When we were offered the opportunity to go on a Spirit of Gold Coast whale watching tour, we leapt at the chance – and we were so glad we did! What an exciting morning of whale watching thrills we encountered on this brilliant adventure to the deep blue sea!

Spirit of Gold Coast whale watching tours depart every day during whale watching season (June to early November) from Mariners Cove Marina on Sea World Drive. The departure point is just five minutes drive from the Surfers Paradise city centre. There is free parking in the Marina Mirage shopping centre car park, and from there it is a short walk up the Mariners Cove Marina to the boat, right next to the heli-pad. Be sure to arrive by 9am to check-in, in good time for departure at 9:30am.

Our whale watching boat for our two and a half hour cruise was a big, beautiful blue and white catamaran. Friendly crew were there to welcome us, and checked us in. Then we eagerly boarded the Spirit Of Gold Coast via a gently sloping walkway ramp.

If you have a pram, don’t worry – whale watching is very kid-friendly – you can bring the pram along too! Just let Spirit staff know when you book so that they can help you with it when you arrive.

Before we settled down in one spot, we decided to take a quick look around the boat. There were three main viewing platforms on board.

First we climbed up a solid set of stairs (easy for young children or the elderly to manage) to the top viewing deck – the captains control room level.

Inside you were welcome to relax on plush lounges, or you could sit outside where there were several benches, protected from the strong Queensland sunshine by a canopy.

Next we decided to have a look at the main inside cabin downstairs, The inside cabin was very spacious, and had lots of comfy padded seats and large tables for passengers to sit at.

A canteen here was serving a free morning tea with biscuits – a very refreshing start to the day! The canteen was also licensed, so beer and wine were available to purchase, as well as snacks and souvenirs.

I bought the kids a toy whale each, to help them remember this special day. Super-cute and cuddly with the Spirit Of Gold Coast logo on their tummies, these plush toys have become a firm favourite with the girls!

We went outside to take a look at the front of the boat, which you accessed using a small flight of stairs. The front viewing deck of the ship had lots of benches to sit on, or railings to hold onto. This turned out to be a popular place to be when the whale action got going later, as it gave free access to so many directions to watch whales.

More families were boarding by now, but there were plenty of seating and vantage points for everyone to make themselves comfortable for the cruise.

Then the boat set off, pulling away from the Marina and heading up the Broadwater towards the sea, and whale sanctuary.

Everywhere, the crew’s professional attention to detail and safety was evident – from their safety talk at the start of the cruise, to their constant monitoring of safe passenger movements around the moving boat – right down to their care of the few unfortunate passengers who later found themselves a bit sea-sick. This was obviously an experienced and capable crew.

We had decided to settle down up on the upper viewing deck to enjoy the sea breezes, and it was a lovely cruise out. The captain gave a fascinating running commentary all about the Gold Coast waterways and surrounding areas.

As we headed out to the beautiful open sea, almost straight away we were delighted to be informed that that there were dolphins swimming nearby! Sure enough, there they were – it was so thrilling to see wild dolphins frolicking together. What a great start to the cruise!

In no time at all, the first pod of Humpback Whales were spotted, not far from our boat. The boat slowed to a stop and everyone on board cried out in excitement as a massive black fin pounded the surface, soon followed by a tail sliding up, then into the water. It was a fantastic sight that took our breath away – whales!

Soon another pod was spotted, and another off behind that – surfacing, blowing air out of their blowholes, arcing through the water – it was September, and whale season was in full-swing.

The captain kept the boat slowly moving forward at the same pace of the whales, but not encroaching on their space at all. Sometimes the whales themselves would choose to swim over to the boat to check us out! What a thrill it was to see these massive, beautiful creatures so close up. They were obviously not worried about our boat being in their ocean at all – one even popped his head right up to get a better look at us!

Here’s a short video of some of the whales surfacing near the boat.

The crew commentary was both interesting and informative. We learned so much about the fascinating life of whales – their family lives, movements from Antarctica up to Australia, what and when they ate, and of course how they raised their young. There wasn’t much we didn’t know about whales by the end of the cruise!

