Our goals
We aim for every swim to be a pleasure, not a chore. We are not about swimming the longest distance in the shortest time. We are not about ticking boxes. We are there to soak up the experience of some very special places and moments and some extraordinary water and swim courses. We want everyone to enjoy their swims, no matter their ability. We are not here to satisfy obsessives who just want longer, faster, farther. We are inclusive, not elitist. If you set new, personal benchmarks along the way, then that's good, but it’s not the aim of the group overall.
This is why we build other activities into our oceanswimsfaris. The places we take you are rich in culture, history, cuisine, and character. We want you to sample as much of that as possible. Swimming is the catalyst for our presence, but there's much more to these places than that.
To join us to swim, you need to be able to swim 1km freestyle without stopping. You will find you can actually swim much farther than that once you're in the peloton situation. You don't need to be fast and you don't need to be a world-beater. You might not be a swimmer yourself; you might be accompanying a swimmer. Some people just come along for the ride. There still will be opportunities for you to swim in some locations. But when we're swimming as a group, we cannot afford to be stretched out or held back. If you get into the water to swim, then you must swim. We cannot afford for anyone to hang back admiring a coral head, fascinated by an anenome fish, mooching around in the one spot. If you see something interesting, by all means stop or slow down for a closer look, but don’t dwell too long. This is in the interests of the safety of the group overall.
We generally swim 1.5km - 3km in a session, depending on conditions and the experience and capacity of our group.
If you join us on an oceanswimsafari, you agree to follow the directions of our oceanswimsafari leaders.
Deposits
A Booking form must be submitted and a non-refundable deposit of 25 per cent of the package price per person must be lodged before any booking is confirmed. Deposits are due within three days (72 hours) of the invoice date. Please see below for bank details for funds transfers. In the case of bookings made within the three months period, full payment is due within 72 hours of booking.
Note that no booking is complete until the booking form is received and payments made by the due date (ie, with more than 3 months to go, the 25% deposit, and within 3 months, the total package cost, as invoiced).
We require one booking form per room. We will issue one invoice per room, irrespective of whether it's double, single, twin share, etc.
Advance deposits
If you would like to secure your place for a future oceanswimsafari before we have released package and pricing details, you may lodge a deposit with us with the option to accept or reject once details become known. Once we notify you of the details and pricing, you will have seven days to accept or decline the package. If you decide within this seven-day period to decline the package, your deposit is fully refundable. If you decide to proceed, the Advance Deposit comes off your invoice price. This is an excellent way of securing your place in advance of the release of the package, while leaving you the option of declining with full refund if the package when released does not suit you. The Advance Deposit is $A500 per person.
If you do not decline the offer within the seven-day period, you will be deemed to have accepted the package and the advance deposit will become non-refundable.
Payments and Refunds
Invoices are issued per room. If groups share a room, one person must be the contact and responsible for payment. Invoices will not be split amongst groups or shares. Split payments will incur a fee of $200 (see Fees below).
Deposits are not refundable.
Final payments are due three months prior to tour commencing and are 50% refundable until one month prior to the tour commencing. After that, no part of the package price is refundable. Ex gratia payments may be possible, depending on circumstances. Refunds are possible if the cancelling party provides a replacement to at least the full value of their original booking.
In the case of bookings made within the three months period, full payment is due within 72 hours of booking. These payments are 50 per cent refundable until one month prior to the tour commencing, less 25% (equivalent to non-refundable deposit). After that, no part of the package price is refundable.
Our oceanswimsafaris often involve costs incurred in engaging services such as escort boats to assist with swims. The cost of engaging these services is spread across guests taking part in the oceanswimsafari. This applies to all guests, both swimmers and 'non-swimmers'. It is not possible to gain a lower package cost for partners, friends, etc, who are 'non-swimmers'. The reason for this is that, in our experience, 'non-swimmers' often like to come with us on such boats, etc, even while not swimming. It is not fair that some should be spared a share of the cost of these services while still making use of them.
Invoices for flight bookings made on your behalf are due in full within three days (72 hours) of the invoice date. This is because we have outlayed the funds in order to secure the booking with our suppliers.
