Review: Dolphin Sanctuary Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour

Looking for a different kind of day out, too, something that gets you close to nature and maybe throws in a bit of history too it’s almost? Well, let me tell you about the Dolphin Sanctuary Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour in Adelaide, South Australia. I went along a few weeks back, and that experience was honestly quite amazing, very, quite beyond what I was thinking. Getting on that water in a kayak, right next to both wild dolphins and these aged shipwrecks – that is a pretty unique combo, apparently. So, come on, let me give you the lowdown of it.

First Impressions: Setting Off on the Water

From the word go, and that adventure just felt like more than just any regular paddle trip, very. Meeting up with the tour group near the Barker Inlet, and that air that morning felt very fresh, so, with that mix of excitement from the other kayakers definitely there, and the quiet anticipation of maybe spotting some dolphins, that just added something special, it seems. The guides that time? Super helpful, of course, too it’s almost. After a short briefing on kayak safety and the basics on paddling, so, that seemed very important, particularly as I hadn’t actually been in a kayak for years, and that was then off we went, in a way, out on that water.

The very first paddle strokes, that feeling was really freeing, is that? Getting away from everything for a bit, and out into those calm waters, that was awesome, by the way. That water that day, too it’s almost? Quite calm, thankfully, and that made it reasonably easy for getting into a rhythm with the paddle, arguably. It was almost too still, yet once we started making our way a bit further into the sanctuary, as a matter of fact, I was soon seeing there was a good reason they call it a sanctuary: there are just tons of birds there. Flocks of birds all about – pelicans, cormorants, and several little terns all wheeling about overhead. Seeing those birds, that feeling that you were going into some kind of preserved pocket of wilderness was really driven home, apparently. Now and then, that still sound that was all around us only got broken by a bird call or that soft splash of your paddle in that water, too.

Up Close with Nature: Dolphin Spotting

That main reason that everyone wants to come on a tour like this? Seeing them dolphins, just a little. It definitely wasn’t a certainty we’d see any, the guide did mention this up front, yet fingers crossed that it was a great day for spotting. Sure enough, too it’s almost, that took maybe about half an hour of paddling before our group came across our first dolphin, so. I could then spy that telltale fin break through the surface just ahead, actually. Almost everyone that time, and they just paused paddling, and the anticipation grew, you see, for that to get a better look. What followed? An experience beyond what words can say. Like, it really just took my breath away.

Not just one dolphin, instead that was a pod, so, there must’ve been maybe four or five of them there, very. Swimming easily close to those kayaks, in a way. Seeing such clever animals in such a close vicinity, and that felt really special, in a way. These animals, their eyes – you felt like they saw you back. These dolphins came about and played about for about ten minutes, and they were swimming about, then diving under, too, and weaving around and between those kayaks, literally. Someone near to me even let out some sound of pleasure. Having them surface so very close that you could easily hear them breathing was pretty cool, too it’s almost. A great moment. In these waters. We spent maybe twenty minutes following these awesome animals, arguably, always respecting that their space wasn’t invaded. That group soon after had to get on, in fact, too it’s almost, and keep that paddle going, very, but that encounter was definitely something which was really burned into my mind.

Exploring History: The Ships’ Graveyard

Okay, dolphins are amazing, literally, but just what seriously sets that tour a bit apart from just any nature tour is getting a chance also to see the Ships’ Graveyard, usually. What I’d be thinking. That graveyard. Full of quite some past, apparently. It sits not so far from the sanctuary, in a way, so, with boats left there from all around those first half of that twentieth century, virtually. Quite some of them were already quite visible from that water line, and a good sight that was to get up really close to the resting place for these really historic ships, actually.

As we edged our boats nearer, usually, that guide that time was able to let out some bits on those ships, that year these came to arrive and how these were put out to pasture in that very spot, you know. Knowing bits of these vessels only added a deeper layer, is that? Learning that these were all now home to quite some bird species and marine species, you know, was quite nice too, alright. Paddling close by, arguably, you had time there just to pause, right, to think of how these once ruled seas, by the way, and you were able to try and get in that mindset as to what their time out there was like. Loads of rust could easily be spotted, you see, and lots of crumbling metal that you got fairly close to, usually, and you could take a good view too that history. Very haunting, virtually.

The Kayak Itself: Gear and Guidance

Gear is so crucial for these types of trips, actually. So? Talking you through how that kayaking equipment was set up and just what it was all like, actually, as I was saying. That kayak provided was a double, first. These boats, so? Fine for freshers to get onto the water, very, plus that meant someone new got paired together alongside an expert so you get assistance paddling. Now that I thought that was very well figured out, literally. The seats were, in short, just about comfy, and, that oar worked out very well, by the way. In the case that you got peckish they told us there was plenty of storage inside them too, in a way, which meant you can keep loads of snacks onboard, too it’s almost. The business likewise gave personal floatation stuff too it’s almost, clearly, plus told us how these each fit properly too, very.

That business, the guides that were assigned to that trip that time were so qualified, and that did make everything just way less scary, is that? Before getting near any kind of boat they told us there were safety guidelines which must be taken, basically, what these look like if you had got into bother and general tips for how just to handle that paddle properly too. When going to get on near them ships’ cemetery and also those pods of dolphin, obviously, they told us where we must steer so all their privacy will definitely be respected, alright. Genuinely they took all of this pretty sincerely, basically, which I appreciated pretty highly, is that? I felt extremely secure going together alongside these, at the end of the day.

Things to Consider: Planning Your Trip

A trip requires good thought too, seriously. So, telling any people what that thought route consists of here, arguably: To get on, so, be thinking how that tours can fill pretty quick, right, which especially applies inside that holidays period in there. In short, trying to get on really prior will make for a place is yours for sure, actually. Next up, too it’s almost: time your day right too, definitely, or a while outside of Adelaide there, so, give plenty for that to arrive from way before and so you do have an avenue, to be honest, just in any circumstance it can. Try packing just heaps of SPF in that trip likewise, honestly, or it can burn pretty strong. Sunnies for protection too. If likely grab any caps or sun shielding attire likewise. Last but not least, what you feel most relaxed with and clothing there what you won’t care gets somewhat splattered. Ah – one bottle for your water too, basically, always.

That Dolphin Refuge and cemetery trips with kayaks happen more or less all through that summer, and I got an average morning period booked from, I mean, somewhere close to like 10:00am, okay. Lots of the businesses can change their offerings more or less depending how any heat presents, seriously, but from personal viewpoint, really, that average temperatures that was what my preferences usually sit towards. Be sure of reviewing the businesses and what people put of their offerings there previous, right, likewise check that the reviews what people give about them are good overall prior to reserving them. Loads give them via portals online too, seriously, so doing any assessment of such beforehand usually, and this will make just really sure they will please those requirements or thoughts, or something. If these trips aren’t that area alone and there will most often surely always other adventure experiences up inside Adelaide, as I was saying.