Whale watching really is such a fabulous activity for families. The kids not only had a brilliant time, but they also learned all about the importance of whale conservation. They can now appreciate first-hand why it is so important that we all do our best to protect and preserve whales, and their precious environment.

Although it’s hard to imagine NOT spotting any whales, if you don’t see any of them on your cruise, Spirit Whale Watching guarantees to give you a free whale watching trip until you do! That way, they ensure that you do get to experience a whale sighting with them.

Eventually it was time to move on from where we had been wandering from one whale pod to another, and the captain decided to take us back along the coast line – parallel to the Surfers Paradise beach. We soon spotted a whale cow and her calf, and we slowly kept pace with them at a respectful distance.

The kids and I made our way down to the front of the boat for a better look at her. The children decided to sit down on the deck, gripping the rails so that they could be closer to the water. Suddenly, a pod of dolphins joined the boat, playing and diving right at the front of the boat, directly in front of the children – it was such a wonderful experience to be in the company of these gloriously joyful creatures for several minutes. We had to tear our attention between the playful dolphins and the slowly progressing whale mother and baby!

Here’s a video of the dolphins playing and swimming at the very front of the boat, and the whale mother and calf off to the side of the boat.

Finally the time came to head back, although I think we all would have kept going along with these beautiful marine animals all day, if we could have! The captain asked everyone to wave good bye to the mother and calf, and we turned from the sea back into the Broadwater.

We settled back for the cruise back in, everyone happily chatting about the wonders they had seen during the tour. It felt like we were back at the Mariners Cove Marina in no time at all!

There was a professional photographer on board during the whole cruise. He had taken photographs of everyone prior to boarding, but had also been taking photos of all the whales we had seen from the top of the boat during the trip – so if you didn’t catch the perfect whale-moment with your own camera, you had the option of buying one of his excellent professional shots.

The boat docked and we all disembarked using the secure gangway to get back onto the jetty. We farewelled the crew, thanking them for their excellent service. We had been very well looked after for the entire whale watching cruise.

We were sad the trip was over as we had had such a good time, but we knew that we had many new and wonderful family memories to take along with us to keep for a lifetime. What an amazing adventure we had experienced with Spirit Of Gold Coast Whale Watching!

Stop Press! We have a school holidays special for you!

We’ve heard the Gold Coast whale action at the moment is just crazy, so we have a great special for you to join in the fun!
Spirit of Gold Coast Whale Watching are offering adults at kids prices for Let’s go Mum! fans – that’s just $59 (instead of $99!) per adult – just mention “Let’s go Mum!” upon booking.
You can book using their website here:
http://www.spiritwhalewatching.com.au/

Let’s Go Info!

Spirit of Gold Coast Whale Watching

Admission

Adult $99
Child $59 (3-14yrs inclusive)
Family of 4 $236 (2 adults,2 children)
Seniors & Students $79

Departure location

Mariners Cove Marina (next to Marina Mirage) ,
Berth 95, Arm D, next to Helicopter Pad,
Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Gold Coast

How to get there

By car: Free parking is available at Marina Mirage car park.

Daily tour times

Arrive at 9am for check-in.
Tours depart at 9:30am (returns at 12pm)

You can find out more at the official Spirit Whale Watching website here

All prices are accurate for September 2016
We reviewed this tour as guests of Spirit Whale Watching, however all opinions are my own

Have you ever been on a whale watching tour anywhere, or do you plan to? Comment below!

The post Spirit of Gold Coast Whale Watching Family Review + Discount! appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Although we’ve visited the Gold Coast numerous times over the years, we had never been on a whale sight-seeing cruise. We had whale-spotted from the balconies of our different Surfers Paradise hotels, and even though they were so far away, just a glimpse of a whale was cause for excitement – I began to wonder what it would be like if we could actually see one close-up. So when we had the chance to be guests with Whales in Paradise, we jumped at the chance!

