Whale Sightings Guaranteed.

If whales are not sighted on your tour, come out again for free!*

This is the question we get asked the most often. The answer is there is no time that is better than any other. The whales are migrating up and down the coast 24 hours a day. There is an equal chance of finding some whales at all times throughout the day.

Some good land based whale watching locations include: North head, Long Reef, Vaucluse, Cape Solander. At different times of the year the whales track different distances off the coast. To see the whales up close you will need to go out on a boat. We head anywhere from 1km to 20km offshore depending on the migratory route of the whales at that point of the season.

Ocean Extreme uses the fastest vessels in town, so we can get you to and from the whales quicker than any other boat. Thus, our tours don’t last as long. A tour can take about 2 hours if we board at Circular Quay and about 1.5 hours if we depart from Manly Wharf.

From mid-May to late November, locals and tourists alike can watch the whales migrating along the Sydney coastline. Dolphins are quite common around the coast of Sydney and you can spot them any time of the year. The same goes for seals. Our seals are here nearly all year round.

Unless it’s a windy day, you don’t have to worry about getting wet. We also supply spray jackets to keep you nice and dry. In the winter months, it can get very cold out at sea. Thus, you need to wear several layers under our jacket to stay warm throughout the trip. Wear a beanie and gloves on colder days.

Whether you’re watching the whales from the shore or at sea, you must wear sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your eyes and skin from the harsh glare of the sun. And of course—don’t forget the camera! But if you want, Ocean Extreme can also take your photos for you.

Whale watching can be bad for whales if the skipper of the boat isn’t responsible or doesn’t know the correct rules for driving around whales. We have been operating tours for over 14 years and always show upmost care. We are required to keep our distance from the whales (100m) and it is up to the whales if the decide to approach our boat. Humpback whales are naturally very curious and they do often approach us however we cannot force this interaction.

It is predominantly humpback whales that we see off Sydney and generally in New South Wales. Very occasionally we will spot minke whales, southern right whales, pilot whales, killer whales and one blue whale was spotted in 2015.

For a memorable whale watching experience on the Ocean Extreme vessel, it will cost $119 per person. Check out our bookings and vouchers page page for tours leaving Circular Quay and Manly Wharf. Contact us if you have any questions.