 Aboriginal people from the Yapurarra tribe were slaughtered in response to the death of a local Policeman. A plaque overlooking King Bay on the Burrup Peninsula reminds visitors of this troubling history.  Recent cyclones have washed away the sand on Whalers Beach on Malus Island to reveal enormous whale bones previously buried beneath the beach, along with other relics from the whale station that operated here from around 1840.
 
Sailing the tranquil waters of Mermaid Straight today, the true character of the rugged Pilbara terrain quickly becomes evident. Here the landscape is strikingly dominated by scores of islands dotted with contrasting shades of reds and greens: great masses of basalt externally weathered to a deep, rich iron hue are interspersed with undulating grass covered hills, lush and blooming after a lively wet season. Steep coastal cliffs fall sharply down into the turquoise sea. Dramatic headlands give way to gently sloping beaches. The warm, sparkling waters are perfect for snorkelling amongst the brilliant coral. Four species of turtle nest in these islands: beach walkers will often see their tracks leading up the beach to a nest during their breeding season. 

Industry of the Burrup
Established by Hamersley Iron in the 1960s, which operate a fascinating Port Tour, the town of Dampier is pleasantly situated on the Burrup Peninsula, approximately 1500 km north of Perth by road, or two hours by plane. The Burrup Peninsula is, confusingly, not a peninsula at all but an island. It is linked to the mainland by a man-made causeway across tidal salt flats that visiors to Dampier. Overlooking the busy Port of Dampier with its tranquil Hampton Harbour, Dampier is perfectly positioned to access the delightful islands of the archipelago, and is the departure point for your island exploration. 

With the exception of the Burrup, the islands of the Dampier Archipelago are uninhabited, although some locals have constructed squatter type weekend shacks.The best way to explore this remote archipelago is to take a cruise with one of the two charter operators based in Dampier. Or better still, why not drive yourself? Self drive hire boats are available for those independent souls with the skills required to handle a small powerboat. This is an ideal way to enable a day full of snorkelling, swimming or fishing. Perhaps pack a picnic and venture out to one of the countless deserted white sand beaches the area is renown for.