Join in the Shark Bytes conversation by asking Matt a question via these links:

www.adventurebaycharters.com.au

Shark Bytes – webisode 7!

G’day. I’m Matt from Adventure Bay Charters and welcome to ”Shark Bytes”.

What does eco certification mean to me? It means about making the right decisions. What it means for the consumer is that you don’t have to ask yourself the hard questions, is it ok to tease a dog, is it ok to bait a lion, is it ok to see a monkey bashing against the cage when you go to the zoo to see it. Eco certification asks the hard question for its businesses and makes sure that we are responsible to our environment and responsible to the world around us. If you choose an eco certified business you are going to be choosing a business that is looking after the environment and ensures that this environment is here for the future.

So stay tuned for more “Shark Bytes” and remember the future of the marine environment is in all our hands.

Join in the Shark Bytes conversation by asking Matt a question via these links:

www.adventurebaycharters.com.au

Shark Bytes – webisode 6!

G’day. I’m Matt from Adventure Bay Charters and welcome to ”Shark Bytes”.

Question from Nicole in Switzerland – Does berleying and tourism change White Shark behaviour? -  I think the best way to answer this question is to refer to the Barry Bruce report, completed in 2011 as part of the Shark cage licensing review; The only change in the last 10 years in Shark cage diving was the introduction of 1 day trips at the North Neptune Island. The volume, regularity of the trips and the way that they interacted with Sharks was essentially very close to showing a training of behaviour. The design, tourism and Shark cage diving takes the Sharks away from what they’re there to do in the first place – the Sharks are there to hunt seals and while we attract them, whether it’s through berley or acoustic, it takes them away from what they’re supposed to be doing. The report states very clearly of what changes need to be made in the future in terms to management of the industry – limiting the amount of berley, bait, provisioning and chum going into the water, because this is essentially what changes the Shark behaviour. There’s a valuable document out there that’s available for the public to read and see and draw their own conclusions and you can see the recommendations from that report. There’s a hyperlink here within the text u can follow – and then you’ll be able to make some of those conclusions for yourself. I can only hope that as an industry, we can then take the next step to doing the best job that we can to continue to show people the White Sharks so that they can enjoy them and that the tourism industry, in the future has a lesser effect or potentially a less bad effect on the change in Shark behaviour.

So stay tuned for more “Shark Bytes” and remember the future of the marine environment is in all our hands.

 www.adventurebaycharters.com.au

Shark Bytes – webisode 5!

G’day. I’m Matt from Adventure Bay Charters and welcome to ”Shark Bytes”.

We’ve been a carbon neutral business now for 5 years. It’s an initiative that was brought to me by my staff, they’re young, it’s important to them. The idea of planting a few trees to improve the environment, it’s not such a bad idea, it’s not a big expense, whether the government brings a carbon tax upon us or we choose to do it ourselves – at the end of the day, we know it’s the right thing to do. If we don’t do the right thing, if we don’t plant trees and look after the environment, there will be no environment for businesses to operate in. What’s more important at the end of the day – a few extra dollars spent on a carbon tax or carbon neutral or planting a few trees? It’s changed our business, its engaged people who come on our boat, it’s got them thinking about how maybe they can make a difference and how they can plant a few more trees and have those in their life. At the end of the day, carbon neutral is a decision we’ve made as a business, it hasn’t cost us a lot of money, and people have bought from us or bought our product because we’re carbon neutral. I’ve had people engaged for hours on end with discussions about what it means and how it can change their business. These small responses make it worthwhile at the end of the day. There’s an audit process that at the end of every year we go through and break down where we can improve and make a better business financially, environmentally, sustainably and for the future.

So stay tuned for more “Shark Bytes” and remember the future of the marine environment is in all our hands.

www.adventurebaycharters.com.au

Shark Bytes – webisode 4!

G’day. I’m Matt from Adventure Bay Charters and welcome to ”Shark Bytes”.

My view on the environment has changed since doing this job. It’s really interesting, when I started out this job, taking people out to swim with the Tuna, it was about the family and making sure I was around at home, I decided grumpy dad at home was better than no dad at all, my wife now disagrees.

Essentially we discovered over time or I discovered over time the ability to impact people’s lives and tell them a story, get a message across – coming from a background of catching fish and being a primary producer. That’s led to our tours with the environment such as the Sea Lions and the Sharks and we’ve got a real opportunity to educate people and send them away with a sense of understanding the plight of these animals, why they’re important, why we need to look after them. It’s go to a point I cant even hardly call this a job anymore; I get to go out on a boat, meet interesting people, play with big Sharks and beautiful Sea Lions. I think what’s changed for me is that I’ve always loved animals, I’ve loved being outdoors but now I don’t think I could ever give it up. It’s an incredible place to be, it’s an incredible life I have – I’m really lucky I have this opportunity.

So stay tuned for more “Shark Bytes” and remember the future of the marine environment is in all our hands.

www.adventurebaycharters.com.au

Shark Bytes – webisode 3!

G’day. I’m Matt from Adventure Bay Charters and welcome to”Shark Bytes”.

