Perth Wildlife Encounters — Local services in Shoalwater

Glass-Bottom Scam: Where Dreams Sink Faster Than the Boat

Ah, the Dolphins, Sea Lions, and Penguin Cruise (or something equally repetitive), with a destination to the illustrious Penguin Island. How could this not be the adventure of a lifetime? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

The advertising photos promised dolphins frolicking in the waves, sea lions sunbathing on the rocks, and penguins waddling in abundance. With a name like Penguin Island, surely it’s a penguin-packed paradise, right? Wrong. Unless you count the part where the guide basically admitted the penguins are practically extinct and the odds are the highest this time of year and still roughly the same as winning the lottery while being struck by lightning. Instead, we were graced with… drumroll, please… a couple of generic birds and a couple of sad, sunbathing lizard’s who clearly didn’t sign up to be the star of this disaster.

The glass-bottom boat? A thrilling view of murky water and the occasional clump of seaweed. Riveting stuff. Forget dolphins ; the only dolphins we saw were the ones drawn on the company logo.

The most entertaining part of our Dolphins, Sea Lions, and (Imaginary) Penguins Cruise? Oh, it wasn’t the wildlife—because there wasn’t any. No, the real showstopper came when the cruise operator nearly collided with a docked vessel.

But wait, it gets better! The pièce de résistance was the deeply captivating story about some guy who occupied the island almost 100 years ago and decided to TNT-bomb some caves like he was auditioning for a low-budget action film. Oh, and those caves? Don’t bother getting excited—they’re completely off-limits because, apparently, blowing things up wasn’t great for long-term tourism appeal. Who knew?

So, to summarize: no dolphins, 1 minute stop To see a couple see lions, no penguins, no caves, and no point. The only thing you’ll explore on this cruise is how gullible you were for buying a ticket. Save your money, stay home, and look at stock photos of penguins instead—it’s cheaper and way less...

This was so much fun and a fantastic experience! I had a goofy smile on my face the whole time. It is large crew and they all work tirelessly throughout the morning to make sure everyone is comfortable and having a good time. There were some people who were uneasy in in the water, and I observed the crew gently coaxing, but not forcing or pushing them to do anything outside their comfort level. The groups take turns going in the water to experience the dolphins, with about four groups going in at one time while the rest wait on the boat. Even on the boat, you can observe the dolphins playing so are having fun. Once in the water, you form a line holding on to each other while the guide at the front propels you through the water so there is no much work for you to do. The dolphins come to you if they want and can swim away just as quickly. The more the dolphins want to engage, the more opportunities you will have to get in the water. We were so fortunate to jump in so many times that I lost count. Each time is about 1-2 minutes, maybe a little longer if you are having a good interaction with the dolphins since they will not interrupt your experience to take you out. Lunch was plentiful and delicious with lots of vegetarian options. One of my fav parts was after the swim, watching the dolphins follow our boat's wake doing all sorts of jumps and flips. They are truly marvelous animals and this tour is a wonderful way to...

Penguin Island & Dolphin, Sea Lion & Penguin Island Cruise – A Stunning Nature Experience

Penguin Island is a breathtaking destination just off the coast of Rockingham, perfect for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. The short ferry ride over offers gorgeous views, and the island itself features crystal-clear waters, white sandy beaches, and scenic walking trails.

Seeing little penguins in the wild is rare, but the 30-minute guided tour was a great way to explore the island’s beauty and learn about its wildlife. Two special highlights were spotting a dolphin and also seeing the sea lion play with his food during the tour—both magical moments! The island is also home to a variety of seabirds, making it a great spot for birdwatching.

We also took part in the Dolphin, Sea Lion & Penguin Island Cruise, which was a fantastic experience. While we didn’t see dolphins during the cruise itself, the sight of sea lions lounging on the sandbanks was incredible. The crew was knowledgeable and made the experience both informative and engaging. The cruise provided beautiful views of the marine park and made for a relaxing way to enjoy the area.

Overall, Penguin Island combined with the cruise makes for a fantastic day trip. Just be sure to bring your own food and water, as facilities on the island are limited.

A wonderful nature experience with stunning scenery, wildlife encounters, and a well-run guided...