As Autumn starts to make way for the winter months, we will be taking two weeks off (8th-21st May 2013) to get Imagine ‘ship shape’ before the start of the Port Stephens Whale Season. Whale Watching in NSW is awesome and Nelson Bay offers the best viewing…… so how good is it?…….
Check out the video!
Dolphin Watch: Excellent Dolphins this week on the calm waters of Port Stephens , Lots af great interactions this week with some great pods of our Resident Bottlenose Dolphins, There is lots of sunshine predicted for the last week of Imagine’s summer program which will be perfect for Sailing with the Dolphins or having fun in the Boomnet, Jetnet and Bownet.
Imagine last Dolphin Watch will be running on the 7th of May, so dont miss out book on one of our three daily trips this week, to enjoy the last of our summer/autumn program.
$39 Seafood Dinner: What perfect evenings we have been having, beautiful sunsets & full moon- has truely made it a great week of weather around Nelson Bay to end the School Holidays.
The last Seafood Dinner Cruise for the season will be Tuesday May 7th so be sure not to miss out!
Whale Watching: The boat will be out of the water for maintainence during May from the 8th to until the 20th, with our first whale watch beginning on the 21st of May when the Whale Watching season for Port Stephens starts.
There will be over 14,000 Humpback Whales migrating past Port Stephens and the East Coast of Australia this year. Imagine will be operating two Whale Watch Cruises daily at 10:30am – 1:30pm and 2:00pm – 5:00pm The cost is $60 per Adult, $25 per Child and $145 per Family!
THE dolphins came out to play as the latest in underwater camera technology was launched at Port Stephens on Friday. The new technology system, which has been in the planning for 18 months, provides underwater images and footage of people interacting with dolphins and can be instantly broadcast online.It has been developed and used by Dolphin Swim Australia and operates via seven high-definition video cameras attached to the Imagine catamaran based at d’Albora Marina, Nelson Bay.‘‘Ninety per cent of people came to Port Stephens and see what’s on top of the water,’’ technology developer Kerry Smith said. ‘‘Now they can not only see dolphins on top of the water but also below.’’ Dolphin Swim Australia operates the only commercially permitted dolphin swim in NSW where participants move beyond a net and into open water. The technology has enabled them to film snorkelers moving among dolphin pods. Five participants were treated to an early morning swim with more than 30 dolphins playing around the catamaran’s bow yesterday morning. “Instead of people just treading water, which dolphins think is boring, our unique dolphin swim allows participants to actually keep up with inquisitive dolphins. The dolphins get very excited when they see humans in the water whom they think are swimming as fast as them,’’ Dolphin Swim Australia founder Andrew Parker said. The vision is broadcast live to flatscreen TVs on the catamaran’s deck and later to the internet, enabling global audiences to see Port Stephens’ famous dolphins in action. While Dolphin Swim Australia has been operating its unique swim for three years, this is the first time technology of this calibre has been introduced. Mr Parker said the major technology upgrade followed a $40,000 grant from the NSW Government’s tourism agency, Destination NSW. As part of the grant, Dolphin swim biologists and staff are working with the University of Victoria to study short-beaked Pacific common dolphins. ‘‘We can now capture the best dolphin interaction vision in Australia,’’ Mr Parker said. He said university researches have been using the footage to monitor dolphin behaviour, collect data on pod numbers and dorsal fins as well as observe growths and viruses. The Dolphin swim team must adhere to strict guidelines when observing and interacting with the dolphins. Besides research, the footage enables customers to take home memento DVDs.
Planning a Conference to the Bay this Year? Team Building Session? Mid Year Social? Christmas in July??
Why not book a private whale watch.. 3hours of being up close and personal with the great mammals of the sea… Whale Season is just around the corner staring May 21st, Enquire today!!!
Easter is just around the corner, so if your stuck planning your Easter Long Weekend at the Bay, then Imagine has the answers… 
With 3 of the 4 days of the long weekend falling in March, it is a great chance to experience Imagines Dolphin+Snorkelling trip, before the end of the season. That’s right our Dolphin+Snorkelling Cruise finishes on the 31st of March. With two Islands Imagine pick’s from depending on the conditions, Snorkeling is quite good. Lots of different species of fish including a big Groper and even a few exotic tropical species have found their way south on the warm currents. There’s even a few turtles making regular appearances at Cabbage Tree Island. Lighthouse Cove on Fingal Island is once again a hot spot for snorkeling. Some of the crew have even made friends with a Banjo Ray or treated by a sighting of a playful seal or two. Departing Daily at 1pm from Nelson Bay Marina.
Not keen on snorkelling, perhaps looking for a shorter trip dont worry… Imagine has 1.5hr Dolphin Watch cruise that runs at 11am Daily in March, and then from April 1st (easter monday onwards) departs three times daily, 10:30, 12:30 & 14:30 The Bottlenose dolphins will be enjoying the sunshine and crystal clear waters of Nelson Bay and the rest of Port Stephens. They love visits from Dolphin watching cruises! There have been a couple of newborn dolphins this season and the perfect conditions make it easy to spot these tiny babies. The warm water is awesome for refreshing boom net rides and we’ll rev up the motors and fun factor with Jet net rides!
Or perhaps, your wanting to experience the best time of the day out on the water as the sunsets, why not join Imagine’s Seafood BBQ Cruise, Seafood with the best view and biggest pool in town, bring your swimmers! Celebrate the best time of the day with loved ones and friends. Our fixed menu includes; BBQ Fish, Garlic Cognac Prawns on a bed of green salad and mash, Cheesecake and Fruit of the Forest. Then we’ll go sailing off into the sunset! Departing 5:30pm daily until April 6th then from April 7th- May7th time of departure changes to 4:30pm due to Daylight savings.
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We have a passion for our local marine environment and sailing and we love to share it. We always have your safety and comfort in mind and always have time for a chat, so in no time at all you will feel like you're part of the family... welcome onboard!
French Skipper Yves Papin and International Whale rep Frank Future joined efforts with a few mates to create a friendly company dedicated to promoting Ecotourism in Port Stephens.