Barnacles Dolphin Centre and Cafe

Everyone is lucky that there’s a limit to the number of photos and videos that can be posted per “footprint”. Not quite swimming with dolphins that’s on my bucket list, but a close second.

The story is that in the 1950s an injured male dolphin came to the area and the local fishermen helped get him better and fed him fish. He continued to return to be fed and then started bringing his mates along, got married so bought his wife and her sister along, had some kids and so it goes on. The whole thing is very strictly managed. No one, not even the volunteers who run the event, touch the dolphins. It’s illegal to feed dolphins in Queensland without a permit, they have a permit. Apparently it’s also illegal to swim with dolphins, not sure how you police that.

Anyway, maybe 100 people turned up very early - we arrived at 06:45. In groups, everyone who wanted to go into the water and watch the dolphins could do so; this took from 7 until 8. Then, in a very orderly manner those who had bought tickets to feed the dolphins could do so.

The group of dolphins consisted of the alpha male, two females, each with an 18 month old male calf, plus two other males. The best entertainment came from the two calves who were “teenagers” and just did their own thing.

The whole event was located at a cafe that did exceptionally good cooked breakfasts. Not quite a full English, but very good. A rasher of bacon is anything from 12 - 24 inches long here, so you don’t need many rashers to be full.

Strolled back to camp to pack up. The plan is to drive to Rainbow Beach to look at a dive on Wolf Rock that is supposed to be great for Grey Nurse Sharks and Manta Rays plus other stuff.Read more