We run boat tours daily around the picturesque coastal seaside town of Albany, Western Australia.
From around May to October, Humpback, Southern Right and occasionally rare Blue Whales can be seen in Albany’s waters where they frolic, mate and calve. Dolphins and seals can be seen all year round.
Situated in Princess Royal Harbour, part of King George Sound, these waters are steeped in history. Come aboard and experience Albany from the sea. Imagine what it would have been like when the first explorers pulled into the harbour as early as 1627 or when the first ANZAC troops departed Albany for WWI in 1914.
Our boat is the “Young Salty Dog”, a twin hull catamaran and an ex Sea Rescue vessel that is safe and stable.
Holding up to 12 passengers, Captain Mark will give you a personalised tour of the harbour and King George Sound.
How it all began
King George Sound Safari was formed in November 2016 by Mark Muscat. Almost two years after the death of his son Jay, who was fatally attacked by a great white shark while spearfishing off Three Stripes near Cheynes Beach in December 2014, Mark said his son’s love of the water would live on through the boat, aptly named the “Young Salty Dog”. Mark says Jay loved the water and was a bit of a “cheeky salty dog”. You can see Jay riding a King George Whiting, proudly wearing his beloved Hawthorn guernsey on the King George Sound Safari logo.
Mark previously worked at the local pet shop, Head to Tail Pets, which he and his wife Sheryl took over in December 2001 from Mark’s parents who had owned it for 12 years. Drop in and say hello to Sheryl and the team if you need anything for your pet!
Early days: Sheryl and Mark Muscat with their daughter Ebony and son Jay
Jay loved his fishing - with a Samson and Harlequin
Jay with a Dhufish
Jay, Mark, Ebony and Sheryl Muscat
Mark and Jay with a couple of nice Salmon
Jay with a Dhufish and Queenie
LEARN MORE
Why Catamarans?
CATS ARE THE BEST.
There is no debate. Catamarans are better by a nautical mile.
Single hull vessels can perform better in the open ocean but for many reasons the twin hull design of a cat beats single hull boats hands down. Here is why:
Natural Buoyancy
They have a natural buoyancy even when fully laden with passengers. As the Young Salty Dog is an ex sea rescue vessel, it’s full of foam so the deck could fill up with water and the catamaran would still float, with the deck remaining flat.
Faster
Cats get up to speed faster. If you want to go somewhere fast, comfortably, then the cat beats the single hull designs because it is more lively.
Economy
We can offer you better value for money because cats have a lower wetted surface area. This means that they are less expensive to run. A boat that is less expensive to run means that we can offer you better value for money on your cruise. Other boats simply cannot compete on fuel consumption, especially in quiet water.
Better Layout
If you are bringing a party who wants to have it spread over a few levels? The catamaran design means that everyone is on the one level – and that is a great thing.
Maneuverable
Cats are very agile with twin engines a distance apart. They also have shallow drafts, meaning that they can get you in very close to the beach of your choice. We anchor closer to shore and go where single hulls cannot go.
Safety
Cats have little heeling, they don’t roll at anchor (less sea sickness is great for family outings), and because there is two of everything, the built-in redundancy means that if something like a motor, should stop working you always have another one ready to take you safely to your mooring.
Great Service. Amazing Boat Tours. Beautiful Albany.
WE CATER TO EVERY NEED
Romantic Evenings
Eco Tours
Whale Watching
Scenic Cruises
Pre-wedding celebrations
Parties
Corporate Functions
Family Fun Days
End of Year parties
Geo-tourism
Staff Incentives
Supplier Incentives
Meet The Captain
Captain Mark
Mark is an Albany local and loves sharing stories about the town, its history, and beautiful surroundings, plus he’ll take you there on the Young Salty Dog. You’ll go to parts of Albany you can only see by boat, and you’ll be so glad you did. He’ll also keep you entertained. Ask him about the haunted lighthouse or the lighthouse keeper’s daughter or how many brains an octopus has. This is where small tours shine. With a maximum of 12 passengers, Mark will make sure you get a very personalised tour. But remember, small is also safe because the Young Salty Dog is a Catamaran and an ex sea rescue vessel.
If you’re coming to Albany or in the lead up to your Safari, play a quiz or learn fun facts about Albany using our Facebook Messenger app.
