Top 5 items to pack on a whale watching cruise

So, you’ve booked a trip out whale watching? Congratulations, you are in for a real treat! I bet you’re counting down the days!

Wouldn’t it be really frustrating if you forgot your camera? Or sunnies!? Ouch, glare central! So, we thought we’d help out a little and put together a short list of important items to bring with you on the day to make your trip more comfortable and stress-free. We hope you find it helpful.

1. Your camera

One of the most important items when doing the tourist thing, the camera. Yes, we know this one is a little obvious but may we suggest a few tweaks to your camera setup to make your life a little easier on the day? Ensure your camera has either a wrist strap or, even better, a neck strap. When rushing from one side of a rocking boat to the other, things can get a little bit narly! With a wrist or neck strap for your camera you have both hands available to hold onto a rail and keep your balance. We have seen a few bad falls when people try to save their camera instead of themselves and would much rather see a bunch of happy, safe whale watchers instead of injured ones!

2. A warm, wind-proof jacket

If you are whale watching anywhere in Australia, it is most likely going to be Winter or early Spring and it is possible that the weather might turn a little bit chilly during the day. (Yes, even in sunny Queensland!) We have jackets available for whale watchers to borrow on our Freedom Whale Watch cruise but we can’t guarantee this for other cruises. Your best bet to stay warm and dry is to bring along your own warm spray jacket. Make sure it is wind and water proof too as that Winter breeze can quickly turn nasty!

3. Sunglasses

Sunnies are an absolute must when out on the water… especially when you’re trying to spot those big black whales bobbing up and down in the sea sometimes kilometres away from the boat. Make sure your shades have some sort of polarisation to protect your eyes against glare. Another hot tip… make sure you’ve had the arms tightened so they stay put on your face or alternatively throw on one of those sports band neck strap to make sure you don’t lose them over the side!

4. Sea sickness tablets

Uh oh… nobody wants to get sick while out on the water but it unfortunately can happen, especially if you haven’t been out on the water in a while. Your safest bet is to bring along some sea sickness tablets just in case. The crew on Freedom inform our whale watchers when the weather might not be perfect before leaving the harbour which allows you to pop one before departure to make sure it’s working before we hit the ruff stuff. We recommend Kwells sea sickness tablets which can be purchased from any good pharmacy over the counter. (Make sure you read the packet as these can make some people a little drowsy)

 5. A good pair of shoes

Sensible shoes are very important on a whale watching trip. Your best bet is a flat pair of rubber-soled sneakers to ensure you aren’t slipping while moving around on a wet deck. You might even want to throw in a spare pair of socks just in case a rouge wave drenches the pair you are wearing. We all know the feeling of wet feet… yuck!

So what did you think of our list? Do you have anything to add? Let us know in the comments.