A Whale Swim Safari isn’t your typical whale-watching cruise. There are no huge viewing decks, hundreds of passengers or a set itinerary. Instead, you’ll join a maximum of 10 guests aboard one of our small boats and head into the protected waters of Hervey Bay in search of humpback whales. Where we go and what happens next depends entirely on the whales.

Before We Leave

Your Whale Swim Safari departs from the Great Sandy Straits Marina in Urangan, Hervey Bay. Please arrive 30 minutes before departure so we have time to check everyone in, get you fitted with your equipment and complete our safety briefing.

Getting Ready to Swim

Your tour includes:

• Mask
• Snorkel
• Wetsuit

We’ll get you fitted before departure so everything is ready if an opportunity to enter the water arises. You won’t need fins. Our whale swims take place at the surface using a line connected to the boat. There is no freediving, scuba diving or swimming after whales.

Heading Out Into Hervey Bay

Once everyone’s aboard, we’ll head out into Hervey Bay and start searching. And this is where having two Whale Swim Safaris boats becomes an advantage. Our boats operate together and communicate throughout the day, helping each other locate whales and identify animals showing behaviour that may lead to an in-water encounter. Each boat carries a maximum of just 10 guests.

First, We Watch

Finding whales doesn’t automatically mean getting into the water. Before we even think about a swim, we watch. Our crew is looking at what the whales are doing, how they’re moving and how they’re responding to the boat. Are they travelling? Are they resting? Are they socialising? Are they curious?

Sometimes we’ll spend time with whales from the boat before deciding whether an in-water encounter is appropriate. And sometimes we’ll decide not to swim at all.

The goal isn’t simply to get you wet. The goal is to create the opportunity for a genuine interaction with a wild humpback whale.

When It’s Time to Get in the Water

When we find suitable whales and our crew decides conditions are right, things start to get exciting. We’ll explain exactly what we’re going to do and get everyone ready. The boat is positioned appropriately and the engines are switched off.

You’ll enter the water and use our mermaid line, remaining connected to the boat rather than swimming freely towards the whales. Then comes perhaps the hardest part.

We wait.

We’re not swimming towards the whale. We’re waiting to see whether the whale chooses to swim towards us.

Then It’s Up to the Whale

This is the part we can’t control. Sometimes a whale continues on its way. Sometimes it changes direction.

And sometimes a huge humpback whale deliberately comes over to investigate the strange little group of humans floating at the surface! Every genuine interaction happens because the whale chose to be there. That’s what makes it so special.

You Might Get More Than One Opportunity

A Whale Swim Safari isn’t necessarily one attempt and you’re done. We’ll continue searching throughout the trip and, when conditions and whale behaviour allow, we may have multiple opportunities to enter the water. Other days, we may spend the entire safari watching whales without finding an appropriate opportunity to swim. There is no set number of swims.

What If We Don’t Get to Swim?

This is really important to understand before booking. Whale swimming is never guaranteed.

We’re working with wild humpback whales, and whether we enter the water depends on whale behaviour, the whales we encounter, weather and sea conditions, other vessels and the regulations governing whale swimming. If we don’t find an appropriate opportunity to swim, your tour becomes an incredible small-group whale-watching safari.

You might encounter breaches, tail slaps, pec slaps, spy hops, social groups or whales mugging the boat. But because the tour has operated and you’ve spent the safari searching for and watching whales, we don’t provide refunds or partial refunds if an in-water encounter doesn’t occur. If getting into the water is the only outcome that would make the trip worthwhile for you, please consider booking more than one safari to increase your chances. We offer multi-trip discounts.

This Is an Adventure Boat

Our boats are small, fast and designed to get you close to the action. That’s one of the things we love about them. But it also means this is a very different experience from travelling aboard a large whale-watching vessel. You’ll feel the movement of the boat and may experience bumps, spray and changing sea conditions. Although K’gari provides Hervey Bay with protection from the open ocean, we are still operating on the water and conditions can change. You need to be physically comfortable travelling on a small boat and capable of holding on and moving around safely when instructed.

What Should I Bring?

Come ready for a day on the water.

We recommend bringing:

• Swimmers
• Towel
• Sun protection
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Reusable water bottle
• Warm layer or windproof jacket
• Camera or phone

Even on a sunny Queensland day, it can feel much cooler once you’re wet and the boat starts moving, so bring something warm to put on afterwards.

And don’t forget your sense of adventure.

What About Seasickness?

Hervey Bay is protected from the open ocean by K’gari, which can give us much calmer conditions than you’d experience heading offshore. But calmer doesn’t mean completely flat. It’s still a boat. If you know you’re susceptible to motion sickness, we recommend speaking with your pharmacist or doctor about an appropriate seasickness medication before your tour. Most motion sickness medication works best when taken before you get on the boat, rather than once you’re already feeling unwell.

Weather & Conditions

Whale Swim Safaris operate in an outdoor marine environment, so weather is always part of what we do. A cloudy day doesn’t mean a bad whale day, and a little rain won’t necessarily stop us. Our skipper makes the final decision based on the conditions expected on Hervey Bay and the safety and comfort of our guests. If we cancel your tour because conditions are unsuitable, we’ll offer you the option to move to another available departure or receive a refund.