FAQS

Our purpose built vessel departs from beautiful Brunswick Heads. After finding a spot to park, make your way to the vessel and prepare for boarding. It only takes 15-20 minutes to arrive at the Julian Rocks snorkel site.

Our boats greatly reduce the chance of sea sickness as our low profile does not rock aggressively compared to other tour boats. There will be constant motion depending on the sea conditions. Be sure to eat at least a light meal. Consider taking precautions if you know you are sensitive.

• Take over the counter medication Kwells (less drowsy),  Travacalm or Promethazine an hour before the trip, ginger tablets can also be helpful to prevent and treat motion sickness.

• Try wearing an anti-nausea band. Some people like “Sea Bands.” They are bracelets with dots that purportedly touch acupressure points on your wrist. They have never been proven effective, but some people swear by them.

• Be clean and sober. Even a mild hangover can easily degenerate into seasickness, besides increasing various diving risks. Likewise, fatigue predisposes you to seasickness.

• Eat something. Opinions vary on this one, but most people feel better with a little bland food on their stomachs. Bread, bagels, pancakes, etc. are better than eggs and bacon. Coffee and orange juice are acidic and may irritate your stomach. Eat a little, not a lot.

• Relax. Anxiety contributes to seasickness. Those who are frightened by the ocean and the movement of the boat, or anxious about the diving later in the day, are more likely to become seasick.

• Plan ahead. All of these techniques work best if you apply them before you need them — to prevent getting motion sick in the first place. So take precautions early.

• Tell your captain that you’re sensitive at the start of the trip, and give updates if you start to feel queasy. Usually he or she can adjust the motion of the boat to help you feel better or allow you to move to the rear of the vessel where you will be less affected.

• Watch for symptoms. Early signs include chills, headache and frequent burping. Now is the time to go on deck, or move to the lee rail if you’re already there.

• Look towards land and occupy your mind with the exciting view.

If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call.

Yes, with only 16 tickets per trip, tours can sell out (but are never crowded). Book as far in advance as you can to guarantee your desired day and time.

You can make last minute bookings, but please call us on 0407522422 as we may need to arrange your refreshments or transfers in advance.

We love providing fun for the whole family, although we do have some restrictions. The minimum age to participate in the snorkeling is 7 years old and you must be able to swim 200m unassisted and be comfortable in the water, which is too deep to stand.

The child’s rate is suitable for children aged 7-12yrs. No children under these age requirements are permitted on the cruise. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Everyone must wear life jackets assigned by the Captain whilst aboard the vessel at all times and follow Captain’s instructions.

Yes! We do offer private charters. To enquire further, please email or call us on 0407 522 422 to reserve your exclusive charter. Please keep in mind that to secure your desired date and time, it is recommended to book as far in advance as possible.

Yes! To enquire further, please email or call us on 0407 522 422.

In the warmer months you can expect it to be between 22-27°C and in the cooler months it is between 18-23°C.

We recommend you show up to the boat in your swimwear ready to place your wetsuit on, with an extra layer of clothing just in case you get a cold.

Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, swimwear, a towel, drinking water, a hat and a change of dry clothes. And if you’d like to capture your incredible underwater experience bring an underwater camera!

There is an abundance of sea life to experience! You’ll send plenty of colourful fish (there are hundreds of species in the area), and if you’re lucky you might just spot a Turtle, Wobbegong, Manta Ray, Leopard Shark, Grey Nurse Shark, Eagle Ray and even a Dolphin or Whale. The time of year affects the marine life you might encounter, so head to the Marine Life page to find out more.

The tour runs in light rain and other moderate weather conditions, but we may cancel the activity up to the start time in the event of severe or unsafe weather or ocean conditions. If we cancel the cruise, ticket holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), convert their tickets to Gift Vouchers for use in the future, or receive a full refund. Please keep in mind that redeemed Gift Cards are non-refundable and can only be moved to another day or gifted to another person to use.

If the tour is not cancelled, it’s because we’re confident you’ll have a great experience. Even when there is light rain or moderate weather, visibility can still be excellent.

Julian Rocks is classed as a sanctuary zone so while we encourage you to marvel at the marine life that surrounds you, we ask that you do not interact with it in any way. There are many threatened and protected species in the area, so as a rule we ask that you do not touch or harass any marine life you encounter.

We have a cooler on board that can accommodate light snacks and beverages (available for Private Charters only). There are restaurants nearby to the boarding wharf. We do not recommend bringing full carry-out meals or picnics on board, unless you have booked a private charter.

As a responsible tour operator, we are committed to providing our guests with unforgettable nature-based tours in Ballina and Byron Bay. COVID-19 restrictions have eased across New South Wales and Australia, but we must not be complacent. As such, Out Of The Blue Adventures has taken a number of additional measures to keep our experiences as safe and as comfortable as possible for our guests. Out Of The Blue Adventures full COVID-19 Policy can be found – here.

We consciously do not offer single-use plastic water bottles. As ocean ambassadors, we support alternatives to “disposable” plastics because we’ve seen the destructive effects it has on the sea life we love. We might even stop to pick up some plastic trash or a deflated helium balloon during your trip, and celebrate saving the life of a sea turtle or whale that will not eat that one piece of plastic by accident.

Fine leather that could be damaged by salt, high-heeled shoes or loose sandals, skirts, full meals, crumbly or messy snacks, any glassware.

Our boats are RIBs, or Rigid-hull Inflatable Boats, with a hard, aluminium hull surrounded by inflated pontoons for extra stability. RIBs are popular for whale-watching in many parts of the world. Ours are the first 20-25 seater vessels offering ocean adventures in the Byron and Ballina Region. Our vessel is purpose-built to the highest standards of safety and reliability making it perfect for our Whale Watching & Ocean Adventure Cruises.

Yes, everyone is required to wear the provided life jackets on board.  There are enough for each passenger. All children must wear a life vest at all times whilst aboard the vessel.

Our captain may give you a taste of the boats manoeuvrability and speed at their discretion and far away from whales, but our primary focus on our ocean and river cruises is the experience of closeness to nature. We always operate within safe parameters for the sea’s changing conditions and with utmost respect for the marine life.

We never go the full speed that the boat is capable of, and we only go as fast as our passengers are comfortable. The main advantage of being on our boat is that we are able to move faster to see more wildlife and scenery in shorter amounts of time. If at any point during our cruises you are uncomfortable let the captain know and we will slow down to make sure that everyone is having fun!

The Byron Bay whale watching season starts at the end of May. The first migrating Humpback Whales are normally sighted in the middle of May, but we don’t start whale watching until there are enough whales around to ensure that you will have plenty to see. Byron Bay’s whale watching season ends at the end of October/ early November.

If we deem sea or bar conditions to be dangerous or extremely unpleasant for our customers, we will cancel our cruises. To avoid inconvenience, we will endeavour to give you as much notice as possible by studying forecasts and observing sea conditions. However, forecasts can be inaccurate and sea conditions can change unexpectedly. If you have any doubt about the conditions or if you are travelling a long distance to get to us, please give us a call on the day before departure. Please note that light rain and overcast skies will not affect your whale watching trip or Ocean Adventure Cruise. In the event that we cancel a cruise, you will have the option to move your booking to another day (subject to availability) or receive a full refund (Please note that redeemed Gift Card’s are non-refundable, only transferrable to another day or person).