Dolphin & Seal Swim (Adult) - Vic

Dolphin/Seal Swim
by Luva, Melbourne, Australia
My experience swimming with the dolphin is the best experience I've ever had. I'm not a dolphin lover but I love animals in general (dogs, cats, big cats).

The Dolphin was divided into 2 sessions (morning around 8:30 am) and mid-day (1pm). I've been to both sessions (within 1 year of each other). The first session I went was the morning session. We had to meet the group in the Sorrento Pier. It's easy to spot the boat/group. We were briefed and given a wet suit and our snorkling gear. It's good if you've snorkled before but it's not necessary for this as long as you know how to swim :D! If you do not know how to swim you can just tag along observing the dolphin on top of the boat. It's still fun (my partner did that! and he had a very nice experience seeing the dolphin from the boat). You pay about $40 for observer.

We could ask a lot of questions and they've given us signs so it's pretty reliable (so don't worry so much about being left out in the middle of the sea like the movie 'Open Water'). I asked whether they've seen sharks before while everyone's swimming with the dolphin and they said they never had experience where their customers got chased/bitten by a shark ( i guess thats because they had the shark signal where when they move their hand to give you signals that you have to go back to the boat immediately hehehe....). Once we're in the middle of the sea, they pulled down the rope and stairs and got each one of us (swimmers) to go down to the boat and we got to hang on the rope).

I had a great time the fact that I got to swim so close to the dolphins!!!! There was a time where the dolphin swam underneat me and I could touch it if I wanted to but I didn't. You're meant to hummm derneath the water to attract the dolphins :D! I guess my humming worked hehe!!!! My partner also had an awesome experience. He saw dolphins jumping and lead infront of the boat. The boat was surrounded by dolphins. We also saw lot of seals. I could not describe the experience in words but it was really amazing. The water was a bit cold but the wet suits definetely help. After the swim we went on board the boat had a cup of tea/coffee and had coffee scrolls, pizza rolls, etc. A year later, I went back to do the afternoon swim instead of the morning one hoping the water will be warmer in the afternoon. We didn't get to swim with the dolphins but we saw the dolphins from far. So it wasn't as good as my first experience but still really good though. Got to see the dolphins from far. We went to see the seals. The seals all gathered in one place in a buoy. It was smelly but it's worth it. A warning though, do not get close to some of the seals that were seating around. Some of them are sooo big. You do not want them to squash you went they dive back to the sea to swim.

I've been to dolphin shows in Sea world, but this experience definetely better and different. My partner had the same feeling too eventhough he didn't swim with the dolphin. He saw the dolphins surrounded the boat and couple dolphins swam so fast in front of the boat. Dolphins are amazing animals!! Afterall, this experience is a must!!