Duration:
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Our tour begins with a 10min boat ride through mouth of the Tweed River entrance, then onwards to Cook Island Aquatic Reserve (Joongurra-Narrian). The reserve lies approximately 600m off the shore of Fingal Head, NSW. It is a foraging ground to a significant number of sea turtles. The numbers are so significant that the island was originally named Turtle Island. The surrounding waters of the reserve are also home to a wide variety of subtropical and temperate species of fish, crustaceans, and rays – just to name a few! Prepare to be awed by the magical underwater world that lies here on our doorstep!
After exploring Cook Island, we will cruise along the Fingal/Tweed head coast, in search of the many local species of dolphins that live near by! Our dolphin friends love playing in the waves close to the shore lines of Fingal Head, and occasionally in the wake or bow of our boat! A few species of dolphins that call the Tweed area their home, include: Indo-Pacific Dolphin, Short-beaked Common Dolphin & the Common Bottlenose Dolphin. These playful creatures can be found feeding, resting, and socialising in pods of 4-5, or even 40-50 at a time! Come and experience the wonderful and thrilling action of these beautiful creatures up close!
Every Turtle & Dolphin Safari is always a unique adventure! With our highly experienced, professional and personal skipper and crew on hand throughout your trip. Having a wealth of knowledge and passion for the marine life of the area and the stunning Tweed and Gold Coast region, they look forward to sharing with you.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- Guaranteed Turtle sightings or return for free!
- Qualified, experienced and professional skipper and crew.
- Maximum 12pax.
- Informative and captivating commentary throughout the tour on Turtles & Dolphins and other marine life; Australian Aboriginal and European history along with the local area.
- Sunscreen provided.
WHAT TO BRING
It can be colder out on the water so come prepared. We recommend:
- Warm jumper/jacket (if you are prone to feeling the cold)
- Spray jacket/rain coat
- Sunglasses and hat
- Camera, GoPro etc
- Drinking water
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
- Child age (6-12yrs)
- Any children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian
- Not suitable for pregnant women or anyone with a back injury.
- Sense of adventure!
Please add a correct phone number as we may need to contact you for time changes or cancellation.
It is your responsibility to check your emails for any updates/tour time changes or cancellations.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If you wish to cancel or reschedule your tour, you must contact us by phone at least 48 hours before your tour start time. Late cancellations are non-refundable and cannot be rescheduled.
REFUND POLICY: We are unable to refund the booking or card fees you may incur if a full refund is granted.
All aboard!
We are excited to confirm you have successfully booked your upcoming tour with Cooly Eco Adventures.
IMPORTANT stuff to remember:
Please arrive **10 minutes prior to your scheduled tour** (the time showing on your booking confirmation) for tea, coffee, induction and safety briefing.
1. WHAT TO BRING
It can be colder out on the water so come prepared. We recommend:
- Warm jumper/ jacket (If you are prone to the cold!)
- Spray jacket/ Rain coat- we have some if you don’t ?
- Sunglasses and hat
- Camera, Gopro etc
- Drinking water
2. MOTION SICKNESS TABLETS
If you are, or think you might be prone to sea sickness, please consult your pharmacist and pickup some motion sickness tablets prior to joining us. We will have natural motion sickness tablet remedies on board if you are in need, but if you are likely to suffer from sea sickness we recommend you consult your pharmacist for your needs.
3. HOW TO GET HERE
Our departure location is Chinderah, situated 5mins from the pacific highway.
139-151 Chinderah bay drive Nsw 2487
Directions:
If you are driving from the south on the pacific motorway, take the Kingscliff/ Cudgen exit. and go left at the round about, follow this road.
If you are driving from the north on the Pacific Motorway, take the Kingscliff/Cuden exit, and go right at the round about. Passing under the motor way and then follow this road.
Parking:
There is street parking available along Chinderah Bay Dr.
Please Note: Do not park in front of the Cubby Bakehouse.
1. WHAT TO BRING
It can be colder out on the water so come prepared. We recommend:
- Warm jumper/ jacket (If you are prone to the cold!)
- Spray jacket/ Rain coat- we have some if you don’t ?
- Sunglasses and hat
- Camera, Gopro etc
- Drinking water
3. HOW TO GET HERE
Our departure location is Chinderah, situated 5mins from the pacific highway.
