Ningaloo Whaleshark-N-Dive — Local services in Exmouth

Our trip was Wednesday 19th of June, the day was coolish and windy and the sea was extremely choppy. Our day commenced with a bus pick up. The bus was old and our seats had no seatbelts although I think it is the law to wear them. We then had to sign a waiver on extremely dirty iPads in a hurry. From there we boarded an old looking vessel. I was quite shocked as the brochure described it very differently. I booked this company because obviously wanted to have a shark experience but also because we thought we were getting barrister coffee and there was a possibility of a warm shower as per the description. I thought for $500/person we would be getting a much more comfortable experience. The coffee was not even remotely barrister coffee, it was a home style coffee machine. Toilet was terrible with no shower and no lock at all!!! Definitely not acceptable when you have 20+ people/strangers on board. When we boarded, sea was veryy choppy and I along with others felt quite unsafe at times. Even walking to the toilet was a hazard let alone walking to an upper deck to view the orcas. I was really relieved and surprised there were no serious accidents that day. We had all been handed our wet suits some of which looked like they have certainly seen better days. For $500/person expectation would be a bit higher. Soon after we all got our equipment we went for our first and only snorkel. What a disaster. 5 people asked for help as felt unsafe in choppy seas. The crew had their hands full to gather all people who asked for help.Some of them were quite elderly and had a really hard time getting back on the boat. There was no ladder, you had to be fairly strong to be able to pull yourself up. I have read the brochure it had no age restriction at all. Anyway we then had morning tea which was served in the middle of the seating and I can tell you it was a real hazard to get to the food due to rocking of the vessel. I would never have attempted to make a hot drink as I was sure I would spill it on myself or one of my fellow travellers. Soon after morning tea four people, one of them my husband became quite ill with sea sickness. My husband never got sea sickness in his life!!! At no time were they offered much comfort, they had to run to the end of the boat, find something to hold onto and vomit overboard. One of the ladies vomited in the sink as she couldn’t make it and one of the gentleman vomited in the bin as he also wasn’t able to make it to the end of the boat. These poor souls could hardly stand on their feet but no chair or any additional comfort was ever offered. One of the ladies was offering $500 to be taken back to the shore!!! My poor husband and the others had to endure the next 6 hours being very uncomfortable, no where really to sit properly until we got back to the shore. One of the crew was also unwell, and a young girl sitting next to me was on the verge of vomitimg, not able to eat or really enjoy. My husband and the other three souls vomited multiple times over the course of the day and at one point I honestly thought we were going to have an emergency on our hands. At no point did the captain (I think Brandon was his name)come to check on any of these people nor had he apologized or tried to somehow make it less painfull for the sick people. Absolutely no comfort at all was offered to any of them!!!! I was appalled!!! Crew consisted of 4 ladies all of which were only with the company for three months. I honestly did not feel safe at all and was shocked that something like this can go on in Australia!!! No duty of care happened at all on that day. Captain achieved his goal which was to spot the whale shark but under what circumstances!!! First and foremost should be the safety and wellbeing of the visitors. Very disappointing and scary experience. I dont know if the vessel we went on is one of the few in your company as I certainly hope you read my story and look into it. I would hate for anyone else to experience what we did. I dont think whoever was in charge on that day should be...

Swimming with Whale Sharks, Plus, Plus!

Don’t usually write reviews. However can not let the opportunity go past to say a Huge Thank You to Ningaloo WhaleSharkNDive: not only Mark, Jess M and Jess H, make sure it is truly an amazing day and experience of “Swimming with Whalesharks”. From the frank discussion in store as to the likely best day for us to join them, to friendly and knowledgeable staff, to the hearty Welcome on board Akilia and later making sure everyone felt fully welcome and comfortable in the water alongside the gentle giants. Jess M and Amy were awesome in making sure all swimmers of all ages were comfortable in the water with the gear and able to have the best of experiences swimming with the whale sharks, and also in getting to sight and have time with a vast range of marine life (including a stingray laying very, very low, submerged in the sandy seafloor). Not only did a little girl go from being nervous in the water with snorkel gear on her face, to, with Amy’s encouragement and shepherding throughout on a noodle, someone delighting in the experience, face fully in the water in awe as a whaleshark passed her by; providing also her parent with the opportunity to fully participate in this ‘bucket list’ experience. Ken, the skipper, assisted by Nat as well as the spotter plane crew, worked hard all day to maximize all sightings, so we all got maximum time in the water – “making the day, ours”. Jess and Amy were fabulous sharing their knowledge of marine biology and the Reef, leading our swims and in giving us onboard presentations. Some of the latter given as we feasted on the sumptuous lunch buffet - catering for all dietary enjoyment from vegetable frittata and multitude of cosmopolitan salads, to antipasto and cheese boards, pastrami, and other sliced meat platters and a bucketful of chilled king prawns- and later a champagne afternoon tea. Jess Hagen, Thank you not only for you tour guide suggestions as Jess Mdrove us all back into drop-offs in Exmouth, but most especially for your photographic and video memoirs of our day. Further, Thank you NWSND for including the DVD of Jess’s photographic work, as well as the beautiful totebag literally tote-ing reminders of our fabulous day. Already sharing the memories and photos/videos with envious friends and family. Such great value, we will be back…....

Absolutely amazing day out.

Everything was seamless from start to finish: shuttle pick-up from our accommodation, a tender ride in small groups to the main vessel, and a warm cuppa to kick things off.

Safety briefings were clear, and the pilot snorkel was a great way to get comfortable in the water and ensure our gear fit.

Morning tea was delicious—fresh bread with olive oil, balsamic and dukkah, veggies with dips, and cheeses with crackers.

We were blessed with calm seas and perfect visibility, swimming with whale sharks on at least five different occasions. Each encounter was magical, watching these gentle giants glide by, surrounded by little fish.

Our in-water guides, Kate and Lucia, were fantastic—supportive and reassuring, especially for beginner snorkelers like me. I was grateful to use a pool noodle or be towed if needed.

Photographer Jack made sure we got great photos—even giving us a strong tow to keep pace with the whale sharks, always maintaining a respectful distance.

We also spotted humpback whales surfacing nearby—another special treat.

Lunch was another highlight—prawns, sliced meats, salads, fresh bread, cheeses, and a range of fizzy drinks, including sugar-free options.

The afternoon lagoon snorkel was breathtaking—schools of colourful fish, a ray, and even a reef shark. We drifted back to the boat with the current, soaking it all in.

Fresh fruit, bubbly, and beers were served as we cruised back, followed by a photo session on deck before being dropped off at our accommodation. Photos from the day were included too!

Huge thanks to Brendan (skipper), Jack (driver/photographer), Lucia and Kate (in-water guides), and Kim (tender boat) for their professionalism, warmth, and care throughout the day.

This had been on my bucket list for years, and I’m beyond grateful to have experienced it in such a spectacular way. A true...