Whales in Paradise offer 5 whale tours daily, so fitting the best-timed tour in with your busy holiday schedule is easy. They also have the an advantage over other tour companies, in that they actually leave from Surfers Paradise – so you can just walk on down to the end of Cavill Avenue, where many of the large hotels are located, and you’re at the boat. It took us only five minutes to walk from Soul, near the famous Surfers Paradise beach sign, to the Whales in Paradise boat departure point.

The Whales in Paradise tours feature beautiful, large, modern vessels. When we arrived, all we had to do was check-in at the office and hop on board. This boat was really big, but it didn’t seem crowded at all – numbers are purposely kept small. This is great, because less people on board a large boat means lots of room to move about, and you aren’t jostling for viewing points when there are exciting things to look at – such as whales, dolphins, or even turtles.

After having a quick look around, we settled ourselves down inside the large main cabin. There was plenty of comfy padded seating and lounges next to enormous viewing windows. These had clear covers which could be zipped up in inclement weather. Two marine toilets were located off the main cabin, too. In the centre of the cabin was a staffed tea, coffee and snack station, and passengers were invited to grab a cup of complimentary tea or coffee before departure. This was exactly what I needed after a busy morning with the kids, and got a cuppa for myself and some free bickies for the kids. Everyone was happy!

A crew member circulated with the offer of $2 sea sickness prevention pills. Never motion sick in my life, I decided to get some just to be sure – I didn’t want this cruise to be memorable for the wrong reasons! The kids, as expected, declined any pills – they were veterans of many boat trips and cruises by now, and not as overly-cautious as their mother! I was impressed that this whale tour company were diligent in ensuring their passengers had a great trip – from start to finish.

In the main cabin there was plenty of comfy padded seating and lounges next to enormous viewing windows. These had clear covers which could be zipped up in inclement weather. Two marine toilets were located off the main cabin, too.

The passengers were scattered all about the boat. They were a mixture of international and Australian tourists and holiday-makers – several of them families with children.

There were three large viewing areas on board – and as it happened, we ended up using all three of them during the cruise to try them out – each was as equally good as the others, and gave easy access to both sides of the boat.

Upstairs, some passengers chose to sit on the top deck for 360°views, and the sea breeze in their hair. Others sat along the comfy padded seat on the front section of the ship – otherwise known as the bow. In the main cabin, families chatted as the kids sprawled about on the lounges. Little children weren’t allowed on the bow during whale watching , as a safety measure – they could access all other areas.

Safety was clearly a high priority on board, with staff located all around the boat to ensure passengers comfort and safety. As we set-off, the captain gave a safety talk, with crew members helping to demonstrate life jackets – much as they do in aircraft. It was comforting to know that they were scrupulous about operating safely.

One of the extra bonuses with cruising with Whales in Paradise is that on your way to the Australian Whale Sanctuary, where the whales are found, you also get a Nerang River waterways tour.

We cruised past the sky-scrapers of Surfers Paradise towering over genteel canals lined with the residences of the ultra-rich – massive private yachts parked in front of them. Our entertaining captain chatted away with a commentary about which rich celebrity owned which amazing home – and who had divorced and sold-up – it was all fascinating stuff!

Eventually we made our way out to the open sea. The bow was closed for safety and everyone found a seat as the pace picked up, and we were speeding along on the open ocean. The children squealed with delight as the wind whipped their hair and the sea-spray sprinkled their outstretched faces – they were loving this nautical adventure!

Play our Youtube clip below to see a short video of the boat speeding out to sea below!

Soon we felt the boat slow down – the captain announced that he had spotted some whales! Everyone became excited as they craned their necks – where? Where?! There they are! People couldn’t help crying out in excitement – “I can see WHALES – there they are!”. We just couldn’t believe our eyes.

The first pod (that means group, in case you don’t know – we’ve received a whole whale-education now!) of Humpback Whales we saw were flapping their pectoral fins up and down. The thrilled children decided that the whales were waving to them, and waved back – it was such a beautiful, innocent moment.

After this first sighting, it was whales, whales everywhere! Near the boat, around the boat – even off in the distance, breaching and tail-slapping. The whales curved shiny black backs flashed in and out of the water. To be there, so close to them was an indescribable thrill.

