Whale Watch Experience
Whale Watch Experience
Whale Watch Experience
4.5
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Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
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Whale Watch Experience
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
97 reviews
Excellent
74
Very good
16
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Robyn M
Sawtell, Australia3 contributions
July 2020 • Family
The weather ended up canceling our whale watch experience , but lee was professional and accommodating with arranging another whale watch experience , without any question at all. Lee Thankyou for being considerate and professional . We look forward to using your business again on our next trip in Coffs .
Written 17 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you we take our responsibilities to our passengers very seriously and try our utmost to provide them with the best experience possible. If that means extending trips, calling in spotters to assist or arranging another trip, that’s what we do.
Written 1 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ana333
Bangor, UK141 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
We went out dolphin watching today with Lee and the Skipper (and gorgeous Mack).
We ended up with a private trip and were really grateful that the crew didn’t cancel it due to the numbers. Despite being a little choppy on the way back, the catamaran felt very stable and we all felt very safe.
We were lucky to see around 6 dolphins playing near the beach and had plenty of time to enjoy this. Lee also shared her dab photos of some of the dolphins she has been cataloging in the area.
Great morning out and would highly recommend.
Thank you.
We ended up with a private trip and were really grateful that the crew didn’t cancel it due to the numbers. Despite being a little choppy on the way back, the catamaran felt very stable and we all felt very safe.
We were lucky to see around 6 dolphins playing near the beach and had plenty of time to enjoy this. Lee also shared her dab photos of some of the dolphins she has been cataloging in the area.
Great morning out and would highly recommend.
Thank you.
Written 30 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo K
Coffs Harbour, Australia127 contributions
Sept 2012 • Family
We are Coffs Harbour locals and haven't been whale watching for over 10 years. The Pacific Explorer had a special deal for $25 per person on the whale watching cruise. With this price in mind, we decided to take a trip out on the Pacific Explorer with our two children and their Grandparents to experience these amazing creatures up close and we were not dissapointed!!!
The day began with the Pacific Explorer leaving the jetty at around 8:30am and the conditions at sea were perfect! We spotted whales immediately as the boat left the heads and we had sightings of over 20 whales as the morning progressed.
It was the last group of whales that played with us the most, diving under the boat and coming up right beside our children to blow the cloud of spray in their faces and then flip their tails. It was AMAZING!!! The Pacific Explorer of course can't control the amount of whales you see of if any will come close to the boat, however we were fortunate to experience all this and more. Lee (the boat owner) was very informative and the crew involved our children beautifully, even allowing them to steer the boat under close supervision. Life vests were also supplied for the children, to keep them safe. As in the other review, Lee answered several calls on the cruise, however we were in no way left to feel unimportant. She was at all times informative and very interested in her business, in fact her enthusiam was contagious!
A light morning tea was supplied and it was a perfect way to finish the cruise with a cup of tea, cake and cookie.The morning cruise then gets you back in to Coffs Marina well before 12pm. Overall we felt this was a wonderful cruise and fantastic value for money! It is a must do for everyone visiting Coffs Harbour!
The day began with the Pacific Explorer leaving the jetty at around 8:30am and the conditions at sea were perfect! We spotted whales immediately as the boat left the heads and we had sightings of over 20 whales as the morning progressed.
It was the last group of whales that played with us the most, diving under the boat and coming up right beside our children to blow the cloud of spray in their faces and then flip their tails. It was AMAZING!!! The Pacific Explorer of course can't control the amount of whales you see of if any will come close to the boat, however we were fortunate to experience all this and more. Lee (the boat owner) was very informative and the crew involved our children beautifully, even allowing them to steer the boat under close supervision. Life vests were also supplied for the children, to keep them safe. As in the other review, Lee answered several calls on the cruise, however we were in no way left to feel unimportant. She was at all times informative and very interested in her business, in fact her enthusiam was contagious!