Simon from Melbourne has asked why did you pursue eco certification for your business and how does it inform the strategic decisions that you make. We’ve had advanced eco certification of all of our tours for the last four years. It’s the only certification standard that align with my views on how we should interact with wild animals. We have also been involved in the shark cage diving review which has been a tentative process. Animals over time, the Great White Sharks, have showed respondancy to berleying and provisioning, which is the baiting of the sharks. The effects we have seen so far aren’t detrimental, but in the future they could be. We have seen the same response in other sharks and rays that have been detrimental and change the ecology and lifecycle of the animal. We don’t want to see that. It’s not what the consumer wants and it’s not what I personally want for my business. Most importantly for us is that when we come here, Sharks, Sea Lions, Tuna, diving on one of our wrecks here or one of our cliff faces, that it’s like the first time we came here.

So stay tuned for more “Shark Bytes” and remember the future of the marine environment is in all our hands.

www.adventurebaycharters.com.au

Shark Bytes – webisode 2!

G’day, I’m Matt from Adventure Bay Charters and welcome to “Shark Bytes”.

Captain Cook famously said that space is the final frontier. Well I’m not going into space anytime soon and I doubt you are either. To me the ocean is the final frontier. This is probably one of the most important living things on our planet. Take this swim with the Sea Lion experience behind me here. There’s nothing like this anywhere in the world. There isn’t a wildlife experience on land that comes close to the proximity and the excitement that people get out of this.

“That was just so unreal. I had this one little, tiny brown one and he just kept playing with me all the time”.

 “Change your life”?

“Yes! That’s awesome”.

“It’s beautiful, such a privilege”.

If this is only a very small fraction, of which it is, of all the potential that the ocean can provide us, then we really need to look after it and we need to know more about it. That’s where we come in as tour operators who provide that opportunity. Every day is different. Everyday comes back down to the water and the vibrancy and the power and the passion that it creates. This is the most important part of our planet. It’s the biggest living organism. We have got to look after it, because if we don’t it‘s not going to be here forever.

So stay tuned for more “Shark Bytes” and remember the future of the marine environment is in all our hands.

Join in the Shark Bytes conversation by asking Matt a question via these links:

www.adventurebaycharters.com.au

Shark Bytes – webisode 1!

G’day, I’m
Matt from Adventure Bay Charters and welcome to “Shark Bytes”.

I am a fourth generation fisherman who has spent the last seventeen years on the
water. From humble beginnings, this is my Grandfathers whiting fishing dinghy
here to our eco tourism boat over there, I am going to be taking the
opportunity with this Shark Bytes blog over the next couple of weeks to talk
about what I think is important in terms of marine eco tourism. I am deeply
concerned about the situation that is out here, the review process of the great
white sharks, the idea of swimming with Sea Lions, the sustainable nature of
our ocean and environment. I am encouraging viewer feedback; this is a two way
conversation. Hit one of the buttons below this window.  Social media is a way of the future so tell
us what you think, load us with your questions and concerns and we will handle
them as we see possible. Remember this is an opportunity; it is our turn now to
do something about our environment and make sure it is here for our future. I
am Matt Waller, a fourth generation fisherman and I would like to think that I
am not going to be the last!

I left Ireland on the 29 of November 2011, crossed three continents and three flights later I had arrived in Adelaide, South Australia. Welcomed by the beautiful sunshine and friendly people I knew this was the place to be. Upon arrival in Port Lincoln the wonderful Waller family who run Adventure Bay Charters, made me feel completely at home and welcome. I began work on the tour boat, learning the ropes (literally), getting to meet customers of all nationalities whilst enjoying the scenic views of flora and fauna Port Lincoln has to offer.

First stop was the tuna farm. It was an absolutely unique and surprising experience, not only feeding the bluefin tuna but also swimming with them.  They may have been slightly faster than me in the water (reaching up to speeds of 70km/h) but that added to the excitement and thrill of swimming with them.  A taste of delectable tuna sashimi afterwards sealed the deal and I was now a complete enthusiast and admirer of Port Lincoln’s finest tuna.

The next tour I worked on was the Australian Sea Lion tour. These endangered species were a marvel to witness. Their invitations of play with somersaults, swirls and turns were reminiscent of cheeky children.  Observing them in their natural habitat at Hopkins Bay and getting to swim and play alongside them is something I will cherish forever.

For the grand finale shark cage diving with the great whites awaited me! The trip down to Neptune Island was stunning with sightings of the local dolphins and rare sea birds. As I entered the shark cage my adrenaline started to kick in and the anticipation was incredible. The amazing thing about Adventure Bay Charters is that they are an eco certified shark cage diving company who do not use berley but acoustic sound vibrations to attract sharks. My experience with the sharks was not an aggressive one but the individuals I observed were docile and swam passed effortlessly and gracefully. That didn’t mean my heart didn’t stop once or twice when they came close to the cage!

