DESCRIPTION
Welcome to your floating oasis – Our ‘Aqua Oasis Cruise’ caters to everyone, whether you’re a thrill-seeker or looking to unwind.
Cruising our way through the Great Sandy Straits Marine Park to our destination for the day, keep an eye out for dolphins, turtles, dugongs, birds, and maybe even a dingo. Once anchored, dive into our water activities: relax on the airdock, kick back on the water mat, slide into fun on the waterslide, or test your balance on Stand Up Paddle Boards. Snorkel to catch a glimpse of life under the sea, occasionally schools of bait fish, turtles, or eagle rays might make an appearance.
For the adrenaline enthusiasts, our 1m, 3.5m jumping platforms are ready for action and if water isn’t your thing, find your spot on the sun decks, grab a chair or towel, and soak up the sun and flick through your favorite book. Our fully licensed onboard bar offers the perfect refreshments as you enjoy the views and best of all, no crowds, QuickCat is licenced for 100 guests but we cap our Aqua Oasis Cruise at just 25 guests!
Throughout the morning, our crew serves a light morning tea with cakes and fruit and when we are ready to head home to the harbor, we’ll continue wildlife spotting and ensure you’re back in time to go grab some lunch—we recommend “The Dock Restaurant at the Great Sandy Straits Marina”
Join us for a day of aquatic adventures and relaxation on ‘Quick Cat II’
Includes:
- Informative and friendly crew with local knowledge of the area and wildlife
- Complimentary Light Morning Tea and refreshments ( Tea, Coffee, Juice, Water)
- Use of water activity equipment (Floating Air dock, Water Slide, Water Carpet/Mat, Stand Up Paddle Boards, Mask and snorkels, Pool noodles,1m/3.5m Jumping Platforms, Life vests)
- Surround sound music playing throughout (Song requests welcome)
- Fully licensed bar for food and beverage purchases
- Non-smoking vessel
What to Bring:
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Sense of adventure
- Camera (preferably waterproof)
- Swimwear & towel
- Money for drinks, snacks, souvenirs, whale swim if desired. EFTPOS is available on board.
- Floatation devices (if desired)
- Stinger suit or long sleeve clothing (if desired)
Cruise Time:
- 8:30AM departure & 12:30PM return
*Please check in at 8:15am*
Check In:
Please ensure all guests check in at our floating office at least 15 minutes prior to your Cruise departure time. Our floating office is located beside Quick Cat II, at the Great Sandy Straits Marina, near Cafe Balena.
If you experience unexpected delays, please call us on (07) 4128 9611.
FAQ’s
Q: Will we land at K’gari (Fraser Island) or any other beaches throughout the cruise?
A: The Aqua Oasis Cruise is primarily a boat-based tour with most activities being conducted from the boat. Access to a landing spot on the beach is not always possible due to tides and weather, however, ideally on each cruise we would like to anchor close enough to the beach where is it a short swim/paddle or tender ride to the beach if possible.
Q: Is there good snorkeling during the ‘Aqua Oasis Cruise’?
A: As far as reef goes in Hervey Bay, there isn’t much of it, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a little look at life under the sea, occasionally we may have turtles, eagle rays or schools of bait fish around coffee rock or sunken logs that can be nice to look at.
Q: Do you have snorkeling gear on board?
A: We have a small supply of masks and snorkels on board for guests to use, we don’t supply fins as snorkeling is to be conducted in close range to the anchored vessel and we don’t encourage deep diving or breath holding during this activity.
Q: Are there Jelly fish in the water?
A: Yes, there can be jellyfish, most are harmless and leave only a slight irritation of the skin and easily fixed buy a quick splash of vinegar that we keep on board. There have been isolated reports previously of Irukandji Jelly fish in the area, usually reported closer to the creeks on the island, we do recommend long sleeve clothing for a bit of added protection if you are concerned about stingers. We are third generation locals here in Hervey Bay and we have never hesitated to swim in these areas in the past.
Q: Do you have floatation devices for those who are not confident swimmers?
A: Yes, we have a range of floatation devices on offer throughout the cruise, these range from toys and equipment to Australian standard Life vests.
Our regulated floatation devices include: The ships Life Jackets, Life rings, Carly Floats and water sports life vests Our unregulated floatation devices include: Floating Air dock, Water Carpet/mat, Stand Up Paddle boards and pool noodles. We would encourage you to bring your own small Personal Floatation devices if you would like to, please refrain from bring large bulky blow-up pool toys that may easily blow away in the breeze and take up large amounts of deck space.
Q: Are there sharks in the area?
A: Yes, there can be sharks in the area, we are yet to see one while conducting shallow water swimming activities but there is always a chance as we are swimming in the ocean with no fences or cages and sharks are free to swim where they please. As always, you enter the water at your own risk and again as third generation locals we have never hesitated to swim in these areas.
Q: Is this tour wheelchair accessible?
A: Quick Cat II is completely wheel chair accessible around the entire main deck due to having ramps instead of stairs, unfortunately we don’t have a means for accessing the water or tender vessels for wheelchairs.
Q: What is the access to and from the water?
A: Access to and from the water is via a ladder off the rear swimming platform, moderate physical ability/mobility is required to climb this ladder.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION PRIOR TO CRUISE DEPARTUREWeather and Sea Conditions
The Hervey Bay Whale Watch team has been operating in the area for over 30 years, which has allowed them to become highly familiar with the conditions and preferences of their guests. To ensure the safety of their passengers, Quick Cat II will not leave the harbour in dangerous conditions. While some guests may not be bothered by rough conditions, the company is willing to reschedule cruises for those who are uncomfortable. If the weather is too rough to provide an enjoyable experience, our office staff will promptly notify guests of the cancellation and offer the choice of a refund or the opportunity to rebook for a calmer day. The tour destinations and itenirary varys for each and every trip, we will conduct the tour aiming for the most enjoyable and comfortable expereince with the weather that is presented on each individual cruise.
Terms & Conditions:
– Passengers are required to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to departure time.
– Passengers are required by law to follow all safety instructions given by the crew and captain at all times.
– Passengers are responsible for their own personal belongings and any loss or damage is at their own risk.
– Smoking is strictly prohibited on board Quick Cat II
– Hervey Bay Whale Watch is not responsible for any injury or loss of property resulting from passenger misconduct or failure to follow safety instructions.
– Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
– Hervey Bay Whale Watch reserves the right to refuse boarding to any passenger who appears to be under the influence of drugs or who poses a threat to the safety of the vessel and its passengers.
– No refunds will be provided for any missed tours or charters due to late arrival or non-compliance with the terms and conditions.
– Hervey Bay Whale Watch has a zero-tolerance policy towards rude or abusive behavior towards our staff. We ask that all passengers treat our staff with respect and courtesy at all times.
– Hervey Bay Whale Watch reserve the right to substitute another vessel at any time.
– Tour times may vary slightly dependent on conditions and distance travelled.
– Cruise may be cancelled or substituted at any time due to weather or tide conditions or if viable passenger numbers are not reached.
