sail ningaloo - shore thing

It's been eight months since I laid on my back looking at the southern cross on the trampoline of The Shore Thing.I did that for five days back in May. I still remember it as the best five days of that twenty one day trip in Australia. Now I think it was probably the best five days of 2014 and it was a very good year.

We had a wonderful five day trip on Shore Thing. Not only was the snorkelling superb but the food was excellent. Freshly baked bread every day and wonderful salads remain in the memory as well as the white tipped reef sharks and wonderful corals! The crew were very friendly and the rest of the passengers were great as well. The stars at night were spectacular and I loved being rocked gently to sleep at night.Thoroughly recommended!

Wow! I was in need of a really good break after working really hard for months. I am a scuba diver and decided to go on a nice dive trip via Perth Scuba (by the way, who are also equally fantastic. They arranged this trip brilliantly and were ever so helpful, especially when my GoPro battery malfunctioned and Joey (owner) very kindly stopped by her shop to get me a new one before meeting me at the airport at 9am!).We were greeted by Lannie at Learmonth airport. She is the owner of Shore Thing and really a smiley helpful and friendly lady. At the boat, we met the captain- Gary, his wife Katherine who was a great host and cook! And Alex- our dive guide who was always smiling and eager to help. I was shown to my room, and I thought, wow. I have been on liveaboards, but this was luxurious. The toilet was clean and there was a good sized shower and sink unit. Nice. Bed was great and nothing beat the escape hatch above us. At night- my roommate and I just stared at the stars and moon before falling asleep. Gary ensured that the boat was moored at calm places for the night, and I forgot that I was actually on a boat!The food was great! Our menu have been chosen by Lannie and all were super healthy and delicious food. Of course, we had our lovely English fry up breakfast on our last day! We had premium tea (tea leaves) and coffee, and a wide variety of beverage. Captain Gary was simply knowledgable and fantastic. He showed us top notch or in his words- "sensational" snorkelling sites (being divers, we don't like to use the 's' word) which were simply out of this world. The dive sites were brilliantly planned as Gary is so knowledgable and maximised our chances of seeing marine life. He will shout out "whale", "turtles", "mantas" and let us know when it is safe to snorkel with the mantas. We even found bait balls/feeding frenzies and they were the highlight of our trip! We were right in the middle of the action! Nothing is too much for Gary. The whales were everywhere and by the last day of our trip, we have seen so many.His wife Katherine just kept making such delicious food and drinks all the time, with healthy snacks in between our dives. It was quite hard to focus on diving when I kept smelling the lovely aroma of home cooked food. She bakes really well too. Alex was so helpful with the diving. We saw sharks, turtles, whales, wobbegong, barracudas, big schooling fishes, manta rays, rays and a lot of macro stuff like Spanish dancer, painted crayfish, nudibranches to name a few. She was always helpful and smiling. I had warm showers and in fact, if I wanted, I could have had scalding hot water. Lannie provides environmentally soap and shampoo/conditioner as well. This boat is really eco friendly, which is important to me. I was very happy with the bathroom as it was always dry and clean. The boat was always clean and tidy. There were good books to read and games to play. The medical first aid box was well stocked too, I may add. I also appreciated that there will only be a maximum of 8 guests and that was really good, because it was not crowded and it made the diving all the more fun. It gave that luxurious tailored holiday feel.I was glad that I went on the trip and on my way back to the airport at Learmonth, I asked if we could plan another trip again. We have managed to plan a dive trip (thanks to well organised Lannie and Perth Scuba) and I have paid my deposit to go again in March 2015. I can't wait.Thank you Lannie, Gary, Katherine and Alex for making my holiday such a special, memorable, enjoyable and happy one.

If you are looking for an eco-tour with integrity and responsibility, Sail Ningaloo on Coral Bay is the trip for you. My family and I boarded the stunning 51 foot catamaran, Shore Thing, in July this year for a tour around Coral Bay. We were welcomed aboard by the friendly staff who were eager to answer any questions we had about their beautiful reef. Their wealth of knowledge and care for the pristine ecosystem is unsurpassed by any eco-tour I have ever been on. Their philosophy on the environment extends to every aspect of the tour, right down to the precise placement of the boat before snorkelling expeditions so as not to disturb feeding turtles. The highly skilled skipper knew the reef like the back of his hand and read the currents of the water so that we wouldn't have to struggle to swim back to the boat. After each dive we were greeted by the wonderful hostess who offered delicious freshly baked goodies that she had even made gluten free especially for me! The on-board snorkelling instructor had keen eyes and never failed to point out hiding creatures beneath the coral - on one particular day I saw more sea life than some marine biologists see in a life time! It was a spectacular trip that will never be forgotten. I look forward to returning some day soon. A quick side note to those who suffer from sea-sickness (like myself) - Coral Bay is protected by a surrounding reef that means there is barely any swell all day and night. The Shore Thing was incredibly stable and has plenty of room in the fresh air for those who are prone to sea sickness. The staff are also incredibly well equipped with sea-sickness remedies and are quick to help a passenger in need!

