Page 35 - Go55s summer web

Cruise & Travel

Wild Oceans EcoBoat

Ticket To Adventure

hillip Island’s ever-changing and even some of the adults let
coastline forms the perfect out little squeals of excitement
Pbackdrop for a fun wildlife and joy as your captain skillfully
adventure on the Wild Oceans and playfully navigates the rigid-
EcoBoat as it speeds across the hulled inflatable EcoBoat around
surface of the water, much to the and over the waves.
delight of its excited passengers. Your onboard ranger points out
The EcoBoat starts its 90 minute the Nobbies sea-cave, only visible
Adventure Tour in the sheltered from the water, which has been
waters of Westernport. The shaped by centuries of pounding
beaches of Cowes and Ventnor slide waves. Some call it a pirate’s cave,
effortlessly by as you make your way but it would be a brave buccaneer
towards Seal Rocks, home of the that tried to shelter here. water, perhaps as interested in you in the midst of a wild seal colony, in
world’s largest colony of Australian Twenty minutes after departing as you are in them. Their antics look their home.
fur seals. As you pass the headland Cowes jetty you arrive at Seal Rocks, like a cross between leap-frog and As your time out at Seal Rocks
of Grossard Point, you can’t help but an important breeding area and hide and seek. draws to a close and you say
notice the shoreline changing from nursery for around 25,000 Australian You manage to tear your gaze goodbye to the thousand or so
grassy sand-dunes to colourful rock- fur seals. On any given day, you can away from the seals for just a new friends you’ve just made, the
faces, evidence of ancient geological expect to see up to about 8,000 moment and one of the onboard EcoBoat makes its way back towards
forces at work. seals on the two rocky islands that screens catches your eye. You take Cowes. There’s time for a quick
As you approach the western make up Seal Rocks. a little time to watch the frolicking stop at the Cat Bay National Surfing
tip of Phillip Island the volcanic The EcoBoat slips into a protected seals below the surface, thanks Reserve, famous for its longboard
origins of the stunning coastline inlet between two rocky plateaus, to the underwater camera, but break, and your skipper shows you
become clear as the cliffs become and you find yourself confronted of course the real excitement is that a surfboard is not the only thing
higher and the Nobbies rock with the unmistakable sights, sounds all around you. You notice that that can catch a wave as you ride the
formation looms ahead of you. The and smells of a seal colony. The everyone around you has a grin from surging ocean swell. Your immersive
calm waters of the bay give way to naturally curious and playful seals ear to ear and you realise that you wildlife experience concludes as you
the increasing swells driven in by immediately surround the boat and must look exactly the same as you pull in at the Cowes jetty with plenty
the Southern Ocean. The children duck their heads in and out of the share this special moment of being of fun and exciting stories to share.

Wild

Oceans

EcoBoat Rangers

Tours

Experience the wonders of Phillip Island’s amazing

coastline with our knowledgeable rangers. www.penguins.org.au

Summer 2017 | The Go55s Newspaper 35