In a sheltered bay on the far west coast, wild Australian sea lions will swim circles around you, mirror your movements and blow bubbles in your face.
Baird Bay is barely a dot on the map — a tiny fishing settlement on the far west coast, reached by a long drive across the wheat country. But it is the setting for one of Australia's most extraordinary wildlife encounters.
A resident colony of Australian sea lions lives wild in the bay, and a single family-run operator has been taking small groups out to swim with them for more than two decades. Australian sea lions are among the rarest in the world, and this is one of the very few places you can share the water with them on their own terms.
In the water, the young sea lions are pure joy. Curious and playful, they swirl around snorkellers, twist and corkscrew through the water, blow streams of bubbles and seem to mirror whatever you do. They are often called the puppies of the sea, and the comparison is exact — there is the same goofy, fearless curiosity.
The same tour visits a pod of wild bottlenose dolphins nearby, and on a good day you'll get time in the water with both. It is run sustainably and respectfully; the animals are never fed or chased, and they come and go as they please.
The water is cold, so a wetsuit is provided, and trips depend on the weather, so build in some flexibility. Book ahead — places are limited and it fills up. Whatever you do, don't skip it. For most people who make the journey, swimming with the sea lions at Baird Bay is the single best thing they do on the Eyre Peninsula.
