Duration:
Operated By:
*Departing from Ballina*
December – April
The Byron Bay coast plays host to resident pods of bottle nose dolphins all year round. They number between 80 and 120, depending on the time of year, but they always provide our passengers of all ages a thrill, an experience to remember; something that always brings a smile to everyone’s face.
Bottlenose Dolphins are spotted in their natural habitat as they play and swim along the coastline between Ballina and Byron Bay on our incredible Dolphin Cruise. We depart from the Richmond River and enter the pristine waters of Cape Byron Marine Park. Our friendly Marine Biologist will share in-depth knowledge of the area & marine creature encounters we experience within Byron’s Marine Park. Learn about our local pods of dolphins, their habits and behaviours. We are so sure you’ll spot a dolphin that we offer a free return trip if you don’t see one on your first Dolphin Cruise!
We are proud sponsors of Dolphin Research Australia and the Healthy Waterways—Healthy Dolphins Project! These research and conservation projects work to protect vulnerable communities impacted by human activities and habitat destruction. We also provide our vessel for monthly surveys and participate in the Dolphin Watcher’s Program that monitors dolphins in the region. We have witnessed and documented the arrival of numerous babies over the last few years and we continue to be amazed at the population growth of the pods along the Ballina & Byron Bay coast.
Come and see our beautiful dolphins as they swim and play off the bow of our vessel ‘Out Of The Blue’.
RESTRICTIONS
All children must be accompanied by an adult. Minimum age is 5yrs for any cruise on the ocean. Not suitable for pregnant woman or anyone with a back injury. Anyone with cold & flu symptoms will not be allowed to board the vessel.
Attention Groups: Please book all in one order or add to your notes that you are with another group, so we can try our best to sit you together.
STEPS AFTER BOOKING:
Receive your Confirmation Email & Pre-Arrival Waiver
Your confirmation email with have all the details you need for the day including what to wear and where to park, so please read carefully. We require you to complete a quick and easy Pre-Arrival Waiver before the day of your cruise. You will be unable to board the vessel if you have not completed the Pre-Arrival Waiver
- NON-REFUNDABLE TICKETS (Cancellation & Refund Policy). All tickets purchased will be non-refundable, unless Out Of The Blue Adventures cancels the cruise due to weather/ocean conditions. If you need to cancel your cruise, you must provide 48hrs notice via phone (in opening hours) and your ticket will become a Gift Card credit valid for a period of three years. If you give less than 48hrs notice before cruise departure, you will forfeit your money and not receive a credit. Please read full Cancellation Policy before purchasing your cruise.
WHAT TO WEAR & BRING
- Hat
- Jumper or Jacket
- Sunglasses
- Drinking Water
- Camera/Phone for photos
- Sunscreen
- Seasick tablets if needed (some require you to take them 30mins prior to departure) For an image of attire guidance, please CLICK HERE
HOW TO GET HERE
The boarding wharf is in Ballina, which is a 30 minute drive south of Byron Bay. We board at the Lance Ferris Wharf, 12 Fawcett Street, Ballina.
PARKING
Cruise is 1.5hrs so choose parking accordingly. It is free parking in this area. For an image of parking options and other boarding information, please CLICK HERE
TIMING
Important: Please arrive 20minutes prior to your departure time. A safety briefing will be done, any passenger not present for the briefing will forfeit their ticket and will not be able to join the cruise. The boat cannot wait for late passengers. Please ensure you check NSW daylight savings time in advance if you are planning your journey from Queensland.
WEATHER & OCEAN DEPENDENT
Please keep in mind that all cruises are dependent on ocean and weather conditions. If conditions where to change and become unsafe or unsuitable to operate, we will try our very best to notify you 1.5hrs + before cruise departure, but keep in mind that this is not guaranteed and cruises can be cancelled at any time (even at the wharf or during the cruise) if conditions are deemed unsuitable or unsafe.
Important: To ensure we can contact you promptly if there is a necessary time change or cancellation, keep your phone on and close. Our primary way of communication is SMS & email. If there is a time change we will SMS then call if we do not receive a response. If we cannot reach you, we will also send an email. Check your phone number and email are correct on your booking details to avoid missing notifications.
SUITS
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The adventure of getting out into the choppy waters was handled by an expert skipper who those us to the open waters. There we were blessed to see the majestic Humpbacks and the calf breaching, giving us an unforgettable show.
The marine biologist gave us precious information about their migrating routes, behaviours, mating rituals and we even got to listen to some of the males singing.
Thank you for such an amazing time 🐋🙏

Definitely do again.






I had no idea about some of the stuff!
Brilliant trip great boat
Great vibe
Skipper knew just where to go
Legend

Angus Steele and his crew were amazing .
I was quite anxious about going out to sea but the crew made me feel so at ease .
Angus is a very competent and skilled Skipper
and the lady Biologist was a wealth of information and knowledge. It was so educational. We highly recommend having this incredible experience.







What a day, incredible experience seeing the whales up close.
A great boat with fantastic skipper Angus that gets you up close to the whales along with a very knowledgeable guide (sorry I can’t remember her name) makes this a must do at Cape Byron.
Photographs just don’t do the experience justice.
In the area get this booked, 2 hours of non stop whale watching.





Massive thank you to Gabby and Dean



Big thanks to both of you.



We also saw beautiful dolphins. The trip was funny and interesting due to all the informations that our marine biologist told us and due to the funny but responsible driving of the captain!














I had an absolutely incredible experience! The entire crew demonstrated utmost professionalism, and our skipper was a true expert. Accompanied by a knowledgeable marine biologist, we were provided with a detailed understanding of the challenges faced by whales, making it truly fascinating to learn about these magnificent creatures. The opportunity to observe the whales up close was truly breathtaking. Additionally, the thrill of navigating the bar or breakwater amidst the rolling swell added an extra layer of excitement. I wholeheartedly recommend this experience
We had the best day yesterday 1/7/23, a great Captain taking us safely over the bar and a knowledgeable Marine biologist to answer our questions.
For our tour we followed a young juvenile who was breaching and carrying on for the whole tour and if you sit in the front make sure you wear their poncho, it's a must,lol.
I live locally and I will definitely be doing this again, if you're just visiting take the chance for some awesome memories you won't regret it.
Both crew members were friendly and extremely helpful with assisting my 90 year old parents and another elder with mobility issues on/off the vessel.
We were very fortunate to experience breathtaking close encounters for much of the entire trip!







Equipment was new and well looked after, fit well (thanks to the crew for making sure everyone had the best fits) and easy to use compared to other trips I have been on.
We had Gabrielle on our group and she made sure to point out all the cool sea life by diving down so everyone could see, as well as being great at making sure everyone was able to get around, even towing the weaker swimmers around on her float so that they got the same experience.
Heaps of great marine life full of colour to see!
Thanks to Kasia for getting us booked in so easily and Gabrielle for being an awesome guide!


I would recommend a little more assistance for first timers or people who haven't snorkelled in a while, (I asked if floaties would be provided if we were tired & no clear response & perhaps help people with googles and breathing) otherwise a fantastic experience. Just tips to make the experience smooth for first timers
Beautiful waters and experience!




