We provide quality Comfort Inn Accommodation, Cruises & Tours in Port Augusta near the Flinders Ranges & Outback South Australia as well as being near the departure point for Flinders Ranges Water Cruises. |
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Don't miss the boat take a cruise with Flinders Ranges Water Cruises from Port AugustaBest Time To Cruise - Our History - Awards - Accreditation - Environmental Policy - Cruise Area - Tides - Mangroves - Dolphins - Whales - Birds - Other Marine Life - DekyZayne Official Opening - Merchandise - Port History - Catering Click to see the South Australian Minister for Tourism Hon. Dr Jane Lomax-Smith's Cruise comments...
Have a Watergusta experience in the We specialise in taking cruises North of Port Augusta up
past "Redbanks" & into the "Salt Works Conservation Zone"
for 2-12 passengers. Port Augusta is home to a resident pod of Bottlenose
dolphins which are spotted 90% of the time & during late
August you may be lucky enough to spot a Humpback whale whilst
on the cruise. Flinders Rangees Water Cruises reserves to change/vary schedules at its discretion due to tide, weather, wild life encounters or other factors. Best Time To CruiseThe best time of year to cruise is when you can! Summer time brings massive big tides, the cooler months bring clear water & super still mornings. Each cruise is subtly different bringing out different aspects according to the conditions. The majority of our cruises operate in the "Weather Window" which is before midday. Due to local weather conditions the best chance of light winds is before midday. Our HistoryOur cruises started in early 2004 & has since completed 600 trips. What started out as basically a sightseeing cruise out of Port Augusta has since evolved into a cruise giving unique perspective of the sights, history & ecology of this unique waterway. Our first vessel "Investigator" was a 6.4m Quintrex pontoon boat which served us well for just on 500 cruises. The knowledge gained from our first vessel allowed us to design our new vessel "DekyZayne". Which now allows us to do the cruise in complete comfort in all weather. The arrival of DekyZayne has taken the cruises to another level that allows everyone to enjoy cruising in all weather. Awards
Flinders Ranges Water Cruises is proud to have won the 2007 SA Great award for tourism in the Flinders Ranges & Outback region. The 2007 Business Port Augusta award for tourism & was finalist in the Business Port Augusta Most Outstanding Business of the year Overall. Accreditation
Flinders Ranges Water Cruises has competed both its Tourism Accreditation & Eco Certification. to ensure that each cruise is conducted to provide not only the best experience for each guest but has minimal negative environmental impact on the environment. Environmental PolicyFlinders Ranges Water Cruises operates its entire operation to minimise its negative impact on the environment. Some of our practices are:
Flinders Ranges Water Cruises set aside days to clean up debris that collects at the top of the gulf see below for the rubbish removed on a recent trip.
Cruise AreaThe tip of Spencer's Gulf provides safe scenic flat water
cruising with aspects that are unique on so many levels.
CateringPort Augusta has some great businesses that can provide all you catering needs. The cruise provides the ideal setting to enjoy some magnificent catering or takeaway. J M Deli - This is a port Augusta institution in catering & can provide every thing from savoury platters to cakes. Of particular note is there pastry line up of small pasties, pies, quiches & sausage rolls. Ph: (08)8642 2840 Ian's Chicken Hut - The best BBQ Chicken Shop in Australia, its a big call but try it for yourself. Grab a chicken, some spuds, salad & your ready to cruise. Phone (08) 8642 4905 Address: 12 Eyre Highway, Port Augusta Vince's Pizza - Great Pizza all cooked fresh the traditional way. Vince's is to pizza what Ian's Chicken Hut is to chicken. Ph:(08) 8642 4277 Address - 54-56 Victoria Pde, Port Augusta Barnacle Bill's Seafood - Very fitting
for a cruise to have a selection of great seafood while you sit
back & relax. TidesThe below photos show the difference in tide heights. We have a 4m rise & fall of tide each day with 2 high tides & 2 low tides each day, see graphs further down showing tide cycles including the unique 'Dodge' tides.
High Tide above, Low Tide below
The below graphs show average tide cycles for the Port Augusta area. The yellow portion is the day time , the blue is the night time. See below for Summer, Winter & the unique Dodge tides.
The above is a typical Summer tide pattern, with a large tidal variation during the day (yellow portion) & a smaller variation during the night (blue section).
The above is a typical Winter tide pattern, with a large tidal variation during the night (blue portion) & a smaller variation during the day (yellow section).
Then once every 2 weeks the Sun & Moon get in such a position they cancel each others forces creating a couple of days of slack tides. These are known as 'Dodge' tides. True dodge tides only happen in 2 places in the world, South Australia & the Gulf of Mexico. MangrovesFrom Whyalla on the Eyre Peninsula & Port Pirie on the Yorke Peninsula, North past Port Augusta is home to around 40% of South Australia's total mangrove population. All the mangroves in South Australia are a single species, called the Grey Mangrove. Flinders ranges Water Cruises takes you right up into the mangrove system.
If you look around the base of the tree you can see the 'air roots' or technically 'pneumataphores' which provide oxygen for the tree. What these air roots also do is slow the tide flow around the base of the mangrove, so there is a build up of silt around the base thereby building land for themselves so when they drop their seeds they have a better chance of propagation. DolphinsWe have a 90% sighting rate on morning cruises. The Port Augusta pod consists of 5-8 dolphins which generally stay between the power house & the very tip of the gulf. Sometimes we see them all together or individually but its always a special occasion. Click to view Port Augusta Dolphin Footage.... Click to view Dolphin Footage
with Actual Dolphin Sounds...
