DIVING IN FOR WHALE OF A TIME
ANYONE wanting to run humpback encounter tours is going to be faced with a whale-sized problem.
But Byron Shire photographer and Get Down Whale Watching tour operator Scott Wilson is determined he can do it.
He has three years of experience running whale swim tours in Tonga and is now running whale swims in Northern NSW.
Whale swims are already offered on the Sunshine Coast and in Western Australia and Mr Wilson said there was no reason it wouldn’t work in northern New South Wales, having completed two trial tours last week.
“The whales are curious, they come over to you,” Mr Wilson said. “They choose if they want to swim with us, we don’t determine that.”
But Gold Coast whale tour operators believe strict rules and regulations create too many issues to make it viable.
Mr Wilson said he followed the guidelines, but admitted there were some “grey areas”.
Sea World marine sciences director Trevor Long told the Bulletin he was supportive of the venture, provided strict guidelines were followed.
“I don’t have a problem with it, provided it is regulated,” he said.
The cost of the Get Down Whale Watching whale swim tour is $150.