They practice a 100% guarantee whale sighting. What that means is if you do not get to see any whale on your trip, they will issue you another ticket voucher to come back again. The ticket is valid for a year.
So we went out to sea twice and still did not see any whales. It was most disappointing but I guessed it was part and parcel of wildlife.
I was prone to seasickness and was advised to take the smaller boat as it moved faster compared to the bigger one. I also took Travel Calm and I literally dozed off for the first 30 minutes out in the boat. I took two tablets. Lesson learnt. One tablet was enough and I was fine on both trips out to sea.
We went in early November 2014 and on the first boat trip, we managed to see dolphins playing hide and seek with us. It was just too bad the whales were resting as the morning boat tour on that day saw a mother and calf playing in the bay area. So for our trip out, we were searching for the whales.
We went back a few days later and decided on the morning tour since we did an afternoon tour previously. We went out to the open sea and did not spot any whales too.
The crew was a fun bunch and being safe was paramount. We were told to stay in our seats while they powered the boat out to the middle of the bay or further. Once we were in the spotting mode, we were allowed to stand by the railings to try to spot any dolphins or whales.
Apparently Jervis Bay is home to many dolphins so it would be easier to spot them than whales. During the migratory season (May to November), whales (humpbacks) tend to stay in Jervis Bay area for a while, to fatten up or increase their blubber, especially for nursing calves, so that they can survive the trip.
So I still have a ticket which is valid till November 2015. Let's see if I do make a return trip again. Maybe it will be 3rd time lucky.
Tip for out of towners, go for the tour in the early part of your trip so that if you do not get to see any whales, you can go again towards the end of your trip if you are still in the area. read more