Swim with
sea lions & dolphins
now open for the 2026/27 season
Wild sea lions and dolphins. In the same sheltered bay. On the same unforgettable morning.
Baird Bay, on South Australia’s pristine Eyre Peninsula, is home to one of Australia’s most remarkable wildlife encounters, and the only place in the country where you can swim with both wild sea lions and dolphins as part of the same experience.
Join a small group aboard our vessel and head out into sheltered waters of Baird Bay. Just a short ride from shore, you’ll arrive at Jones Island, home to a thriving colony of Australian sea lions.
This is wildlife on its own terms. We don’t feed the sea lions or encourage interaction. Instead, we enter their world and let their natural curiosity take over. Playful, graceful and endlessly inquisitive, they often choose to approach swimmers, darting and spiralling through the water in a way that’s almost impossible to describe.
We then continue across the bay in search of wild dolphins, making Baird Bay one of the few places in the world where two such extraordinary wildlife encounters can be experienced in a single outing.
Back on shore, warm showers, comfortable facilities and our onsite restaurant await. Many guests choose to add a two-course lunch featuring fresh local produce and Eyre Peninsula flavours, rounding out an unforgettable day.
Suitable for first-time snorkellers, families and confident swimmers alike, with wetsuits, equipment and experienced guides provided.
Sea Lion and Dolphin Swims operate from October to April, weather permitting. Please read our FAQs for details on what to bring, fitness requirements and booking conditions.
Times & Rates
Ocean Tours Season
Ocean Tours operate Thursday to Monday from 1 October to 30 April each year. Bookings are open for the 2026/27 season.
Tour Departure
Guests are required to arrive at 9:00am for a 9:45am departure. All passengers must check in 45 minutes prior to departure to allow time for the safety briefing and wetsuit, mask and snorkel fitting. Please note the vessel departs promptly at 9:45am and cannot be delayed for late arrivals.
If a tour is showing as full, please call us on 08 8351 1489 to enquire about waitlist availability.
2026/27 Tour Rates
Adult Swimming: $300
Adult Non-Swimming: $280
Child (Under 17) Swimming: $210
Child (Under 17) Non-Swimming: $170
2026/27 Tour Rates with Two-Course Lunch
Adult Swimming: $335
Adult Non-Swimming: $310
Child (Under 17) Swimming: $230
Child (Under 17) Non-Swimming: $190
Rates are valid until 30 April 2027.
Optional Lunch Upgrade
Lunch can be added on the day for:
Adults: $60 per person
Children (under 17): $30 per child
Inclusions
- Exceptional opportunity to encounter wild sea lions and dolphins in their natural environment*
- Small group experience with a maximum of 20 passengers onboard
- Experienced local skipper and guides
- Wetsuit, mask and snorkel provided
- Comprehensive safety briefing and equipment fitting
- Informative commentary on local wildlife, marine life and the Eyre Peninsula coastline
- Onboard refreshments provided
- Secure lockers for personal belongings
- Private change room facilities
- Hot water shower facilities
- Free onsite parking
- Two-course lunch included for guests who have pre-purchased the lunch option
- 4 to 5 hour ocean experience
*As all encounters take place in a natural environment, wildlife sightings and interactions cannot be guaranteed. However, Baird Bay is renowned for providing some of Australia’s most consistent opportunities to encounter wild sea lions and dolphins in their natural habitat.
LUNCH BY THE BAY
After your swim, settle in and enjoy a thoughtfully prepared two-course lunch served onsite at Baird Bay. Our menu is simple, fresh and seasonal, showcasing locally sourced ingredients and the exceptional produce of the Eyre Peninsula. With a focus on regional seafood and premium local suppliers, dishes may include King George Whiting with seaweed butter or Streaky Bay lamb with a seasonal salad, each one designed to capture the true flavours and character of the region.
We’re pleased to accommodate dietary requirements with care and creativity.
To join us for lunch, simply select this option at the time of booking. Lunch is optional and not included in the standard tour price.
Guests staying at the Baird Bay Villas, or those visiting the area, are warmly welcome to join us for lunch too. Advance bookings are essential, with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice required.
About
JOnes Island
In 1992, the Jones Island sea lion population was thought to be around 25 to 35 adult sea lions with around six pups born. The last approximate count of sea lions took place in late 2024, which found the population had grown significantly with 32 pup births recorded. With Australian sea lions classed as endangered, it’s pleasing to see the colony thrive with Jones Island playing a unique role as one of the few colonies around Australia where pup counts have continuously risen over the last decade.
There has never been official count of the dolphins in Baird Bay, so numbers are only based on observation. First sightings put the numbers at around four with only occasional sightings and no calves being seen at all in the bay until 1998. An approximate count was conducted in 2020 and recorded around 25 in the resident pod of dolphins with at least four calves being born each year in Baird Bay. More recently the team has seen up to 70 dolphins in the bay with two calves born in early 2025 alone.
As an ECO Certified Tourism business, Baird Bay Experience works closely with the Department for Environment and Water, and its regional counterparts, to monitor the local marine population and ensure the health and well-being of the inhabitants of Baird Bay.