All our interactions with the dolphins occur with no feeding at all. Dolphins are by nature interactive with other species, including humans. Because we don't do anything to annoy the Dolphins we have built a special bond with the Port Augusta pod. We keep all our actions clear & concise the Dolphins no our actions, in the whole time we have been operating the vessel has never hit a Dolphin. It must also be said in the 4 years of operation we have never seen a propeller mark on any of the Dolphins from any vessel. WhalesSouth Australia's Top End Gulf Country certainly is an unknown area full of surprises. Humpback whales have seemed to put Port Augusta on their migration in late August. Very little is known about this occurrence with each year we learn a little bit more. It is a truly almost unbelievable spectacle to see whales frolicking in the Flinders ranges & Outback region.
Prints of the photos is are now available for sale with part proceeds going to the Port Augusta Miriam High Special Needs School. Please contact us for further information.
2008 had the first whale arrive on 22 June so far we have only seen 2 whales. Click to view footage of the first whales in 2008... Each year we learn a little bit more & the information gathered over the past 5 years indicates we may be on the cusp of something truly remarkable on a world stage. The regularity & timing each year (July-September) indicates that this is a migration, as a migration is defined as an annual or regulation movement from one position to another. With Humpback whale numbers increasing by 10% each year we may be witnessing the establishment of a new Humpback annual migration route. So far we have noted each year there is a mother & calf coming up, around the same time as a large male. This indicates that it’s possible the Humpbacks may be coming up to mate.
This year (2008) we have been lucky enough to be visited by a Southern Right Whale. In the last 4 years this is the first time we have confirmed the Sighting of a Southern Right whale at the head of the gulf.
BirdsSouth Australia's Top End Gulf Country abounds in bird life from the resident Egrets to the migratory Red Necked Stints. Our luxury vessel allows a stable platform that can get up close for great viewing. Below is a selection of photos taken from our vessel. For a list of birds found in the area you can go to the
Arid Lands Bird List Other Marine Life
Yellowtail King Fish
Dolphin Fish Port HistoryPort Augusta was first established as a trading port as anything coming out of Northern South Australia had to come out by sea as there was rail or road infrastructure. As the rail & road infrastructure was established this took away from the sea trade, commercial operations stopped around 1972. The cruises takes you to various spots to view historical points of interest where you can compare between today & photos of days gone by. Below is the old Salt Works barge used to transport salt from the top of the gulf. It was eventually replaced by a small bridge to take the salt across the gulf to the train line. In its later years it was used as a dance barge, you can see the tea rooms underneath & the dance floors on top.
Other CruisesYou also have the option of creating your own cruise at you
specified time. All cruises are based on 2 hour $40/pers
package with a minimum of 6 persons or equivalent. This makes
it perfect for special occasions, visiting friends or relatives
& corporate entertaining. Please contact us for further
information. DekyZayne Official OpeningOur new Vessel 'DekyZayne' was officially opened on 27 May 2007 by Hon. Jane Lomax-Smith the South Australian Minister for Tourism.
The Minister took the time to enjoy a cruise with us on what turned out to be a classic cruise with fantastic weather & a visit from one of our resident dolphins. After we first opened up in early 2004 Jane took a cruise with us, then when we received our new vessel she readily accepted an invitation to open our new vessel. This also gave the minister an opportunity to see how we have evolved into an exceptional cruise experience.
Below is a photo taken near the old salt works on the ministers first cruise in 2004.
MerchandiseVouchers & Souvenirs make excellent gifts or memento's of your cruise. Pictures Available for Sale
The above picture of 2 Humpback Whales frolicking with Mount Brown in the background is available for sale. Large (25x20cm) $35aud Medium (20x15cm) $20aud. For other sizes please contact us. Vouchers can be individualised for any amount or cruise, please contact us for further information. Ideal Gift Pack- For $99 you receive a voucher for two persons on a Morning Top End Eco Cruise plus either a Hat or beanie. We also have a range of souvenirs featuring our logo, these include the following. Please call back soon for photos of souvenirs.
All Clothes are embroidered with our logo. Our logo represents the view from the Westside Foreshore, featuring the beach, gulf, bridge & Mount Brown. You can see this if you stand out the front of the Hotel Augusta & look towards Mount Brown.
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Kingfish_Port_Augusta Links Links Quality Comfort Inn Accommodation, Cruises & Tours in Port Augusta near the Flinders Ranges & Outback South Australia as well as being near the departure point for Flinders Ranges Water Cruises. |
wake of Matthew Flinders aboard our
brand new 30ft luxury cruiser DekyZayne. This cruise of
international standard is a must do whilst in the
area.
All our cruises have feature elements of
seemingly impossible contrasts such as Flinders Ranges,
Outback & Coastal experiences. To compliment the
scenery you will also receive an informative commentary
which will highlight some of the lesser known unique
aspects of the area. The upper reaches provide safe calm
river like cruises suitable for all ages.
Armchair adventure
Easy
access for all ages
For more information on dolphins you can
visit