How we hold your funds
When you transfer funds to us, you pay directly (provided you use the account details provided on our invoice) into an oceanswimsafaris.com bank account set up specifically to hold those funds until they are needed for your oceanswimsafari. In advance of an oceanswimsafari, we are required to pay certain amounts to our suppliers and providers, such as accommodation deposits and balances, supplier invoices for swim escort bookings, transport bookings, etc. If events occur that prevent your oceanswimsafari going ahead, or that result in your oceanswimsafari being postponed or rescheduled, our capacity to refund your payments may be limited by the amounts already paid out in good faith to suppliers, and by our ability to secure refunds from those suppliers. We do not use your funds for any purpose other than those directly connected with your oceanswimsafari. Our underlying operations and administrative activities are funded through separate acounts and cash reserves.
Current regulations governing the travel and tour industries do not require us to be licensed or to contribute to statutory trust accounts.
Events beyond our control
In the event of circumstances arising that are beyond the control of oceanswimsafaris.com, such as pandemics, wars, and government decisions such as travel bans and advisories, which circumstances preclude an oceanswimsafari proceeding on the dates planned, we will work with our providers to roll over the dates to another time. Roll-over dates generally would be the corresponding period of the following year, or another appropriate time. If the roll-over dates are not acceptable to you, then we will offer a voucher/credit note to the full value of your payments to date to be redeemed by the end of the calendar year following. If that also is not acceptable to you, then normal cancellation terms will apply.
Our locations
Note that the providers with whom we work, especially those in Queensland, are operating under difficult conditions caused by the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on their ability to attract and retain staff. Staff, and providers, do their best to provide the services you need, but this difficulty can affect the quality and timeliness of the services provided.
Errors and Omissions
oceanswimsafaris.com has made every endeavour to ensure that tour details and prices are correct. However, due to the possibility of changes in various charges, such as from suppliers and providers with whom we deal, we reserve the right to adjust tour package prices accordingly. Fluctuations in exchange rates also may prompt review of final tour prices after original quotations. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars.
Intellectual Property
At oceanswimsafaris.com we have put in a lot of work to research our oceanswimsafaris, including accommodation, transport arrangements, dining venues, other activities, and, especially, our swim courses. In accepting these terms and conditions, you agree that you will not divulge details of these matters to others, other than those engaged on the same oceanswimsafari as yourself. This includes details of where we swim, how we get there, where we go when we swim, swim routes, and where we enter and exit the water. If you track our swim courses using GPS systems, and/or you upload the data to online sites, you agree that you will not share that data other than with those engaged on the same oceanswimsafari. You also agree that you will not share or divulge the data uploaded by others on your oceanswimsafari to anyone other than those engaged on the same oceanswimsafari as yourself.
Fees
Once booked, changes in booking arrangements may incur a $100 amendment fee. Suppliers and providers also may levy an amendment fee which will be an additional charge.
Final payments not paid by due date will incur a late payment fee of $100 per person.
A late booking fee of $200 applies to bookings made less than 7 days prior to departure.
Those travelling alone will be required to pay the entire cost of their accommodation. This will be adjusted should singles end up sharing accommodation.
We do not put singles together, although this can be arranged directly between individuals. From past experience, this sometimes does not work.
Payments split amongst occupants of a room will incur a fee of $200 added to the overall invoice.
We are happy to advise on and, if necessary, book your flights. Flight bookings carry a management fee of $A150 per head.
Visas
Oceanswimsafaris generally commence on arrival in the destination country or location or, in some cases, in a transit country. You are responsible for ensuring that all necessary visas are obtained prior to departure, that all necessary visa requirements are met, and that your passports are in order with an expiry date sufficient to allow access to countries visited (generally minimum six months' validity from onward departure from a country).
You are responsible for meeting other requirements for access to countries.
Health
Oceanswimsafaris commonly involve swimming distances of up to around five kilometres (5km) in ocean conditions, as well as a range of other activities as specified on the information web page for each oceanswimsafari.
In submitting your booking form, you declare that you are sufficiently fit and healthy to undertake the relevant oceanswimsafari.
If you have any medical or physiological conditions that might affect your capacity to undertake the relevant oceanswimsafari, you agree to consult your medical practitioner prior to embarking on the oceanswimsafari.
