Would you believe that winter is an ideal time to experience a Coffin Bay oyster farm tour…?!

You read right… winter! 

Coffin Bay is a hidden gem in winter & we’ll tell you all the reasons why. 

Coffin Bay oysters PEAK during winter – meaning the world’s most sought after oysters only exist during winter & our tours offer you the opportunity to indulge in them direct from the oyster farm.

How and why do oysters peak in winter you ask…? Great question…!

The cooler climate increases upwellings which Coffin Bay oysters feed on & thrive from. 

Upwellings nourish oysters with pure, nutrient rich waters & as a result they develop a firm flesh & embody a magnificent nutty flavour.

Another reason we love oyster farm tours in winter is because more often than not we experience picturesque conditions on the waterways, cool but calm conditions.  

Plus our premium waders are guaranteed to keep you dry & toasty warm so you can explore the waterways in complete comfort. 

Our seal & sea lion sightings are also spectacular at this time of year, a guest recently describing this part of the tour as “like something out of a David Attenborough documentary” via facebook review. 

Itinerary 

Cruise 16km aboard CB01 to an oyster farm surrounded by crystal clear turquoise waters. 

Along the journey you’ll experience all the beauty of the pristine Coffin Bay coastline including stunning views of secluded islands, pillowy beaches & witness pods of dolphins playing in the water alongside the oyster vessel (sightings cannot be guaranteed but are highly likely). 

Once we arrive you’ll instantly discover the beauty & vastness of the world famous, prime growing oyster region. 

Here you can relax & enjoy a beverage from the licensed bar & take in the spectacular views as we slowly cruise through the farm.

Now comes the fun part…! The wading experience! 

Throughout winter there is a chance the tide will be too high to wade in the oyster farm.

We experience higher tides during winter which enrich oysters with an abundance of nutrients which allow their flavour to fully develop. 

If the tide is too high for wading we’ll cruise to one of Coffin Bay’s stunning, remote secluded beaches (a hidden gem of a location only accessible by boat). 

This beach has been identified as an optimal location for wading & exploring the Coffin Bay waterways during winter.  

Now it’s time to pop on some waders, immerse yourself in nature & explore the waterways at your own leisure…!

An enthralling experience where you’ll discover just how pure & translucent the waters of Coffin Bay are (it’s no wonder they nourish & produce the world’s best oysters…!) 

After the wading experience we retreat to the boat & your host, a veteran oyster farmer, will share with you the history of oyster farming including how world class oysters are produced in Coffin Bay. 

At the conclusion of the oyster talk you will be served up freshly shucked Premium Season Oysters.

The flavour of these oysters is simply incredible & is perfectly matched with the beverages available to purchase aboard the oyster vessel. 

Before we return to Coffin Bay we have one more stop to make. 

We cruise to the Coffin Bay national park to Brother’s Island to see the herds of seals. 

These beautiful creatures love playing in the shores & lazing on the rocks of this remote island, it’s an incredible scene (sightings cannot be guaranteed but are highly likely). 

From here we take our time travelling back to the Coffin Bay marina so you can soak in every element of the beautiful, remote, Coffin Bay landscapes and waterways. 

*This itinerary is subject to change & based on the skippers discretion on the day. 

*In the event the wading experience takes place outside the oyster farm we you will be issued a 25% off discount code that can be used on a future booking. 

Important Information: 

Minimum Numbers – We require a minimum of 4 people for this tour to operate. At the time of your booking you will be notified whether minimum numbers have been met. 

If minimum numbers have not been met you will be notified once they have. Alternatively you will be notified that minimum numbers have not been met & the tour will not be proceeding (this scenario is unlikely however if it occurs you will be issued a full refund or you will have the option to move your booking to an alternate date).   

Additionally if our schedule is not showing a particular day, time or tour that you are interested in please contact us & we will try to accommodate your request. 

Checkin – Tour checkin time is strictly 15 minutes prior to you tour start time at the boat at berth 5 Coffin Bay Yacht Club floating jetty. The boat departs at the tour start time so please don’t be late as we would hate for you to miss the boat. We can’t wait unfortunately.

Tour Duration – Tour duration is an approximate only. If your tour finishes a little early it is only because of less numbers on board that day or weather has allowed us to finish everything a little quicker than normal.

What to Bring – We recommend you pack sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a towel & camera (you are definitely going to want to capture this experience!) plus bathers if you prefer to swim then wade. 

The weather can also quickly turn on the water, even when fine, sunny conditions are forecast, so we always advise bringing a warm jacket & beanie. 

Minors – Children 0-4yrs must be strictly supervised by their parents at all times.

We welcome children & infants on our tours. We find that most children are really curious about oysters, how they’re grown, the oyster boat & all of the exciting marine life we encounter along the way. Plus love jumping on mum & dad’s shoulders while they wade in the water…! However our skippers talk is approximately 20-30mins long which is generally not of interest to little ones. Therefore we recommend parents bring a quiet activity for this part of the tour (an iPad with head phones is ideal) or an exciting snack to keep the kids entertained during this time. 

Alternatively families have the option to sit in the outside seating area during this part of the tour if they’d be more comfortable, which is an ideal location to spot an array of sea-creatures in the oyster farm. 

Occasionally we have a few oyster bags to return to the water, if your booking is a special occasion & you don’t want this to happen please let us know. Please contact the office for your 3rd child free.

Wading – In the event there are unforeseen circumstances & we cannot proceed with the wading experience you will be issued a 25% off discount code that can be used on a future booking.