AquaMarine Adventures · Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay
A 1-hour dolphin watch on Envision, a fast 40-foot power catamaran run by AquaMarine Adventures from Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay. Pick it when time is short: a small group, quick runs between spots, and the bay's dolphins in 60 minutes.
More than 100 bottlenose dolphins live inside Port Stephens, the operator says, and this trip goes to meet them quickly. Envision, a 40-foot power catamaran, leaves from Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay, runs along Shoal Bay, past the headlands and across to Jimmy's Beach, which AquaMarine calls a dolphin hot spot. You get 360-degree views and commentary from the crew the whole way.
Groups are small. Guests have counted six and seven people on board, and the listing calls it crowd-free. The boat is fast but smooth, and it is colder on the water than on the wharf, so the operator asks for warm layers and a jacket. Strollers are not allowed on board.
There is no boom net here: this is the quick, quiet option. The listing makes no sighting promise, but on a no-dolphin day in April 2026 a guest wrote that everyone got a free voucher to come back, valid for one year. Visiting from November to April with 90 minutes to spare? The Imagine dolphin sail adds the nets and a 99% sighting rate.
Meet AquaMarine Adventures on Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay. Have your jacket on: it is colder once you are moving.
Envision runs fast and smooth along Shoal Bay while the crew points out the coast.
The boat swings past the headlands near the bay entrance, with a bit of local history in the commentary.
Across the bay at Jimmy's Beach the skipper slows to find the pods. On a good day they come right up to the boat.
Back at Teramby Rd about an hour after you left. On a slow day one guest's trip ran to almost 75 minutes.
★★★★★There were only 7 of us on the small, fast boat. Everything was very relaxed, the guides were super nice and explained a lot. We saw dolphins in perfect weather (a bit cloudy and no waves)
★★★★★Amazing and exciting tour with interesting history as a bonus. The dolphins were beautiful and the guide (Josh) was pleasant and funny. [...] Did a day trip from Sydney and certainly was worth the drive out.
★★★★★Absolutely brilliant. We watched dolphins most of the time and at one point they were really close to the boat!
★★★★★It was great fun despite not seeing a single dolphin!! This is, apparently, quite unusual so all the participants were given a free voucher to return.
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One hour on the water, from Teramby Rd in Nelson Bay. One guest's trip ran to almost 75 minutes on a day when the dolphins were hard to find.
From AquaMarine Adventures on Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay. The boat is Envision, a 40-foot power catamaran.
The express is faster and smaller: one hour, a small group, no nets. The Imagine sail takes 1.5 hours, adds a bow net and a boom net, runs November to April and gives you a free return trip if you miss the dolphins.
Warm, comfortable clothes and a jacket, plus a sun hat and sunscreen. It is always colder out on the water, the operator says, and a fast boat adds wind.
Ready to book
Dolphins in an hour on a fast power cat with a small group, from Nelson Bay.
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