Swimming With Dolphins and Seals on Kangaroo Island

The swim and the dry boat side by side

How the swim works

You meet at the Kangaroo Island Information Spot on Howard Drive in Penneshaw, opposite Christmas Cove Marina, and you must arrive 30 minutes early. There are change rooms there. The crew fits you with a wetsuit, mask, snorkel and fins, and gives a safety brief. Then you board a 28-seat boat and go looking for the animals along the coast. The trip starts at noon.

It is a swim in the open sea, not a pool. Michelle_C expected a sheltered spot and found open water near the rocks. Maree_N found the dolphin swim thrilling, but you had to swim fast to see them. Bridget_R noted a step on and off the boat, and that you need strong arms to hold the rope while the crew brings you to the dolphins. Robert_O, an experienced swimmer, called it a bit of a workout.

Dolphins or seals: which you get

The trip is sold as a swim with wild dolphins or among seals, and the animals decide which. Seal numbers peak in winter and are lowest from November to January. Hanna_K found no dolphins on the first pass, so the crew took the group to the seals, and that was the best part of the day. Louis_Z swam with seals and saw a big group of dolphins that the swimmers could not join. Madalyn_P could not swim with the dolphins either, because they were hunting.

One rule shapes many days. For safety, no one swims with a pod that has young calves with it; you watch from the boat instead. Ken_F saw dolphins close by but could not get in the water, because the pod had calves. The parks service backs the principle: keeping a legal distance from whales, dolphins and seals protects you and the animals.

The water is cold

The water sits at 14 to 15 °C, and wetsuits are compulsory. Children under 14 wear two wetsuits, and you can ask for a second one if you feel the cold. Bring a warm jacket to put on over your waterproof when you get out. Sacha_B, who would not normally swim unless the water was warm, found the brand-new 5 mm suits handled the 14-degree water well.

Wind and current matter as much as the water. Dawn_A found the current strong, and a partner got out after ten minutes. The weather page shows the calmer months, and the best time to visit sets the seals’ season beside the rest of the island’s wildlife.

The refund rule to read twice

You can cancel up to 24 hours before for a full refund. After that, the rule is strict. Wildlife is not guaranteed, and if you get into the water at any point, for the snorkel, the seals or the dolphins, you are not refunded. A trip with only a short snorkel still counts. Read it as a fare for the attempt, not for the animals.

• Cancel 24 hours ahead: the full fare comes back.
• Get in the water: no refund, whatever you see.
• A pod with calves: no dolphin swim; you may still swim with the seals.

How long you are in the water

The trip lasts two hours, but much of it is spent on the boat, finding the animals. How long you swim depends on the day. Brett_W felt there was a good amount of time in the water, and used a GoPro to film it. John_K, on a poor day, was in the water for about 20 minutes and saw very little. Matthew_D went out in bad weather, when the boat could not reach its usual spots.

If you have hardly snorkelled before, ask the crew for a quick refresher before you get in. Luc_V, a beginner, said a short lesson on how to snorkel would have helped a lot.

What to pack for the swim

• A warm jacket: for the ride back, over the waterproof the crew hands out.
• A towel and dry clothes: you change at the information spot.
• A camera you can take in the water: an action camera works well.
• Something to eat: food is not in the fare.

Who should stay on the boat

The swim is recommended for children over nine. Pregnant travellers may ride on the boat but not swim, and it is not recommended for anyone with a pacemaker. It is not wheelchair accessible. Families still manage: Robert_O took the children, who climbed back on the boat while the adults stayed in the water.

The dry option: the 75-minute coastal boat

The coastal boat leaves Christmas Cove Marina on Christmas Street, Penneshaw, with morning and afternoon departures. You look for bottlenose dolphins, sea lions and birds, and humpback and southern right whales during the winter migration. The eagles are a draw too, including the white-bellied sea eagle and the wedge-tailed eagle. Life jackets, spray jackets, sunscreen and baby harnesses are provided, and children come with an adult.

It is the better choice with small children, or for anyone who does not swim. Amber_N had good views from both the cabin and the bow. Kathryn_L sailed with only eight passengers, and everyone could lean over the bow to watch the dolphins. Teresa_D advises warm clothes: it can be cold on the water.

Where the boats fit in your stay

Both trips start in Penneshaw, where the ferry from Cape Jervis comes in, so they suit your first or last day on the island. Getting there from Adelaide covers the crossing, and the wildlife page explains the seals and sea lions you may meet. The long-nosed fur seals that live along the rocky shores are the ones you are most likely to swim beside. For the sea lion colony on the south coast, see the visitor guide.

Book a swim or a boat from Penneshaw

Kangaroo Island - Swim with Dolphins/Seals/Coastal Snorkel

Two hours on the water from Penneshaw in a wetsuit and snorkel, swimming with seals or dolphins when the animals allow.

From $139 per person (minimum 1)

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Kangaroo Island 75-Minute Coastal Safari

Seventy-five minutes by boat from Penneshaw looking for dolphins, seals and sea eagles; the fare cannot be refunded.

From $62 per person (minimum 2)

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3-Day Kangaroo Island Adventure Tour

Three days from Adelaide by coach and ferry, two nights camping in swags, with park fees and every meal included.

From $757 per person (minimum 1)

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