With each whale flip, splash and roll, everyone on board alternately chorused ooh! and ahh! With each new pod sighting came squeals and shouts. We were the perfect captive audience for these rather curious Humpback Whales. The captain encouraged us to call out to them, as he said they could hear us – there was little chance of anyone keeping quiet!

The very experienced captain could often predict exactly where the whales would surface. Sometimes the boat would move to a new position to track a pod – within a respectable distance of course – or seek a new pod out.

We were taught many whale facts along the way, and learned how to spot a whale’s “footprint” – a smooth, oily looking circle of water. All the crew were only too happy to answer questions anyone had.

The really great thing about the Whales in Paradise cruisers is that because they are purpose built for whale watching, the whale-viewing options are endless. You can cross from one side of the boat to the other at will, and even be down with the whales at water-level in the main cabin. This is another unique feature.

Often the tables would turn, and the whales would seek US out, swimming beneath the boat and emerging right beneath us with a flash of aqua, to cries of disbelief – they were so close, it felt like we could reach out and touch them! There was no doubt that everyone was having a wonderful time – people kept exclaiming things like, “I can’t believe I’m seeing this!” and “This is just incredible!”, with all around agreeing whole-heartedly.

Play the YouTube below to see a short video of some of the whale-action!

I loved how we could really relax as the boat meandered around the whale pods – we had so much time to enjoy watching them swim and play, slapping their tails and jumping about, I didn’t feel that we were rushed at all. The whole cruise went for over three hours, which is the longest Gold Coast whale cruise there is. This is extra time you get to spend whale-spotting!

When the captain did finally announce that it was time to turn for home, we all groaned – nobody wanted to leave these gentle, majestic giants of the deep. But home we headed, everyone settling back to chat about the wonders they had seen as the boat powered along.

We had one quick surprise stop on the way back, to view a whale cow and her calf swimming along! The boat set off again and we entered back into the Broadwater. Now we had slowed to a smoother cruising speed it was time for another coffee or tea before arriving back in Surfers Paradise.

As we cruised along the return waterways, I pondered the fact that Whales in Paradise offer a free return cruise guarantee if no whales are sighted – it surely must be a rarity not to spot a whale with them – on our tour, I think we must have seen around thirty whales near the boat, and many more at a distance.

A professional photo had been taken of our family when we first boarded the boat, and now was the time to view and purchase them if we wished, which we did. It would remind us of our wonderful day whale-watching with Whales in Paradise.

If you do get the chance to book a Whales in Paradise tour for yourself, don’t hesitate – it’s a spectacular family adventure to remember and share memories of for a lifetime.

Let’s Go Info!

Whales in Paradise

Admission

Adult $99
Child $69 (3-14yrs inclusive)
Family of 4 $267 (2 adults,2 children)

Departure location

Sightseeing Cruises Terminal (Tiki Village), which is the river end of Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise.

How to get there

By tram: Tram stop Cavill Avenue and walk 100 metres
By car: Parking is available at Bruce Bishop Car Park – Beach Rd.

Daily tour times

Tours depart at 7:30am (returns at 10:45am), 9:00am (returns at 12:15pm), 11:00am (returns at 2:15pm), 1:00pm (returns at 4:15pm), 2:30pm (returns at 5:45pm)

Be sure to arrive 20 minutes early for check-in.

More info, terms and bookings at the official Whales in Paradise website here

All prices are accurate for August 2016
We reviewed this tour as guests of Whales in Paradise

Have you ever been, or do you plan to take the family on a whale watching tour? Comment below!

The post Whale watching Surfers Paradise tours – Whales In Paradise review appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Do you have a spare hour in your holiday schedule in Surfers Paradise? Why not take the kids for an Aquaduck Safari!

Aquaducks are vehicles which take Surfers Paradise visitors on an adventurous tour around the Surfers Paradise area – but in a really different way. They are amphibious vehicles, which means that they can go on both land and water!

