On Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd of October, Adventure Bay Charters trialled a NEW product – AUSTRALIA’S ULTIMATE OCEAN SAFARI. The idea of this trip is to cater for the time poor traveller that wants to experience the best of Port Lincoln and Eyre Peninsula’s wild life, seafood, hospitality, culture and ADVENTURE. We have called this tour ‘Australia’s Ultimate Ocean Safari’ and Port Lincoln is the only place that you can see the BIG FIVE on the ocean! The MIGHTY Blue Fin Tuna; KING OF THE TUNA, the Great White Shark; APEX PREDETOR OF THE SEA, the Australian Sea Lion; PUPPY DOGS OF THE OCEAN, along with the chance to see WHALES and DOLPHINS.

Recognizing that these are wild animals it was our mission that over the two days we tick off as many of the BIG FIVE as possible. This trip is also an opportunity to try the SUPERB seafood that is available on the Eyre Peninsula and in Port Lincoln – Seafood Capital of the WORLD. Along the way you will experience some of the most beautiful scenery and water ways of three different island groups: the Neptune’s, Thorny passage and the Sir Joseph Banks Group.

For this trip we were joined by esteemed cynic and London lad CHARLIE BROOKER (for those Aussies that haven’t heard of him, check out his twitter or news stories). Charlie’s wife KONNIE also braved the sea despite being a self confessed sea sickness sufferer, to have an Australian ocean adventure OF A LIFE TIME!!!! We were blessed with great weather and mild conditions for the weekend which always helps

Our trip started out in Port Lincoln, South Australia, departing from the Lincoln Cove Marina at 8am with a light breakfast served on the wharf before departure. To kick things off, within half an hour from the wharf we had our guests in the water with the MIGHTY SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA!! Readers of this blog will know that this is a unique, innovative tourism concept created by Adventure Bay Charters in 2007. For our guests on this trip though, it was a first and you could tell by the gasps and screams of delight as the lighting fast Tuna came WITHIN CENTIMETERES OF THEIR FACES in the pursuit of the bait that we were throwing around them. The exclusiveness of this tour gives people a real feel of intimacy and there is no pressure to get out of the water, allowing our guests to observe and absorb more of the Tuna, really appreciating there SPEED and AGILITY. Once out of the water, it was time to tuck into a WARM TOASTED CROISSANT and coffee. The level of expectation had been set for a STELLAR DAY of opportunity and experiences.

On board our LUXUARY boat, we were set for Seal Cove to meet up with the Australian Sea Lions. We took the scenic route through the Thorny Passage and along the coast of the Memory Cove Wilderness Sanctuary and the Port Lincoln National park, A GORGEOUS, very secluded stretch of The Eyre Peninsula Coast line with RUGGED CLIFFS, SECLUDED COVES and FOOT PRINT FREE BEACHES, it is really special to be able to have this to yourself and observe nature happening around you. The trip is at a leisurely pace, there is no rush, with time to stop at interesting points to learn about Matthew Flinders and his discovery of the unknown coast and the opportunity to witness a male White Bellied Sea Eagle, no less than20 meters or so from the boat and not threatened in the slightest by our presence, allowing us the opportunity for a photo or two, a rare unexpected delight. To think that this stretch of coast is rarely if ever trodden by humans is a sobering thought and to see this is by boat from the water epitomising the idea of minimum or no impact.
Seal Cove is a special place that we are very lucky to be able to visit. It is sheltered and remote and rugged and is home to without doubt, one of the world’s most engaging mammals. These PUPPY DOGS of the ocean love to play. I am stunned at every visit as to their ability and sense of humour. They never fail to entertain us! This was largely the contemplation over lunch – a simple barbecued chicken fillet and clean crisp salad – something light to sustain us, ready for the next leg of our journey to Shark Bay at the Neptune Islands.

By now we were ready for a nap and the GENTLE ROLL and FRESH AIR of the Sothern Ocean saw bunks, lounges and day beds sprawled with sleeping forms soaking up the AFTERNOON SUNSHINE. The trip is about an hour and is only done in good weather; after all we are here to enjoy the sea not have the sea enjoy us! Arrival at Shark bay is with a sense of in trepidation and expectation, setting up the cage and watching the other shark tour operators. It is real community here with this booming industry of shark education and viewing a major boost to the economy of Port Lincoln. Everyone had a go in the cage, the EERINESS of waiting, staring into the blue abyss of the clear water is ELECTRIFYING, the suspense is THRILLING, hoping for a glimpse of the FAMOUS GREAT WHITE SHARK. Those on deck also kept a look out for the silent predators, which can appear without warning; just a glimpse is all you need to get your HEART RACING. Meanwhile our crew prepare an evening meal or entertain the guests with anecdotes and shark tails and past adventures. As the afternoon passes into evening, we all drifted to the back of the boat to see the FRESH, LIVE OYSTERS, which had travelled with us in the live tank of the boat. They don’t get fresher than this. A virtual master class on the appreciation of oysters comparing the taste of 1 yr old and 2 year old oysters, trying the NATURAL SWEETNESS and texture of the oceans most delicate flavours, toasting oysters to the SETTING SUN in a mood that reflects the success of the day’s events, and what is to come! After a shower and change for dinner, we were are then served a local cultural delight. Aidy, our CLEVER CHEF is a MASTER of letting the food do the talking with simple but COLOURFUL presentation. We got to really taste the Eyre Peninsula that night; BBQ kingfish served with a light salad accompanied by SUCCULENT King Prawns served two ways; natural and with a delicate marinade that enhances the sweetness. Dinner conversation progressed through desert and over a glass of BOSTON BAY CHARDONAY. We heard stories from the crew about WILD FISHING ADVENTURES, local heroes and colourful personalities, what the past has meant and how it has sculptured the culture that is Port Lincoln today and where that might lead into the future. Slowly each of us drifted off to bed to be ROCKED TO SLEEP by the noises and pulses of the Southern Ocean, a comfort that can only be had on an overnight experience such as this.