Our time aboard Sail Ningaloo's impeccable 51 foot Catamaran A Shore Thing was a truly magical experience. To be able to sail out in the calm, crystal clear waters of the stunningly beautiful Coral Bay , swimming with manta rays and sea turtles and marvelling at the brightly coloured Coral gardens and abundant fish life was something truly special. The abundance of marine life encountered at every turn made me feel like I was in the middle of a David Attenborough documentary. We saw dugongs, sharks , majestic humpback whales and the elusive Nudibranch. Our crew, Lannie, skipper Gary and guide Alex were friendly, professional, knowledgable and clearly passionate about the preservation of this paradise. The meals provided were excellent with exceptional attention to detail. There was plenty of space on board and it was extremely comfortable. Activities were well planned and organized proficiently and all equipment was meticulous. A thoroughly enjoyable trip and a gentle, magical way to explore this stunning environment.

We were recommended to Sail Ningaloo by friends who had done a trip with them. We had previously done a land based trip but had discovered that the majority of the treasures of the region are under the sea and that a boat was the best place to be. With minimal motoring (unlike the Great Barrier reef) we were able to swim with turtles and manta rays, see humpback whales, dugongs and a tiger shark, along with beautiful coral formations and fish. The food was delicious, the staff professional, and we could not have hoped for a better trip.

We had 4 couples, various levels of dive experience from novice to very competent. Some were getting certified to open water and advanced.The diving was great - even had whales and mantas with us, incredible marine diversity, great conditions ( though vis was limited by plankton). Luke (the skipper) went out of his way to ensure we saw everything, up close and personal! Could not have been better.The facilities and food were always excellent, and the crew always cheerful and willing to help.We have dived in many great places in Aussie and overseas, but the total experience here was the best to date. Thanks to the whole team.

Dear MoonyfishThank you for joining us on board Shore Thing and for your valuable feedback. I would firstly like to offer our sincere apologies to you again for the inconvenience you experienced due to the minimal water available for showering during your trip. We always endeavor to provide our customers with the highest possible service and our aim is to ensure your enjoyment and comfort throughout all aspects of the tour. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control we were unable to provide unlimited amounts of water for showering. The desalination unit on board shore thing required a replacement part which unfortunately we were unable to purchase locally. Whilst we are privileged to live and work in an amazing part of Australia, the remote location of the Ningaloo Reef where we operate certainly provides some challenges; in this instance waiting for replacement parts to be freighted across the country. As we have large 1000lt holding tanks, we can still operate tours with minimal disruption and reach the remote snorkel and dive locations visitors join us to experience, with guest agreement on water conservation. I would also like to apologise that you did not feel you could speak with me directly regarding your feelings after the trip. I was unaware of your disappointment as the feed back we received from you at the completion of the tour was that you rated your Sail Ningaloo experience as exceeding your expectations, except for the limited water supply - which you noted that ‘Gary and crew did their best to make sure guests still have their showers – great response! I would have appreciated the opportunity to discuss this with you face to face when I met with you on your return. In regards to bank charges, as a small business it is difficult to bear the fees charged for merchant facilities imposed by the banks and like most other businesses we pass on a small amount of the cost. We do offer an alternative no-fee payment option such as bank transfer, which we believe is clearly communicated. I do hope you still enjoyed some of your journey to Ningaloo Reef and swimming with majestic manta rays or seeing the impressive humpback whales or perhaps the amazing snorkel sites you visited will leave you with some wonderful memories. Once again I apologise that the Shore Thing didn’t live up to your expectations during this visit, as guest satisfaction is our number one priority.Best regards,Lannie Riley

After seeking a live aboard boat that catered for divers wanting to explore the Ningaloo Reef, i finally settled on Shore Thing as it had everything I wanted for my getaway. The first notable element was from my dealings with Lani, who was extremely helpful in organising my trip and going the extra mile to help me with other queries regarding my travel to the region. The second, was the types of activities offered on the boat apart from my beloved scuba diving, for example, there were ample opportunities to to an easy snorkel and equipment on board to kayak. Just lazing back and enjoying a sail and the fantastic company of the crew who were all lovely and so much fun to be around. The rest of the passengers on the boat were also fantastic, and the numbers were perfect - not too many people, not too few. If I wanted quiet time alone, there were ample locations of the boat to 'get away', and the meals were seriously awesome. This trip for me was decadent and luxurious, and resulted in me being completely relaxed and content and feeling very lucky to be me. I would highly recommend this company and this trip to anyone who is looking for an amazing getaway run by professionals who are both friendly and helpful - thanks again Luke and Lani and the crew :).

