In late 1987 a photograph appeared in the Adelaide Advertiser. It showed a young dolphin and a horse swimming together in the gray light of early dawn.  The photo attracted Mike’s interest and initiated a 20 year study of the local dolphins which continues to this day (image © Mike Bossley).

The dolphin in the photo has become known as Billie and her story encapsulates in many ways the story of these highly urbanized dolphins.  Billie was an orphan when first encountered in 1987 but the fate of her mother is unknown.  In the twenty two or three years of her life she has experienced being trapped behind a lock, held in captivity and has had four of her six calves die in infancy.  One of her surviving calves became trapped in an industrial sump and was only rescued by a lucky accident.  We don’t know why so many of Billie’s calves have died but suspect the polluted waters which she calls home have played their part. (image © Mike Bossley)

Mike’s patient, non invasive observations and photographs over the years has revealed that about thirty dolphins spend most of their time in the Port River estuary; an equal number visit regularly; and a further hundred or more visit on an occasional basis.  Identifiable dolphins have been named and their fates tracked.  Sadly, there have been many deaths and injuries caused by humans, some deliberate (shootings, stabbings and being speared) and some accidental (boat strikes and entanglements).

The area has now been declared a dolphin sanctuary and is regularly patrolled by government rangers.  WDCS continues to fund Mike’s research and he is currently Chair of the sanctuary’s advisory board.  The Sanctuary is 118 km² extending from the upper reaches of the Port Adelaide River to North Haven, through North Arm and Barker Inlet, extending into Gulf St Vincent to Pt Gawler Conservation Park.  You can visit the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Home Page here

Conditions for the dolphins in the estuary are gradually improving but their environment is still subject to many pressures, including increased tourism and other recreational activities, industrial development and an increase in the number of people living in the area.  We cannot relax in our attempts to protect these dolphins and the environment on which they depend.

The WDCS Adopt a dolphin program allows WDCS supporters a special link with these dolphin by providing insights into how they live and the latest findings and photographs from Mike’s research.

(image © Mike Bossley)

Visiting the Port River Dolphins

Visiting the Port River dolphins, such as Billie and Captain Hook and the other dolphins within our adopt a dolphin program is different to visiting dolphins in captivity. Although seeing dolphins held in aquariums allows you an opportunity to see dolphins up close, WDCS believes it is inherently cruel to imprison free ranging, sentient, sociable and intelligent species. A visit to the Port River will give you the opportunity to see and enjoy the natural behaviour of these dolphins in the wild. You can see the Port River dolphins by:

• Land
• Boat
• Kayak

Land

There are a number of land based spots that are generally good for viewing the Port River dolphins. Along the wharf front, Garden Island, the North Haven Marina and Snowden’s Beach all provide land based viewing spots. The Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre has an excellent brochure with a dolphin trail map of the best spots. They are open daily from 9am – 5pm and located within one minute walk of the lighthouse. You can also visit the visitor centre online.

Although there are always dolphins within the sanctuary, you may not be successful in seeing them, as they roam freely within their range, and the time and day you visit may just not be the time and day they decide to be at the same place as you. As such, we encourage you to visit a few of the “dolphin hotspots” and bring a picnic, go for a bike ride, go fishing or participate in some other recreational activity so that if you don’t see our beloved dolphins, you can still look back on the day with fond memories. Because land based viewing of the dolphins has no impact on them whatsoever, WDCS favours this type of visit.

Boat

There are a number of tourist operators who launch boats from the wharf alongside the lighthouse. Sundays and school holidays are the most popular launch days. Most cruises are approximately 2 hours and offer snacks, lunch and drinks on board. The cruises are suitable for all ages and have both inside and outside seating areas. The Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre has information on all tourist operators within the region. They are open daily from 9am – 5pm and located within one minute walk of the lighthouse. You can also visit the visitor centre online. The boats nearly always see the dolphins, but to be sure not miss out, you have to be keenly watching the water for when the moment arrives.

A WDCS presentation is held onboard the Dolphin Explorer cruise every Sunday and some school holiday days. This 20 minute talk with slideshow gives you a fascinating insight into the Port River dolphins. Booking details for the dolphin explorer can be viewed by visiting their website.

If you have your own boat or are lucky enough to be the guest on somebody else’s boat, the chances are that you will see some of the resident Port River dolphins. The Port River area is part of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and it is important to minimise any disruption to their natural behaviours. Generally be careful in enclosed waters and avoid using excessive speed or sudden changes of speed or direction. Give dolphins space and enjoy seeing them in the wild. Make sure your special experience is not a negative one for the dolphin.

Specifically, operate at a no wake speed within the 150m caution zone and no approach should be made within 50m of the dolphins or within 150m if it is directly in front or behind them. The 2005 Australian National Guidelines can be downloaded here. South Australian regulations also set minimum approach distances, and in particular prescribed vessels, which includes jet-skis, must not move to within 150m of a dolphin. The National Parks and Wildlife (Whales and Dolphins) Regulations 2000 can be downloaded here. If vessels incidentally move too close, the vessel should slow down, avoid the dolphin and move away from the animal at a no wake speed.

If you are also fishing, WDCS recommends you bring your line up if dolphins come in close to you, enjoy their company while they are there, and re-commence your fishing when they leave. Fishing debris is a serious threat to dolphins, so please make sure all your waste, including burley bags, fishing lines and hooks are all disposed of appropriately back on land. The Port River dolphins are adept at hunting for themselves, so please do not feed the dolphins. Feeding marine mammals is prohibited in South Australia (refer to National Parks and Wildlife Regulations above).

Kayak

Kayaking is a great way to see the dolphins and will give you an opportunity to be with the dolphins in a relaxed environment. Explore the dolphin sanctuary as part of a small guided tour or set off on your own adventure by hiring a kayak. Most tourist operators have double kayaks, and some are even triples, allowing for parents with a young child or children to be accommodated. The operators will understand the tides and best viewing spots and will generally lead the tour in such a way that it is not too physically onerous. Most kayak expeditions launch from Garden Island. WDCS works closely with Blue Water Sea kayaking, booking details for them can be viewed on their website here.

If you have your own kayak you can launch from Garden Island and explore the estuary regions. The Port River area is part of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and the same legislation and regulations that apply to boat owners apply to kayaks. Please refer to the boat section for general information and to download the national guidelines and state regulations.