swimming with the dolphins in Port Phillip Bay
Port Phillip Bay Dolphin Cruise
Go swimming with the dolphins in Port Phillip Bay. Submerge yourself in the dark depths of Port Phillip Bay but first you will have to get the boat out from Sorrento Pier at Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia and boat out into the murky blue water of the bay. Dolphin adventure tours have been operating out of Sorrento for about twenty years now. Witness how the bay’s resident population of more than one hundred bottlenose dolphins are attracted to the dolphin cruise boats. It is an amazing adventure all in itself.
The dolphin tour operators are passionate about the welfare of the dolphins and their marine habitat. They have to make a living from taking people out on the boat to interact with these wonderful sea creatures. But here are a few tips for that dolphin watching cruise on Port PHillip Bay. Do not wear sunscreen because it interferes with the natural make up of the water. Do not under any circumstances attempt to touch the dolphins during your swim with the dolphins.
So put on your full length winter wetsuit and climb down onto the boat’s duck board then jump into the water. The coldness of the water may take your breath away at first but after the initial shock has gone away a bit, get on with the fun of swimming with the dolphins. Hang onto the ropes that trail from the boat and take a look at the bunch of playful, and sometimes smelly, seals. Then move onto what you have come to see - the dolphins. Under the water with your snorkel on, you can see lots of wonderful dolphins swimming right up close to you, relishing the chance to show off for their captive audience. It is such an amazing experience - a true adventure.
But it will end all too soon and you will have to get back onto the boat to warm up with a cup of hot chocolate and some yummy scones before you will have to reluctantly motor back to the port of Sorrento. It is an exhilerating and unique experience. The high point is seeing the graceful dolphins up close. But the water is cold in winter so be prepared for an initial shock. A half day swim with the dolphins in Sorrento costs about a hundred dollars. In New South Wales you are not allowed to swim with the dolphins and you have only the possibility of watching them from the boat. Dolphin cruise boats usually cost from twenty to thirty dollars for a two and a half hour cruise. Nelsons Bay north of Sydney is one example of a locality where you can experience these sort of dolphin cruises.