点评:Had a really great time seeing the gray seals on their seal watch tour! The guide was knowledgeable and very friendly. The waters were pretty calm so it was smooth sailing on the boat the whole time. Our kids are sometimes a little edgy about loud engine sounds, it we did not need headsets at all for them and they liked the bits of time where we sped up to make sure we got the most value out of the tour.
We saw a lot of seals both in the water and doing their happy “banana” shapes on sandbars in the water. Plenty of local birds were also able to be seen. Our trek took us within view of the Chatham lighthouse which came with an intriguing story!
Definitely arrive 30 minutes before your tour so you can have a last minute snack or use the very clean restroom or clean port-a-potty around the side. The arrival place doubles as a small gift shop with a small assortment of drinks if you forgot one and ice cream for your kids - because…vacation. We went on a Saturday and parking was free and readily available at the stated address. There was also a picnic table that was quite clean and a few yard games if the kids are bored waiting.
It is a short bus ride to the boat dock, clear safety info, and you’re off! I am unsure what is available for those with accessibility needs, but I would call for possible accommodations. The boat itself had hard, bench-style seating and was very clean. During the trip, the captain would also slowly turn the boat around in place so that everyone got an equal chance to see seals and even stand if the conditions permit at certain viewing points. I would recommend a holder for your phone that goes around your neck if you are like me and a bit anxious about losing your phone in the water, lol. :)
Everyone was friendly, and even though the price felt high, the experience did slightly exceed my expectations, which are fairly high! I would definitely recommend for families, or just anyone who wants to see a bunch of seals in their natural habitat.
翻译:参加海豹观赏之旅真是棒极了!导游知识渊博又非常友善。海面相当平静,因此整个航程都顺顺当当的。我们的孩子有时会对较大的引擎噪音有些紧张,但他们根本不需要戴耳机;他们还很喜欢船只加速行驶的那段时光,因为这样能让我们充分体验到这次旅行的乐趣。我们看到了很多海豹——它们有的在水中游动,有的则在水中的沙洲上摆出可爱的“香蕉形”姿势。此外,还能见到大量当地的鸟类。我们的徒步路线还让我们得以一睹查塔姆灯塔的风采,它背后还有一个有趣的故事呢!
一定要在预定行程开始前30分钟抵达,这样就能趁最后时刻吃点零食,或者使用旁边非常干净的洗手间或移动式厕所。抵达处还兼作一家小礼品店,如果您忘了带饮料,这里有多种饮料可供选择;也有冰淇淋可以给孩子们吃——毕竟是度假嘛。我们是在周六去的,按照地址指示很容易找到停车场,而且免费停车。那里还有一张十分干净的野餐桌,如果孩子们等待时觉得无聊,也可以玩一些户外小游戏。
乘巴士片刻即可到达码头,那里有清晰的安全提示,然后就可以启程啦!不过我不确定对于有特殊助残需求的人士来说有哪些便利设施可用。不过我建议可以提供一些便利措施。船上的座椅是硬质的长凳样式,而且非常干净。在航行过程中,船长还会让船在原地缓慢旋转,这样每个人都有同等的机会看到海豹;如果某些观景点的条件允许,大家甚至还可以站起来观看。如果你和我一样,总担心手机会掉进水里的话,我建议准备一个能挂在脖子上的手机套,哈哈。 :)
所有人都很友善。虽然价格看起来有些偏高,但整体体验确实稍稍超出了我的预期——而我的期望值本来就挺高的!我绝对会向带孩子的家庭,或者任何想亲眼目睹海豹在其自然栖息地中样子的人推荐这里。