License conditions restrict the amount of time you can be present at the island. Swimmers can expect between 45 minutes to an hour for swimming.

Interaction cannot be guaranteed, however sightings of the sea lions can be. Unfortunately, sometimes they may not enter the water or remain in the water for long periods of time and we cannot force them or coax them to do so.

The sea lions are wild animals and some days they are more playful than others. In the water they often come within centimetres of you to say hello. The crew will provide you with an information sheet and briefing once on board and advise you of how best to interact with them in the water. One of the crew members will be in the water with you at all times to help you get the most from the experience and of course to ensure your safety at all times.

There is no age limit to board the tours, but do have additional conditions for people under the age of 18. Child prices are for ages 16 & under.

• All children under the age of 16 require adult supervision at all times.  
• If they are in the water their supervising adult is required to also be in the water at all times. If the child or the adult exits the water the adult or the child will also be required to do so.
• Any guest under the age of 18 needs to have their waiver form signed by a parent or guardian.

The tour activity is controlled by the Department of Environment and Water (DEW) and strict guidelines are placed on operators. The Operator has a long history spanning more than 20 years of Swimming with sea lions at Hopkins Island. Over this time, The Operator has developed their own code of conduct for these tours. The Operator has consulted heavily with the DEWNR during the process, which lead to Marine Mammal Interaction Permitting in South Australia.

In all the years thuis tour has operated, The Supplier never sighted a shark on the sea lion tour. Your safety is of utmost priority and there are safety procedures in place to minimise the risk. The islands where the tours are conducted are haul-out sites for a couple of hundred sea lions. The islands where shark cage diving takes place have a seal colony of over 45,000 seals.