Charter Chatter

The largest fish in the ocean – the mighty whale shark – has made an early appearance at Ningaloo Reef on Western Australia’s Coral Coast. These extraordinary marine creatures, which can grow up to 16 metres long, usually visit the pristine waters of Ningaloo Reef between early April and July each year following the mass spawning of coral in the area. Easily accessible from shore, Ningaloo Reef is the largest fringing reef in the world and one of the most biodiverse. Visitors can swim with the harmless gentle giants by joining one of the specialist whale shark tour boats that operate out of the small coastal towns of Exmouth and Coral Bay. Check out Western Australia.com for more information.

Dolphin Swim Australia, DolphCom Solutions and Imagine Cruises now offer an interactive experience with dolphins in Port Stephens NSW. The Aquatic Marine Viewing Experience (AMVE) is a breakthrough in dolphin/human interaction. Using specific approach techniques and relying on the dolphin’s intelligence and inherent interest in humans, guests can have an open water, in-water, dolphin experience, connected safely to the boat at all times but in the water right next to the dolphins. The cruise is also part of the most comprehensive migratory and distribution study of the “common” dolphin ever held.

During the Easter school holidays children aged 0-14 years who are accompanied by an adult can cruise for free on selected Captain Cook Cruises on Sydney Harbour.

Reef Sprinter offers time poor visitors to Port Douglas a reef snorkelling experience aboard a 500 horsepower enviro speed boat with speeds of more than 40 knots. The two-and-a-half hour tour travels to the Low Isles’ official green zone, a protected World Heritage site only a handful of operators are permitted to explore because of its vast coral gardens and abundant fish life.

Hervey Bay luxury catamaran Freedom III has introduced a new cruise offering guests a behind the scenes look at pearl farming and the chance to harvest their own oyster shell. The cruise travels across to the western side of Fraser Island to the Fraser Island Pearls, producers of Australian Akoya Cultured Pearls for a demonstration of the art of seeding and opening oysters.

Cunard Line announces that Queen Mary 2 will be based in Australia in 2012 for a history-making circumnavigation, which will see her visit five states and the Northern Territory.

Sunsail Sailing Holidays is offering an additional night cruising the Whitsundays when paying for four nights, two free nights when you book five nights and three free nights when you book for seven nights on departures before 30 April 2010. As a special Easter bonus for the kids, Sunsail is throwing in free use of two kayaks, so they can explore around the island coastlines and fringing coral.

Powerboats are popular with visitors to the Whitsundays who do not have a lot of time and want to see the iconic spots such as Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet and Nara Inlet in just a few days. The Moorings’ Leopard 474 PowerCat is a state-of the-art 14 metre luxury vessel that can cruise comfortably and efficiently at 12–15 knots with better-than-average fuel efficiency at higher speeds. A ten per cent discount is being offered for all departures on the 474 between 10 May - 3 June and 6 – 31 July 2010 for new bookings of a minimum of six nights confirmed before the 31 March 2010

EastSail, Sydney, is taking bookings for a 30 nautical mile trip on a Riviera 4000 motor cruiser to view the historic scuttling of the ex HMAS Adelaide approximately two nautical miles off Avoca Beach on 27 March. This is the sixth time a naval vessel has been scuttled in Australian waters, and it is set to become an exciting dive site that will be within easy access to the public. See HMAS Adelaide.com for more details.

Photograph: Whale Sharks