Penguin Island Western Australia

Before the year 2013 ends, me and my travel buddies decided to have a taste of cruise this time. No, its not a ship cruise but it's just a glass bottom boat cruise to Penguin Island. It is a 45-minute adventure cruise departing from the Safety Bay shore passing by Seal Island (home of sea lions) and other minute islands as habitat of diverse wildlife. Ferry is departing hourly and we took the 9:15am trip just in time for the Penguin feeding time at 10:30 am.

Glass bottom boat cruise (photo credit: Janice Francisco).

My travel buddies at the coffee shop adjacent to the ticketing office waiting for our ferry.

That's us just disembarked from the ferry! All are really excited! (photo credit: Bhogs Arroyo Marmol)

The ticketing office is just 5 minutes trip to the Penguin Island if the boat goes straight away to the island without the cruise.

During the cruise we got to see groups in Kayak tour, kite boarding, and playful dolphins.

Kayak tour

Lovely dolphins (photo credit: Bhogs Arroyo Marmol)

The Seal Island is where you can see the Sea lions. What is a group of Sea Lions called? According to our tour guide it's a COLONY. The female are called cows and the male are called bulls. Our tour guide said male and female sea lions doesn't stay together. The male sea lions swim towards the female colony during mating season only. But they will leave behind  the female sea lions after impregnating them (Gosh! So irresponsible father. hahaha!).

Over-all view of the Seal Island.

Colony of sea lions rolling over at the seal island shore.

Sea lion up-close.

Penguin Island does not only house penguins. We have encountered several species of birds in the area. Among these are pelicans, terns, and cormorants and sea gulls. How do you call a group of Pelicans? It's a SQUADRON according to our tour guide.

Flying sea gull

Pelicans

Cormorants

Tern

Sea gull

When I was a kid all I knew is that penguins only reside in icy or snowy places and with sizes taller than human. In this place, Penguin Island in Safety Bay, the penguins fall into the category of "Little penguins", the smallest among all the kinds pf penguins in the world. The height, on my estimate, is less than a feet tall. Penguins are seabirds that don't fly. They grow their new set of feathers yearly through the process called "moulting". During moulting penguins are not water proof so they have to stay in the land during those times.

(photo credit: Jonathan Francisco)

Hello there shy little penguin! (photo credit: Jonathan Francisco)

Penguin during moulting.

We saw penguins under big rocks.

We saw penguins also beneath the stairs along the trail.

Feeding time for Little Penguins (photo credit: Bhogs Arroyo Marmol)

Feeding Little Penguins.

The Penguin Island offers wide range of activities for the family like swimming, trekking, and picnic. Picnic tables are available in the area but bringing a beach tent and mat would also be a good idea. Be sure to bring packed lunch and picnic foods as you won't see any resto or coffee shop in the island. And also don't forget to bring your swimming attire, trekking attire and trash bags (as you will be asked to bring back with you all trashes to the mainland). Soap and dipper is also a must to bring since there are no shower areas for those who want to take shower after the swimming in the beach, but toilets and few water faucets are available.

Eating time with my travel buddies.

Swimming time!

Expect spectacular  breathtaking views while you trek the island trail! We really enjoyed the blue waters and the blue calming and relaxing sky.

Aladin's cave (photo credit: Janice Francisco).

Finally reached the summit of the trail.

Exhilarating view! (photo credit: Bhogs Arroyo Marmol)

Jump shot! (photo credit: Bhogs Arroyo Marmol)

Wow! That was such an invigorating adventure at the Penguin Island. Fresh air, fantastic view, and with good friends. What more can you ask for?


Journeying with Passion,
Net