A light morning tea was supplied and it was a perfect way to finish the cruise with a cup of tea, cake and cookie.The morning cruise then gets you back in to Coffs Marina well before 12pm. Overall we felt this was a wonderful cruise and fantastic value for money! It is a must do for everyone visiting Coffs Harbour!
Written 9 September 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
roubierre
United Kingdom4 contributions
July 2012 • Solo
I went on this whale watch boat trip. There were 3 crew for about 20 of us on the trip. We saw 7or 8 whales in the distance and tracked a couple of them for about a half hour or so. Unfortunately we weren't lucky enough to catch sight of them at any decent distance. Even though good viewings are not a guarantee - I didn't really rate the company. The main crew person seemed really busy - she arrived late and whilst we were out on the ocean she took lots of phone calls (enquiries and bookings) on her mobile for the next trip, instead of focusing on this actual trip she was 'leading'. I don't think she even used any binoculars to look for or monitor the whales. We weren't given an introductory talk or any information about whales or anything like that. Very disappointed and would not really recommend this company.
Written 21 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
In response to your review, we are governed by rules and regulations when whale watching and cannot go within 100m (300m if there is a calf) of a whale. In order to get a close view it is up to the whales to come to us and unfortunately we have no control over that. I always arrive after passengers as I spend as much time as possible tracking the whales from the lookout before we depart the marina. This is to ensure we are not wasting time travelling in the wrong direction when we go looking for whales and we have a rough idea of where they should be when we head out. In response to being on the phone I am running a business and if I didn't answer it then how would you have made a booking. In most cases if we are having trouble locating whales I have a spotter on the headland calling me on the phone to guide the boat to the whales, again to ensure you do see whales when you go whale watching on Pacific Explorer. This is why in 2012 we had a 98% success rate of whale sightings. I am sorry the whales were not close enough but that is something I have no control over and I am always happy to answer any questions passengers have about the whales.
Written 6 September 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Peter B
McCrae, Australia24 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
Must have been lucky although the team had been whale spotting from the coast before launching for the cruise. Good to see they were willing to cruise with only 5 people on the cruise. Towards the end of the season but there were many pairs, and sometimes up to 5 whales in the pod. Lots of Mums and baby whales.
The experience team carefully manipulated the catamaran so as not to startle or scare the whales off. Friendly crew and Mack the dog mascot.
Pleasant afternoon tea.
The experience team carefully manipulated the catamaran so as not to startle or scare the whales off. Friendly crew and Mack the dog mascot.
Pleasant afternoon tea.
Written 6 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alexandra M
Sydney, Australia4 contributions
June 2020 • Business
Boat is old & needs TLC. Owner & helms man were not at all friendly. Asked to use their binoculars and was informed , they make people sick and they did not use. Most importantly, NO SAFETY BRIEFING, NO SHOWING WHERE PERSONAL LIFE VESTS R STORED. Morning tea - what a joke. No service. What do u want was asked, then handed to u - amen. Their dog who is very cute wears a “ no bark collar” and no, it’s not at whales as they advertise, it’s because he’s allowed to and destroys the peaceful ambiance of the ocean. Wld NOT EVER RECOMMEND - SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT
Written 17 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am unsure when you travelled with us as I have no Alex booked through TripAdvisor this season. It appears you did not enjoy your cruise for whatever reason, however your comments are inconsistent with the vast majority of highly favourable reviews on TripAdvisor.
All commercial vessels must meet regulatory standards each year which are far more stringent than recreational craft.
You are absolutely incorrect with your no safety briefing statement. It is a mandatory requirement for commercial vessels and we always give our passengers the safety specifics such as any movement around the boat, the stability of the nets, how to fit life jackets with a demonstration, the life raft and so on. With regard to the life vests if you listened to the briefing you are told they are stored below deck and would be handed out if required.
You are correct “Safety IS Paramount” We are the second longest continuous whale watching operation in NSW and have an impeccable safety record as a result of our processes.