139-151 Chinderah bay drive Nsw 2487
Directions:
If you are driving from the south on the pacific motorway, take the Kingscliff/ Cudgen exit. and go left at the round about, follow this road.
If you are driving from the north on the Pacific Motorway, take the Kingscliff/Cuden exit, and go right at the round about. Passing under the motor way and then follow this road.
Parking:
There is street parking available along Chinderah Bay Dr.
Please Note: Do not park in front of the Cubby Bakehouse.
SUITS
Interests:
Skill Level:
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Jess and Lockie were super friendly and helpful
Turtles were plentiful
A great morning out
They know what they’re doing, it was worth my time and money. I’ll be back! 🙌🏻🐋
The tour operator runs a safety conscious tour providing life jackets for the boat and wetsuits for comfort and protection. For those who feel a bit hesitant about snorkelling they have pool noodles on board for extra buoyancy. There is a safety person in the water with you at all times to ensure your comfort and to aid you if you need help.
Remember the ocean isn’t an aquarium and the visibility will change with tide changes and weather conditions. Even on a cloudy day with slightly reduced visibility we saw many turtles.
The operator is a wealth of knowledge about the the turtles and their habits. Unfortunately certain species of sea turtles are endangered so seeing them in their natural environment is an amazing experience.
And the cherry on top was the amazing dolphin sighting! We floated alongside the dolphins in the boat watching them feed and swim.
Gemma and Loki were the best guide and hosts and I had the best time swimming and snorkeling in the middle of the ocean while watching and admiring the sea life underneath. It’s truly a magical experience and even novice swimmers like me can do it very easily as the guides are very helpful and will keep an eye on you. Obviously they gave us lots of safety tips and tricks and ensured we go into the water with proper equipment provided and checked by the guides.
The highlight, of course, was the turtles. Seeing these magnificent creatures up close in their natural habitat was nothing short of magical. The guides were fantastic, providing interesting facts about the marine life and ensuring we had plenty of time to enjoy the experience without feeling rushed.
The equipment provided was top-notch, and the boat ride to Cook Island was smooth and enjoyable. The crew’s passion for marine conservation was evident and added an educational aspect to the adventure, making it even more enriching.
I can’t recommend Cooley Eco Adventures enough for anyone looking to explore the beauty of Cook Island and its incredible marine life. This is a must-do activity that will leave you with memories to cherish for a lifetime!
Every effort was taken to provide a whale swim experience however never at the expense of the marine life or outside of regulations which their environmentally conscious and sustainable practices is the reason why I booked Cooly Eco Adventures to begin with. It's not just a business name, it is eco-friendly!
An epic experience topped off with fresh fruit to snack on for the return journey. Will return!
On the way back to shore, Lachie spotted some whales in the distance and went to check them out. We had an unscheduled up close 30 minute encounter with 3 whales fin slapping, rolling, and breaching. A once in a lifetime experience.
These guys do everything they can to make sure you have an incredible experience; can’t recommend them highly enough.
Thanks so much guys for a wonderful time!
Loved every minute and thought it was exceptionally good value for 2.5 hours of hanging with the GC whales.
We saw dolphins on the boat ride there and swam with a few turtles and lots of fish. We also saw wobbegong's laying on the bottom of the sea-floor!
Thank you Lachy, Joel and Gwen for your hospitality.
I would recommend this tour to anyone, they only take a maximum of 9 people out so snorkelling is very calm and you can take your time. The gear you are provided with is great and doesn’t feel like it’s been worn by 1000 people before you.
On the way over to cook island we paused to let the dolphins come and say hello which was also amazing.
If you are in two minds about booking a ‘swim with turtle’ tour I would say you can’t go wrong with these guys and book on. Thank you for a morning we will never forget
This company really knows what they are doing, highly recommend this experience. Our family of 5 including 14yr old, 17yr old and 20yr old were beaming afterwards.
I will never forget this until the day I die♥️
Staff were friendly, attentive & knowledgeable.
Lots of whale action with lots of cool facts about whales thrown in.
Comfortable boat to cruise in!
Highly recommend!
Lachlan and Georgia were crazy friendly and smiling all the time and it definitely add to our absolute experience. Highly recommend to go on your whale adventure with them! And they are cheap! Compare to the other companies around. And exclusivity, we were on a small boat, only 8 of us in total.











