Dolphin Sanctuary & Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour (up to 3 hours)
Duration:
Operated By:
The Kayak Tour is up to three hours of fun exploring the Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Maritime Heritage Trail. One of Adelaide’s “secret spots” the tour is located just 30 minutes from the Adelaide CBD and is an area of surpassing beauty. The sheltered mangrove lined creeks are home to a fascinating array of marine life, birds and the Port River Dolphins. The Ship’s Graveyard is a unique feature of the area with spectacular relics from the past which have been abandoned in the river.
All of which make for an amazing adventure, and best of all, kayaking is the most environmentally sensitive way to explore and interact with the dolphins. When the Port River Dolphins come to play it is a memory you will treasure forever. “Paddling with the Dolphins” has been voted one of the top FOUR MUST DO activities in Adelaide!
INCLUSIONS
- Up to three hours of fun with a fully qualified kayaking guide to lead you on an unforgettable adventure.
- The tour is easy paced with plenty of time for photos and storytelling by your guide.
- Tours are conducted in stable, very comfortable 2-person kayaks which are suitable for all levels of fitness and experience.
- Quality life jacket and paddles.
- Basic tuition in safe kayaking.
- We launch from a boat ramp covered in non-slip matting. You simply step into the kayak and we slide you onto the water. You won’t even get your feet wet!
- Private and small group tours are also available. Please call to discuss your group’s needs and preferred time. Discounts available for groups of 12 or more (minimum group size of 8 people for private bookings).
REQUIREMENTS
- Children must be a minimum of 8 years old
- All Children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult
- Children 12 and under will need to be accompanied in a kayak by an adult
- Maximum weight (2-person kayak): As we use sit in kayaks we generally find people 140+kgs can have trouble fitting into the kayaks. Please call us if you have any concerns.
LOCATION
We meet you at the Garden Island Boat Ramp and Reserve, Lot 204 Garden Island Road, Gillman (click to see Google map). This is a public reserve and we have no office at this location. Look for the Adventure Kayaking SA vehicles! Please note we do not offer shuttle or transfer services to this location, participants must make their own way. We recommend you travel by car or taxi/ride-share as there is no close public transport options.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
If on the date of your booking it has been deemed unsafe to operate due to weather you will be contacted as soon as possible. Whilst we frequently check forecasts in the days leading up to your booking, there are some occasions where weather is worse than forecast resulting in last minute cancellations of sessions.
OPTIONS
1 person kayaks may be available upon request on the day of your booking. Please see one of our friendly staff upon arrival to check if they are available.
WAITING LIST
If the date you want is sold out you can go on the “waiting” list by completing all booking details. We will get in touch if we can add you to the tour. Your credit card won’t be charged until you have accepted our offer for a place on the tour.
CONFIRMATION OF YOUR BOOKING
- Full details will be sent via email immediately following the receipt of your booking. If you do not receive this, please contact us straight away.
- Please review the details taking note of the starting time and location map and sign your waiver.
- Please check the terms and conditions also included.
- We will contact you the day prior to your tour if any of the details change due to weather or other conditions.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you have further questions, specific requirements or wanting to make a large group booking please call us on 08 8472 0922
*Please note that a non-refundable 1.5% surcharge is applied to all card payments*
We look forward to sharing a great paddling adventure with you, your family or friends!
Thank you for booking in to our Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Tour
Please be prepared for a fun experience on the water! If you have not provided an Australian mobile number, please call us 24 hours prior to your tour to confirm booking details and that the weather is suitable.
Please arrive at the site a minimum of 15 minutes prior to your start time as you will need to complete and sign a medical form and waiver.
Your meeting point at the start of the day will be Garden Island Boat Ramp and Reserve, Lot 204 Garden Island Road, Gillman. For exact directions please click the Google maps image on this confirmation email. This is a public reserve; We are a mobile business and have no office at this location. Look for the Adventure Kayaking vehicles, lots of kayaks/SUP’s and happy people!
YOU WILL NEED
- Medications
- Clothes and Footwear you don’t mind getting wet (bare feet or thongs not suitable)
- Closed toe footwear is a must
- Towel
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses (with strap is recommended)
- A camera
We supply a small waterproof container suitable for mobile phones or similar sizes cameras.
GETTING TO GARDEN ISLAND
You can drive your vehicle to our Garden Island location. Please use the Google links in this confirmation to get the exact location and directions. Note the road out to Garden Island goes through an industrial zone and is not very nice! It gets better, a lot better at the end of the road!
There is no public transport to Garden Island.
Unless otherwise requested we supply 2-person kayaks for this tour.
WEATHER
We operate in most weather conditions, including rain. We have been doing this
a long time and understand safe operating conditions. If we are concerned, we
will stop, pause, delay or shorten the session for a break in weather.
If we assess the weather to be unsafe, Adventure Kayak SA may have to cancel or postpone/delay the session. We will attempt to do this prior to the day. On the actual day of service, weather conditions may still require our immediate intervention.
Extreme weather conditions where Adventure Kayak SA may have to cancel, or postpone/delay include:
- Fire Danger Ratings where it is extreme or catastrophic in the experience locations or if there are any fires near the experience locations that would make it unsafe
- Severe thunderstorms & lightning
- Extreme temperature (hot or cold)
- Severe wind
- Flooding
If we have to change the session, we will offer the next
time slot or cancel providing the opportunity for rescheduling.
For a full list of FAQs for your experience, including our cancellation policy, please see the attached PDF.
Thanks again for booking, have a great time!