Our Sail Ningaloo experience was fantastic! From the start of planning our itinerary, booking the tour and making transfer arrangements, it was pretty much seamless throughout. There's a lot of great things about our experience on Sail Ningaloo - the food is fresh, healthy and delicious with lots of variety (and even dessert!), the sail boat is very nice and rooms were comfortable, the snorkling was fantastic - we saw lots of things from wobbegongs, tawny nurse sharks, bull rays, manta rays and turtles. Luke and Lannie & their crew are a lovely bunch. They really look out for giving you the best experience possible, and most importantly have good safety standards. Be prepared to take away some beautiful memories. It's definitely worth the while.

We can’t speak highly enough of our Sail Ningaloo experience. Right from our first enquiry, Lannie was a pleasure to deal with, answering any questions we had about the trip. We had 6 very special nights on board with our crew Lannie, Luke and Dee who made sure everything was perfect. The boat is beautiful with sunny and shady spots and you can help sail the boat if you so wish. The snorkelling was fantastic and the crew made sure we were in the right place at the right time to get the best of our experiences. We swam with manta rays and turtles, saw sharks, sting rays and the most amazing amount of fish-life. We sailed alongside humpback whales and even saw the elusive dugong. The majority of the guests on our boat were scuba diving, so we were able to do one dive on most days, some days 2 dives. The food was outstanding, with different breakfast, lunch, dinner options each day, as well as mid-morning and afternoon treats after each water excursion. We are both vegetarian, so for each meal Lannie prepared fantastic options for us, all cooked in front of us in her tiny kitchen, she put so much thought and effort into this, sometimes vegetarian dishes can be disappointing, but not on this trip.During the six days we felt that we had the entire Ningaloo reef to ourselves – only seeing another boat when we were departing / arriving in Coral Bay. If it is a special occasion, do let them know as you may just get a special treat. If you want to see this very special reef, we can highly recommend Sail Ningaloo – this is a trip of a lifetime with a very special team. Apologies to Lannie and team, this review is well overdue!

We went on a 3 night dive trip and had an absolutely fantastic time. I can't recommend this highly enough. We went to great dive sites, had good quality dive gear to hire and a great dive master (Shaun) who was happy to let us explore the sites at a relaxed pace. They were also accommodating for those of us who were too tired or didn't feel like doing all the dives offered each day. As soon as we surfaced we were offered hot drinks, and there was a never-ending supply of delicious food cooked by our lovely host Alex. Our skipper Luke always made sure we were anchored in the best places to avoid wind and swell and seasickness. And a special mention needs to be made for Lannie who organised a special pickup of our friends the following day when their flight to Exmouth was delayed. The natural environment here is beautiful, and over the course of 4 days we saw so much marine life. Would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to enjoy the Ningaloo reef.

Where do we start?..from the moment we met Luke when he picked us up in Coral Bay to when he dropped us back to the airport 4 days later, it was faultless. Luke and Lannie and their crew, Gary our skipper, Alex our dive master and the amazing Kirsten the provider of all our meals, were the most professional, knowledgeable and friendly people. It was a pleasure to spend 4 days out on Ningaloo Reef with them. The diving and snorkeling was awesome, the boat was immaculate and the food was the best we could have asked for. Fresh homecooked bread everyday, just baked muffins for morning tea, fresh fruit and nibbles throughout the day and restaurant quality 2 course dinners at night, all produced in a small galley kitchen by the wonderful, amazing, talented and all round lovely person, Kirsten Cable! Great value for money and highly recommended. We have had many diving trips all over the world and sailing Ningaloo Reef on Sure Thing was up there with the best of them.It was so relaxing, I loved skipper Garys compulsory food coma after lunch each day!It was great velue for money and we hope to return again for a 9 day trip nxt time!We have travelled the world, and can guarantee that you would not find a better trip than to sail Ningaloo on the Sure Thing!

Just back from a trip on Shore Thing, it was really great, the crew were awesome nothing was any trouble for them. They were fun and friendly and we could not believe the wonderful meals that they produced from the tiny galley, exceptional! The snorkelling was amazing said my husband( I don't swim) he just loved that they saw and swam with, apart from lots of fantastic fish,Manta Rays, Turtles, Reef white tipped /black tipped & grey Sharks, a Dugong, Wobbegongs and so many other things, he was in seventh heaven. I have to say that Lannie made everything so easy from the first communication we had, she organised our trip including accommodation in both Coral Bay & Exmouth, transfers where required and our day out to Swim with the Whale Sharks, which was the absolute best thing ever. Luke (our Captain) & Lannie you have a great crew. Would definitely recommend a trip on Shore Thing.

We had a sensational trip aboard Shore Thing. A comfortable and spacious vessel and nothing was too much trouble for the crew. Their friendly attitude and flexible approach ensured everyone had a memorable experience. Gary was an excellent Captain ably supported by Sonia as Dive Master and Alex as chef.We highly recommend Sail Ningaloo and Shore Thing as the ideal way to explore the dive sites and other attractions of this unique part of the world.