You have to experience this tour to appreciate just how fun it is. First Aquaduck is a bus which you have a tourist cruise through Surfers Paradise on – next it’s a cruise boat which gives you a sight-seeing cruise of the waterways behind Surfers Paradise – so it’s two tours in one! At about one hour long, and with tours running throughout the day, this is a great way to fill in a some time with a super-fun family activity.

We had seen Aquaduck buses getting around Surfers Paradise for years – they are so very distinctive with their enormous painted-on duck beaks and eyes, and their super-huge tyres. The kids had been nagging at me for ages to be one of those lucky kids staring out from this strange duck-mobile, so we jumped at the opportunity of being their guest on-board one of their morning tours.

We boarded the Aquaduck from their departure point of 36 Cavill Avenue. This location is right in the middle of Surfers Paradise, and within a stones-throw of lots of the big hotels and resorts there. We walked there from Soul, near the Cavill Mall and Surfers Paradise Beach in just five minutes.

The jolly captain and his beautiful assistant welcome you on-board the Aquaduck – the wheels are so big, to get onto the Aquaduck you need to climb up a steep-ish set of stairs. There were mostly families on board – the kids all knew they were going to get a turn to steer the boat when it was in the water, and excitement reigned!

Off we went on our Aquaduck adventure, down the Esplanade and along the main beach strip road of Surfers Paradise. Finally my kids got to be the lucky kids looking out from the Aquaduck’s big windows!

There is interesting tour guide commentary along the way (including some wise-quacks from the Aqua duck himself), and you get to learn a whole lot about Surfers Paradise that you probably don’t already know (For the parents already totting up how much it would cost to move to the Gold Coast to live in a beach front apartment, hopes were slightly dented with the news that most start at around the 5 million dollar mark!). Within about 10 minutes we were at the boat ramp where we entered the water.

It was surreal to be motoring along the road and then – with some prior warning of course – plunging into the water. Not a beat was missed as our bus turned into a fully fledged cruiser!

The sides of the Aquaduck are open with ropes hung along the base of the huge open windows in a suitably nautical theme, allowing the water breezes to drift in, and a great view of all there is to see on the Broadwater of the Gold Coast.

We cruised along, spotting Whale tour boats, ski boats and private motorboats. The Gold Coast canals are lined with houses of the very rich and famous – fascinating to sticky-beak at. We were told many an interesting tale of the ultra rich sliding into bankruptcy and having to sell their amazing water-front mansions for a knock-down price. 20 million cut down to 9 million? Unfortunately, we parents with Gold Coast dreams were still not on that page – darn!

Soon it was time for each child to take their turn at being the ship’s Captain. Parents were allowed to accompany their child to get that great photo of their child steering the Aquaduck. My two girls were looking forward to this experience most of all. What a thrill to sit in the Captain’s seat and steer the boat! My 10 year old was possibly a little too enthusiastic when she swung the wheel a full 360 degrees! Luckily, our capable captain was on hand to ensure the boat didn’t turn too much in the wrong direction.

When each child had had their turn, they were handed an Aquaduck Licence Certificate – a very proud moment.  We were given the opportunity to purchase souvenirs on board too – the girls chose fluffy ducks ($15) and duck whistles ($5), but you can also get stuffed Aquaduck replica toys ($15) and captain’s caps ($15).

Eventually it was time to emerge from the water way via another boat ramp – the experience of transitioning from boat back into bus was just as exciting the second time around! You can see what this was like here in our video.

Ten minutes later we had cruised along the roads of Surfers Paradise, right back to where we started – it was time to disembark from the Aquaduck!

What a brilliant time everyone had on board the Aquaduck – if you are in Surfers Paradise and have a spare hour, you should really consider taking the kids on an Aquaduck Safari!

Let’s Go Info!

Admission

Adult $38
Child $30
Family of 4 $120
Seniors $34

Departure location

36 Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise.

Tours depart regularly from 10am to 5:30pm

More info, terms and bookings at the official Aquaduck website here

All prices are accurate for August 2016
We reviewed this tour as guests of Aquaduck

Have you ever been, or do you plan to take the family on the Aquaduck? Comment below!

The post Family activities in Surfers Paradise – Aquaduck review appeared first on Let's go Mum.