The next morning was a slightly slower pace giving people time to rise at their leisure; some of us saw the SUNRISE, others didn’t. We enjoyed breakfast while trying for another glimpse of a Shark. A visit from the fisheries is always an interesting interlude and an interruption on our private world, however they were able to give us the SCOOP ON THE CRICKET. Our Londoners caught there FIRST FISH ever and were very pleased with their efforts. In true eco fashion they insisted that we allow the fish to be free, so with a Rex Hunt KISS of life, we saw it swim to the bottom and return to its home. With other new things to explore on our list of THE BIG FIVE, we weighed anchor and set sail for the Sir Joseph Banks Group, a course that would take us past the end of Thistle Island and through the Spencer Gulf. Along the way we were delighted with the opportunity to see ospreys, pacific gulls, silver gulls and turns fishing and working the oceans surface. Not far to the north of Thistle, we were joined by a pod of about 20 COMMON DOLPHINS. When they hear a boat, they will come from miles away to surf and ride the pressure wave that is created by the bow of the boat as it cuts through the water. Competing for position they roll and wave under our feet and it feels as though they are COMPETING FOR OUR ATTENTION, they only leave us when we pass a shoal of fish that distract them and remind them that they are hungry and a meal is at hand.

Lunch is on the run as we are steaming to our next destination; hot fresh vegetable soup, crusty bread and cold fish. We are interrupted and called to the bow again, this time it is a BOTTLE NOSED DOLPHIN and she is teaching her offspring the finer points of bow surfing. We can here the WHISTLES and CLICKS that is the dolphin language. It is thrilling to think that we are spectators in the natural world watching one of the world’s most INTELLIGENT mammals teach, as we do our children, the finer things in life and take time out to have FUN and ADVENTURE as well, as this is exactly what we are doing. Two dolphin species in the one day, that is not something that we get on every trip, we are LUCKY and privileged!! Our last swim for the trip is at a remote island that has CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER, prolific fish life and a GREAT BEACH REEF system that has beautiful sorts of CORALS and COLOURFUL PLANT LIFE. We find plentiful SEA URCHINS, RAZOR FISH, STRONGIES and BREAM. We are even joined by some SEA LIONS from a local colony nearby. I don’t think you can ever get enough of these guys. Some of the guests take the opportunity to wander the beach feeling the sugary SAND BETWEEN THEIR TOES, beach combing for shells and drift wood, Ali even found a SHARK EGG SHELL. A great last dive on an AMAZING TRIP. The short steam home was enjoyed with a Sunday afternoon WINE or BEER, steaming through the North entrance of Boston Bay. Seeing the Silos and town ship of Port Lincoln brought us back to reality along with the thoughts of flights and cleaning the next day. Everyone was extremely SATISFIED with the experience. For some of us it was the first time on the water, a great opportunity to learn more about our own culture, and for others it was dreams of the future of what we had just achieved. I feel that our camera man summed it up the best he said “You know how I know we had a good weekend? It feels as though we were at the tuna farm last week not yesterday!”

This was a fantastic trip and one that is defiantly worth doing again. It would not have been possible without some key people; LUNCH (were still not shore exactly where the name is from) from Goin’ Off Safaris, for supporting the vision and helping in the planning to get this show on the road, MALCOLM and Strictly Business Charters, who has showed faith in our vision and without their trust we wouldn’t have got the trip off the ground. We look forward to a great future working with both these to fantastic companies and their staff! A special mention has to go to JACK THE SKIPPER. And AIDY THE COOK, a mate that helped out more than just cooking great local food, his influence will be felt on this tour from now into the future.

If you have ever wanted to go on Safari, Swim with Sea Lions, Tuna or see Great White Sharks, Dolphins and Whales, then this has to the best opportunity in the world. It is not always the goal or destination that makes a holiday sometimes it is the adventure of getting there!

Captain Matt