Written 18 June 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Summerloverfromuk
Twyford, UK123 contributions
We did a two hour trip out onto the ocean to look for whales in migration season. Lee and Greg - with some help from Mac the dog - were great hosts and did a super job trying to locate as many as we could find while keeping a good distance to respect them in the wild. We were definitely left feeling these were mammals to admire and observe rather than impose on them to prompt some sort of display. This was a good thing.
I got the impression that Lee was a bit disappointed at what they were able to show us in terms of whale behaviours but we were delighted just to have enjoyed seeing them swimming along with the occasional tail flip as part of a dive. So we were not at all disappointed and it is an experience we would recommend. These are awesome creatures and we liked the ethos of the team in how they went about sharing them with us.
I got the impression that Lee was a bit disappointed at what they were able to show us in terms of whale behaviours but we were delighted just to have enjoyed seeing them swimming along with the occasional tail flip as part of a dive. So we were not at all disappointed and it is an experience we would recommend. These are awesome creatures and we liked the ethos of the team in how they went about sharing them with us.
Written 17 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for recognising our philosophy. We appreciate it when our passengers understand and enjoy the experience of spending time with the whales, whatever their behaviour. Often society’s expectations are just unobtainable and we won’t compromise our approach. We respect the whales and observe them on their terms which is at times aloof.
Written 28 August 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
heatherrollo
Sydney, Australia7 contributions
June 2018 • Couples
The catamaran, the staff, the experience. Absolutely the best. We booked Pacific Explorer whilst we were travelling down the south coast. The company were fantastic, the staff so relaxed and knowledgeable. I love the fact that they don't over book the vessel, so that everyone gets a chance to see the whales.
Written 22 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rodd1727
Lismore, Australia9 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
I could accurately just say that this was a peak life experience and end it there, but that wouldn't do justice to Lee and Greg's welcome, warmth and over twenty years of experience following whales. I think I'll call Lee the whale whistler! She seemed to know just where to go, when to wait, when to move slowly forward and when to point out joyously whenever a whale appeared. You can't get that kind of whale wisdom overnight or even a year of nights. And though ,as Lee explained, whales are wild creatures following their own paths and mastered by no one both she and Greg know how to stack the odds in the whale watchers favour. With her knowledge and patience we were all rewarded when three whales cavorted up, around and under the catamaran - now surfacing close behind now beneath now rising up beside - inspecting us with curious eyes. Lets just say we were truly graced with their presence! This was a lifetime ambition of my wife and I and we will never forget this experience.
I also think that one of the best things about the experience was the Pacific Explorer, the boat itself. You can get up and walk around the deck (albeit holding on to the rails) and move around to get a really good view and experience. I saw the opposition vessel where everyone is tightly sitting in rows with no ability to either stand up or move around and I was really really glad about our choice. Pacific Explorer seems a much more more natural and inclusive experience. We will never forget this morning. THANK YOU WHALES, LEE, GREG and OUR FELLOW TRAVELLERS FOR SUCH A WONDER-FULL EXPERIENCE. Rod Kippax
I also think that one of the best things about the experience was the Pacific Explorer, the boat itself. You can get up and walk around the deck (albeit holding on to the rails) and move around to get a really good view and experience. I saw the opposition vessel where everyone is tightly sitting in rows with no ability to either stand up or move around and I was really really glad about our choice. Pacific Explorer seems a much more more natural and inclusive experience. We will never forget this morning. THANK YOU WHALES, LEE, GREG and OUR FELLOW TRAVELLERS FOR SUCH A WONDER-FULL EXPERIENCE. Rod Kippax
Written 17 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks Rod for your review. I am so glad you and Deb enjoyed your cruise, as you said we know how to get the best from the whales. It takes patience and time for them to become comfortable with us and this day it took them a while, but it was worth the wait. I loved the enthusiasm and excitement from my passengers and not to mention the hugs at the end of the cruise. Thanks Lee
Written 22 August 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PommieNige
Yamba, Australia36 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
What a way to spend a Sunday morning!! It took a while to spot our first whale close-up but we were already excited by seeing them in the distance, on the horizon. When we got close to them they began popping up all over the place. A mother and her calf kept appearing throughout the trip. Not sure if it was the same pair but may have been. At first she was being pursued by two males but they eventually gave up and went off when they realised that she wasn't interested. The calf was definitely interested in the Explorer and the mother seemed to be intent on steering it away but they still came alongside, almost close enough to touch, and swam under the boat a couple of times. There weren't many minutes when there were no whales visible, but we knew they were there, which kept the adrenalin on a high. The trip on the Pacific Explorer was billed as 2 to 2 1/2 hours but ended up at around 3 because as we were heading back to Coffs another (or the same) mother and calf started to come in really close and Lee and Andrew decided to stick with them for a bit longer. Those two are really enthusiastic and that made the trip even more exciting. It wasn't a case of "time's up lets get back", they were really interested to see more of the whales too, as were we all. It would have been a brilliant trip even if we hadn't seen any whales but as it was we saw loads. Magical!!