You agree that oceanswimsafaris.com will not be liable for medical or physical conditions that arise with you in the normal course of the oceanswimsafari, either known to you beforehand or arising during the oceanswimsafari.
In the event of medical or physical conditions arising with you, oceanswimsafaris.com will provide reasonable assistance as necessary and practical. We are not able to fund medical, transport or other costs that normally would be covered by travel insurance.
You are strongly advised to consult your doctor in regard to precautions that may be advisable in regard to countries and locations that you plan to visit. Some events, particularly in Europe, require medical certificates attesting to your fitness before they will allow you to take part. You must ensure that you are aware of what is required for your tour. Please check with oceanswimsafaris.com to ensure you are aware of what is required in order for you to take part in tour events. It's your responsibility to obtain any necessary medical certificates (best to carry copies, too).
Security
Your are responsible for the safety and security and good functioning of all equipment and possessions which you bring with you on your oceanswimsafari. You agree that oceanswimsafaris.com, its principals and its representatives, are not responsible for loss, theft or damage to any of your possessions during your tour.
Your responsibilities
You are responsible for ensuring that you comply with and meet departure times and arrangements as notified by your tour leader(s) during the course of your tour. You acknowledge that your tour party will comply with these arrangements irrespective of whether you are in attendance. This means that, if you are late for any notified departure, the tour party may not wait for you.
You must ensure that the name you provide to us on your booking form is exactly as it appears on your passport. (Your name in which your airline tickets are booked also must be exactly as it appears on your passport.)
You will be issued with an oceanswimsafaris.com swim cap. This must be worn at all times during programmed swims. No cap, no swim. You agree to this in agreeing to these terms and conditions.
You agree to follow the directions of your group leaders. Their primary concern is your safety, first, and that you enjoy your swims with us.
Guests
Participation in all activities of our oceanswimsafaris is available only to those who have booked and paid to come with us. Please avoid embarrassment: don't invite your friends, who 'happen to be in town', to join our group. They will not be included. It is not possible to cherry-pick an activity and join us just for that, or even something 'here or there'. Payment is for the entire package for the period over which you book. It is possible with some oceanswimsafaris to join us for part of the tour. This is determined by days, not by individual activities. Ask us for more information.
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is compulsory. You must take out travel insurance to cover the period of your tour covering loss, theft, damage, illness, accident, and consequent treatment and transport, including for Covid-19. These contingencies are not the responsibility of oceanswimsafaris.com or their principals or representatives. We will not be responsible if you ignore or act contrary to the directions or advice of your oceanswimsafaris tour leaders, or if you breach the terms of your personal travel insurance.
Civil Liability
Please be aware that, due to the current state of the insurance market, we are not able to access civil liability cover for our oceanswimsafaris. We have no insurance if we are sued for damages arising out of an allegation that our organisation is liable for these damages whether in negligence or other course of action at law. In any case, civil liability cover does not cover you personally in any of the areas listed above. For personal coverage, you must take out your own travel insurance.
Payments
Deposits and other payments must be made to -
Domestic payments -
Account name - oceanswimsafaris.com
Bank - Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BSB - 062-475
Account number - 1034 0712
International payments -
Account name - oceanswimsafaris.com
SWIFT - CTBAAU2S (International transfers)
Bank - Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Bank branch - Rhodes, NSW, Australia
BSB - 062-475
Account number - 1034 0712
Please note your surname and your invoice number on your transfer/deposit, and include our email –
Credit card payments are available at a fee of 2.5% (Visa/Mastercard) and 3% (American Express/Diners Club).
We can manage credit card payments over the phone if we are in Australia at the time. If we are travelling overseas at the time, alternative arrangements may be made in consultation with you.
Disclaimer
You release and discharge oceanswimsafaris.com, their principles and representatives to the full extent possible at law for liability for any loss or damage suffered by you or any other person whose name appears in your booking form, including but not limited to:
a) Loss of prepaid activities
b) Theft of luggage or personal belongings
c) Delays, omissions, accidents or negligence caused by any party
d) Any charges made by any of the service providers
e) Illness injury, or death and
f) Any other loss or damage whatsoever
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