Into the Abyss on Kangaroo Island

You don’t live on an island without having a passion for the sea, and everything that comes with it — from the finned and majestic, to the downright frightening.

Sean Pearce, with his warm smile and rough handshake, is your quintessential islander — living for lazy days on the water, as he wakes at dawn, cup of black Lipton tea in hand, and plans his next catch.

It’s this lifelong love of the deep blue that makes Sean the ideal guide to the pristine waters of Kangaroo Island.

Family fishing on Kangaroo Island
The Fisherman

Owner and operator of Emu Bay Fishing Charters, Kangaroo Island, Sean spends April through to September chopping firewood, so he can enjoy the warmer months on his boat, introducing inquisitive visitors to the “abyss” that is the Great Australian Bight.

“Every morning I wake up with a smile on my face. It's the unknown that keeps you coming back, not knowing what you're going to catch, what you're going to see,” Sean says.

If you’re looking for the best of Kangaroo Island fishing Sean is the Island’s premier charter operator and guides his guests in catching Kangaroo Island’s famous King George Whiting, as well as other local favourites Trevally, Flathead, Nannygai, Snook, Shark, even Blue Fin Tuna.

“We get these lovely big arse-slapping whiting,” he laughs. “When you unhook them, you bend them around your waist, and they slap you on the bum.”

For those who like to get the adrenaline pumping, Sean says there’s also the occasional visit from a White Pointer.

“We do get the old tax-man in the grey suit,” Sean says. “He comes around from time to time, gives us a cheeky smile and sees what's going on, then normally heads back down into the abyss.”

While Sean’s punters always walk away with a “feed of fish” it’s what they don’t take home with them that’s most important to Sean - his charters are all about lightening the load and letting go.

“It doesn't matter who you are, or what you do, the fish don't judge that,” he says.

“People come along on the boat and they’re happy…and that makes me happy. At the end of the day, they take home some good experiences, and a feed of fish.”

But there’s more to the Island’s maritime experiences than charter fishing.

Kangaroo Island is also known for its abundance of marine life, which takes the same relaxed approach to life as Sean, and the rest of the Island’s locals.

You’ll spot them basking on beaches, lying in the sun, flying through the waves, or migrating through the Southern Ocean — from dolphins and sharks, to whales, and sea lions, they all go about their daily life, unaware of watchful eyes, without a care in the world.

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Whale Watching

If you (like Sean) prefer to wait for the warmer months to go fishing, a rewarding winter activity on Kangaroo Island is whale watching.

The best months for watching whales from the Island are May through to September. In late autumn Southern Right and Humpback Whales begin migrating north from their summer feeds in Antarctica to breed and give birth to their calves in the warmer tropical waters of the Pacific.

Toothed whales, including Sperm Whales, Pilot Whales and Orcas can also be seen during this time, but are best spotted from a boat. Blue Whales also feed offshore near Kangaroo Island within the upwelling zones and are an awe-inspiring sight for those lucky enough to spot them.

While you can see whales from most corners of the Island, the best places to watch from land are: Penneshaw, Kingscote and Nepean Bay, Cape Willoughby, Pennington and Flourcask Bay, Vivonne Bay and Seal Bay, Cape Borda and Cape du Couedic.

For the best views make sure you find an elevated place to watch, bring your binoculars so you can see the whales up close, and pack a warm jacket and flask of whiskey…you might be waiting for a while.

Dolphin Experiences

Fancy getting up-close and personal with dolphins in their natural habitat? Any local would tell you to call Andrew.

Male Snorkeler with Dolphins

Andrew Neighbour has been the owner and operator of Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures for over 13 years and offers truly unique and natural marine and wildlife experiences for visitors to Kangaroo Island.

“Our business evolved out of a passion for wildlife, and just a love of nature really," Andrew says.

“I knew where all these dolphin pods were and the beautiful places to go swimming, so we got a suitable vessel and started taking people for wild dolphin swims on the coast.

“It's a true wild swim experience.”

Male Snorkeler

As the first tour operator awarded a licence to swim with wild dolphins on Kangaroo Island and in South Australia - and the only Kangaroo Island marine tourism business with Advanced Eco Certification - Andrew believes that by protecting the waters and the environment he works in, it will continue to be there to support him and his family for decades to come.

“We drive a Jet Boat for the simple reason that it provides a prop free environment, so we have no propellers,” Andrew says.

“Not only is it safer for our dolphins and swimmers it’s also a more sympathetic acoustic pattern, so for our marine mammals that's just absolutely perfect, they love it.

“We can sit there in the boat idle and the dolphins will come charging up to us. We've really built up some good respect over the years.”

Seal Bay

If you only achieve one thing while on the Island, make sure it’s a trip down to the South Coast to Seal Bay Conservation Park.

For thousands of years Seal Bay has been home to an impressively large Australian Sea Lion population, and thanks to a 900 metre boardwalk that takes you to the heart of the colony, visitors to the Island can view the marvellous marine mammals up-close without disturbing their peaceful place in the world.

No cages or enclosures, this is a real, unfiltered, unspoiled experience of a lifetime.

That’s why locals like Sean like to call the Island home — Kangaroo Island is an undiscovered gem, a relic from the past, undisturbed and authentic in its raw beauty.

“You get those calm days and it's just surreal, beautiful,” Sean says.

“As for a lifestyle, you couldn't ask for better, I don't think I've taken the keys out of the truck for 20 years now.”

But when it comes to throwing in a line from the beach or jetty Sean won’t give away his secret spots, he says that on Kangaroo Island fishing is all about taking what you need, nothing more nothing less.

Kangaroo Island is protected by Marine Parks and Marine Park Sanctuary Zones, so bag and size limits apply for all fish and shellfish, and there are seasonal closures to be aware of too.

So if you want to make life easy ask a local like Sean before you bait your hook. You’re sure to get a good yarn out of it, if not a feed of fish.

“Fishing's in my blood, I just love getting out there,” Sean says. “The open spaces, the naturalness, it's still there, it's still real, it's what we all live for really, isn't it.”

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