Written 28 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, We will be at Coffs on the 17th & 18th of this month. May I know if you have a slot for 17th around 2.00 Pm or 18th early in the morning?
Written 5 October 2017
Our whale watching season runs from June through to
November. We finish in first week in Nov
Bookings prior are required. Usually a few days.
We depart daily at 8.30 weather permitting and are usually
out for about 2 and a half hours, morning tea is included.
The cost is $55 adults $45 children under 12 In order
to book I will need a mobile number, day and passengers.
I will send a confirmation text on the morning once I have
checked the weather. You then need to be at the Marina at
8.15 and you pay in cash on the day. I have seats available.
Cheers
Lee 0422 210 338
Written 6 October 2017
Hi we were coming up in October 2016 just wondering how much does it cost per adult and how long are the tours do you do a lunch or dinner tour? Thanks Tara
Written 5 August 2016
It's $50 pp, trips are 8.30 am depart, return around 11 am.
Written 11 August 2016
Hi How far in advance do you take bookings. We are coming over in July 2016. Do you also have any other places or experiences that are a must while in coffs. Also places to stay as we are looking at 2 nights before heading up to Ballina. Thank you
Written 30 October 2015
We can take bookings now for next season , all we need is a mobile phone number the day you wish to go and the number of people. We are governed by the weather so we make a decision on the day and let you know by text if we can get out. Payment for the cruise is made on the day in cash when you board the boat. Our cost for next season is $50 per person. Just let me know when you are coming to Coffs and there are packages we can arrange with Coffs Coast Motor Inn for your accommodation.
Written 15 November 2015
James C
Woolgoolga, Australia
Hi
i'm wondering now is good season to see the whale ? did you guys provide fishing and whale sightseeing Combo ?
Thanks
James
Written 21 October 2015
James
Our whale watching season is coming to an end. We are still seeing whales but they tend to start to drop off in numbers fairly soon, we will continue to run our cruises whilst the whales are still travelling but will finish in the next few weeks. I am sorry but we do not offer any fishing charters.
Lee
Written 23 October 2015
we will be in Coffs Harbour in November. Is this a good time of year to see whales?
Written 6 October 2015
Unfortunately this is the end of our season, we run our cruises in the first week of Nov and usually see whales but it is often difficult finding them as numbers are few. Each season is different and we decide on the numbers of whales in this week ,if we continue to run our cruises past this first week. If there are still numbers of whales travelling south we will continue operating whilst we can guarantee sightings.
Written 6 October 2015
is the pacific explorer still operating and how much for group bookingsand is there wheel chair access
Written 30 June 2015
Our whale watching season runs from June through to November.
We finish in first week in Nov The cost is $40 per person
Bookings prior are required. Usually a few days prior.
We depart daily at 8.30 weather permitting and are usually
out for about 2 and a half hours, morning tea is included. In order
to book I will need a mobile number, day and numbers.
I will check the weather on that morning and confirm via text. You
then need to be at the boat at 8.15 and you pay in cash. Unfortunately
we are not wheelchair accessible.
Cheers
Lee 0422 210 338
Written 30 June 2015
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