Join a spectacular 4-hour cruise around Phillip Island with beautiful coastal scenery and up-close marine wildlife viewing. See thousands of playful fur seals at Seal Rocks, look for the seabirds such as the Little Penguin and Shy Albatross, spot the wave-riding Common Dolphins and be in awe of the great whales including the Humpback Whales on their migration along the coast of Victoria.
Your whale watching cruise starts at Cowes jetty where you will be welcomed aboard the comfortable catamaran 'Kasey Lee' by the friendly captain and crew. Find a seat indoors or stay on the front or top deck, and enjoy a warm cup of tea or coffee to start the journey.
While the cruise takes you along the north coast of Phillip Island, listen to the captain's commentary highlighting several points of interest including indigenous history, the lonely grave at Grossard Point and the picturesque church on Trennavin Hill. After 30-minutes you will have a great sea perspective of the Summerlands Peninsula, home to at least 30,000 breeding pairs of Little Penguins. See the famous landmark The Nobbies, the most south-western point of the island, a breeding rookery for crested terns and silver gulls. Just as the cruise leaves the bay and heads into Bass Strait to Seal Rocks you will be able to view a large cave on Round Island, only visible from the sea.
Upon arrival at Seal Rocks marvel at the thousands of fur seals who call these islands home, you will certainly be impressed by their playfulness, diving skills, and antics in their natural habitat. The captain and crew are passionate about the wildlife and will provide ample wildlife interpretation throughout and will point out exciting things such as young pups, territorial males and other seal behaviors.
After approximately 20-minutes enjoy a hot drink with cake. The cruise will continue its route along the south coast of Phillip Island in search of the great whales. Learn some great whale spotting tips from the crew and help them spot whale blows as you look out and enjoy the spectacular ocean scenery. Look out for the spectacular Shy Albatross with a 2.5m wingspan, shearwaters and even Little Penguin. Common Dolphins are often curious about the boat and would come wave-riding the wake of the boat, watch their impressive acrobatic skills alongside the boat.
When we spot a whale get ready to be in awe of their majestic size as they surface and take a breath of air. Every whale encounter is different, some might be elusive while others could approach the boat and you will have a fantastic view of their features including the large pectoral fins and the huge flukes. Depending on the whale behavior you might cruise along with them as they travel slowly or you may look for others. Learn about their biology, social behavior, communication and migration patterns as the captain and crew share their knowledge and passion about these animals.
Enjoy lunch onboard consisting of hot soup and sandwiches as you cruise along the cliffs and caves of Cape Woolamai, a nature park on the eastern most point. Wedge-tail or white-bellied sea eagles are frequently sighted here, soaring above the cliffs over the turquoise blue water. Cruise past the quaint port of San Remo and under the Phillip Island bridge as you head back towards Cowes jetty.
Unfortunately we didn't get to see any whale in this tour. We did however spotted some dolphins which lifted our spirit a little bit and also caught a glimpsed of the Seals Rock from afar.
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