Sealion Swimming at Bairds Bay

Published on October 26, 2008 |

There are many great things that we do whilst on tour at Goin Off Safaris & yesterdays experience is absolutely world class.Alan & Trish Payne run Bairds Bay Ocean Eco Experiences in Bairds Bay( which is 50 km south west of Streaky Bay), where they take us out swimming with sealions. The interaction is amazing as these playful mammels swim around you & are clearly having as much fun as you are!

Al & Trish have never fed the sealions, but just with consistent interaction with the colony that live on Jones Island have got to understand, know, trust & respect the sealions. Lots of them have names & like humans, they all have different personalities & traits & are lots of fun. I had the experience of actually cuddling up to one & putting her to sleep, others can let you stroke or pat them & others love tickling your feet as you watch their mates swimming or playing in front of you!

Its perfectly safe, swimming in shallow rock pools just off the island which is just a short boat ride from Bairds Bay itself. Further out in deeper water is the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins. These are beautiful creatures & we also have the oppotunity to slip in the water & have a swim with these rippers as well. It really is a great day & is one of the very few places in the world where you can experience this interaction.

To finish the day off, it doesnt get any better than sipping a few cold beers in the Streaky Pub looking over the water !