Although the magnificent sights and activities I was able to partake in whilst working with Adventure Bay Charters were unparalleled, the people I worked for and with were also a highlight of my time. The owners Matt and Tracy, the skippers Shaun, Andy and Fred, the crew Stacey and Ben and the office staff Hayley and Emily were so welcoming and instructive that my time in Port Lincoln was an amazing experience.  My advice to anyone thinking of travelling or moving to South Australia is to do it! You will not regret one moment. I haven’t and I am considering staying in South Australia permanently. I have completely and truly fallen in love with South Australia, and you will too!

The Orao was first built in the early ‘60s by Tuna polling pioneer, Dinko Lukan. Dinko arrived in Melbourne in 1956 from Croatia and built himself the Orao (name meaning EAGLE) and used it as one of THE FIRST Tuna polling boats in the Great Australian Bight.

Orao Sinks in Marina Berth

After retiring from her fishing days and being purchased for just AU$1.00 by the previous owner, the Orao settled in to its berth at the Lincoln Cove Marina quite nicely until earlier this year. In January 2011, the Orao sunk to the bottom of its berth in the Marina. It was quoted that the boat was likely to be unsalvageable, especially since this wasn’t the first (there have been at least 3 different occasions that the Orao has gone down!!) and wouldn’t be the last time the Orao would sink!

Nothing is “unsalvageable” for Captain Matt!! For weeks the Orao was brought back to life with the help of our resident Frenchies, who spent days standing alongside the boat sanding back the old paint and giving her a fresh coat of paint (even in the rain!!)… Finishing off the product with appropriate signage!

All was looking good for the launch of the “new & improved” Orao when tragedy struck. Whilst being towed around to the front beach, the Orao slowly started going down until it found itself stranded on the beach in front of Sapphire Waters – Old timber boats like the Orao, which has a rich tuna fishing history, dry out, which means the planking shrinks and they are more likely to take on water… 3 days of dives, tows, 3am starts and much appreciated help from friends and family, the Orao FINALLY made its way to its new mooring in Boston Bay – out the front of the Pier Hotel, where it can be seen throughout the day and lit up at night!!

With the Orao’s rich local history and exciting new location, it’s no wonder the locals have had something to say:

Orao in the bay

• “I think that is the most awesome piece of Advertising I have seen! First time i saw it was on the way home from a trip to town and saw it all lit up……………….just ingenious and all the knockers need to stop and realize that in business you have to always think outside the square and find that original idea! Just love it, great work Matt and your team”.
• “Love it, much prefer to see that than signs plastered all over the town. It is far more appropriate to advertise sea adventures on a boat in the bay than on trucks, planes and takeaway shops. Keep up the great work; SO many people are behind you”.
• “A great original approach. An appropriate water based advertisement for water based adventure tours. The complete opposite of some other tacky business signage. And as for this supposed “eye sore” I believe the posters, billboards and other advertising signs that are in countless places around town as opposed to 1 are the eye sores of the town. An innovative initiative that brings something new and unique to Port Lincoln”.

Thanks for all the support everyone!!

It’s that crazy, busy, merry time of the year again, where we all get to spend time with our loved ones, eat too much food and share beautiful gifts!! This year Adventure Bay Charters has taken the hassle out of Christmas shopping for those hard to please friends and family… Why not get them some Adventure Bay Dollars $$ or a Gift Voucher for any of our exciting tours – Swim with the Tuna, Swim with the Sea Lions & Swim with the Great Whites. You can purchase vouchers and Adventure Bay Dollars online –http://adventurebaycharters.com.au or via email/ phone – info@swimwith.com.au or 08 8682 2979. The sun is just around the corner so why not treat your friends and family to a splash that’s sure to thrill and excite!!

What better way to get in the Christmas spirit than taking a cruise around the Lincoln Cove Marina to view the spectacular light displays that local residents have put on show. There are limited spaces left before the big day so give us a call to secure your booking. Prices: Adults – $15, Children – $10

At the beginning of December we farewelled our resident graphic design guru/ Italian hostess – Alesandra (Ali for short). Ali wowed us all with her enchanting smile, friendly personality and AMAZING graphic design skills… not to mention her homemade foccacia (yum!!). Since her departure, we have welcomed 2 new backpackers – Nicko and Fab – award winning, French chefs none the less… hopefully they’re as good on the boat as they are in the kitchen!

Further exciting news in the Adventure Bay office is that our USIT Campaign WINNER has arrived!! On Saturday 3rd we welcomed Clare to sunny (not!!) Port Lincoln. Clare won the Irish USIT Campaign to come and work and live in Port Lincoln for the next 2 months. We excited to finally have her here and hope that you will help join us in making her first Aussie Christmas one to remember!

As the weather warms up and school holidays start, pop in to the Adventure Bay Charters office (2 Jubilee Dive, Port Lincoln) and meet our latest aquarium friends – a dozen baby Kingfish and Jackie, the Port Jackson Shark. Or join us on one of our tours. We will be operating everyday over the Christmas break except for Christmas day.

Captain Matt, Tracy and the Adventure Bay Charters team, wishes everyone a very happy and safe Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!