What to Bring to Swim With Whales on the Gold Coast

Pack swimwear, a towel, warm clothes, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and water: that is the list on the Gold Coast swim’s own listing. The gear for the water, masks, fins, snorkels and wetsuits, is supplied according to Cooly Eco Adventures’ booking page. What you cannot pack is the part that matters most: being at ease floating in deep, moving ocean while a very large animal makes up its mind about you.

Who can go

The listing sets three conditions: you must be able to swim unassisted, you must have snorkelled before, and you must be at least 15, with anyone under 18 accompanied by an adult. Cooly’s booking page puts a number on the swimming: 50 metres, unassisted. The trip is not suitable during pregnancy, for people with back problems (the booking page adds osteoporosis) or for non-swimmers.

If you have not snorkelled in a while, get some practice in calm water before the day. Cooly’s booking page mentions snorkel training to improve your current skill level, but the trip is not a learn-to-snorkel lesson.

The packing list

• Swimwear, worn under your clothes so you can be ready quickly when a whale is close.
• A towel and a full change of warm clothes. Winter sea temperatures off the Gold Coast are about 19 to 22°C, and a wet body on a moving boat in the wind cools down fast.
• A warm, windproof layer for the 3 hours of boat time between swims.
• Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. Choose a reef-friendly sunscreen and put it on well before you get in.
• Water, and a snack if you like: food and drinks are not included in the booking.
• Seasickness tablets, taken before you board if you are at all prone to it.

Leave behind what the listing does not allow: luggage or large bags, drones, pets, alcohol and drugs.

Seasickness

This is the thing most likely to spoil the day. You will spend about 3 hours on the open ocean in a small boat, often in swell, and floating at the surface with a snorkel can bring nausea on too. Reviewers of Gold Coast whale cruises mention it again and again; one Sea World Whale Watch reviewer in October 2026 said that at least half the passengers on their trip were sick and urged others to take the tablets offered before departure. Take your own remedy an hour before you board, eat lightly, keep your eyes on the horizon, and tell the crew early if you feel unwell.

Cameras

A small action camera on a wrist strap is the practical choice; anything you would be upset to lose in deep water should stay on the boat. Cooly sells a video highlight package separately, which is not included in the price. Remember that the guide’s instructions come first: a whale encounter can be over in a minute, and a swimmer fiddling with a camera in the wrong place can end it for everyone.

On the day

Check in at 139-151 Chinderah Bay Dr on the Tweed River for the 30-minute safety briefing. The listing gives times in Queensland time, which is an hour behind New South Wales, where Chinderah is, during daylight saving from October. Leave your phone number when you book: Cooly’s booking page says it may need to contact you about time changes or cancellations, and that it is your responsibility to check your email for updates.

See dates for the Gold Coast whale swim

For the rules once you are in the water, see is it safe to swim with whales?. If open water is not for you, swim or whale watching? compares the cruises.

Requirements and packing list from the listing and Cooly Eco Adventures’ booking page; sea temperature from Gold Coast surf and tourism sources. Checked October 2026.