David Hattrick t/a Escapade Ecotours
ABN 708 865 82751
Fishing Boat Harbour, Fremantle WA
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Freecall Australia: 1800 428 242
International: +61 409 378 870
Or send us an email now
FAQs
1. How many people can Escapade carry?
Our vessel is licenced by WA Marine Safety to carry up to 20 passengers in the harbour waters around Fremantle, up to 12 passengers for day sailing tours and 8 passengers maximum for overnight charters.
Skipper and crew up to 4 in total are in addition to the above numbers.
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2. What food and drink is provided?
All your food and beverage requirements can be accommodated aboard Escapade ranging from a small selection of nibbles to a large gourmet meal as you can see from the facilities on the boat.
For our Sunset, Carnac and Rottnest Island tours, we include nibbles, spring water, soft drink, tea and coffee. You BYO (bring-your-own) alcohol or anything special you may wish to eat during your time aboard.
Note that our Carnac Island tour returns to Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour at 1.00pm making lunch at one of the many restaurants an easy decision.
For our day tours such as Rottnest Island, we provide the above refreshments and nibbles. We ask that you BYO your lunch and alcohol requirements.
Our crew will make your sailing experience a relaxing one by preparing food, serving your meals, drinks and cleaning up - its all part of our service
We have a large BBQ on board that easily caters for 12 as well as a fully equipped galley – that’s a kitchen in nautical terms – plates, glasses and cutlery for 12 is on board.
With overnight and extended private charters where you have exclusive use of the boat, we ask that you provide your own provisions - food, drink and alcohol on a self service basis.
We provide a skipper only with no crew member to ensure your safety, maximise your privacy and reduce the cost of chartering the boat for extended periods in our Fremantle Waters operations.
In the Kimberley region when operating from Cygnet Bay Pearls, our private charters include a skipper and crew member. Provisions for meals can be self-catered or fully provided with prior notification.
We are not licenced to sell alcohol on board Escapade.
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3. Is catering available?
For private and corporate charters, we have a number of highly professional firms in Fremantle that can provide catering specific to your individual requirements, tastes and budget – or you are welcome to bring your own food and beverages on board.
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4. Where do we depart from and return to?
Over the months November to April, we are situated on the jetty in front of Kailis Fish Market Cafe in Fishing Boat Harbour in Fremantle.
Being located outside the Kailis Fish Market Cafe, we highly recommend Kailis' expansive fresh seafood display representing a comprehensive selection of delicious Western Australian seafood if your time aboard allows for a tasty feast.
Over the period May to October 2010, Escapade will be operating out of Cygnet Bay Pearls, near Cape Leveque, which is 200km north of Broome in the Kimberley region.
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5. What happens if the weather is unfavourable?
Our guests are notified as soon as possible if a charter is to be postponed or cancelled due to severe weather conditions.
Being a sailing catamaran Escapade is unique in that its design offers stable, level and relaxed cruising throughout our magnificent waters, even when sailing windward in a strong winds.
For example, the sail back from Rottnest Island in a 25 knot summer sea breeze is an exhilarating but stable ride - we often travel the 10 nautical miles in just over an hour!
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6. What do I need to bring with me on the charter?
This will depend on your destination and itinerary. Typically, we would recommend you wear casual clothing and bring a hat, sweater or warm jacket, comfortable flat shoes - no black soles please, towel, bathers and sun block.
A limited supply of snorkeling equipment is on board and is available free of charge. If you have your own equipment, we recommend you bring it with you.
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7. What are the departure and arrival times?
Please refer to the table below for Escapade’s departure times for our regular tours and charters from Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour:
| Tour/Charter |
Departure Time |
Return Time |
| Twilight Sail* |
6.00pm |
8.00pm |
| Local Island Tour |
9.00am |
1.00pm |
| Rottnest Island |
9.00am |
5.00pm |
| Rottnest Getaway |
10.00am day1 |
2.00pm day2 |
* Departure time varies depending on the time of year particularly with Sunset Sails - we will always confirm the time at the time of booking.
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8. Are children welcome on board?
Yes – we have two young boys ourselves – but please notify us in advance if babies or young children are coming aboard to ensure the necessary preparations can be made and any special safety equipment organised.
We also have special rates for ‘family friendly’ tours like the 4 hour Carnac Island Sail out of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour. Please Contact Us by email or Freecall 1800 428 242 for further information on our family packages.
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19. Can we fish and or go scuba diving off Escapade?
We do not operate fishing charters as such. We do have fishing rods, lines and tackle aboard but restrict fishing to our overnight getaways due to time and space constraints on day tours.
Please note that Escapade is not set up as a dive boat and therefore we have no compressor or other scuba diving equipment on board. However, please Contact Us by email or free call if you wish to scuba dive and we will make the suitable arrangements.
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10. Do we do ‘bare boat’ charters?
As a general rule, we have made the decision not to offer ‘bare boat’ charters - where no skipper or crew are provided and the guests self-sail the boat.
Please Contact Us by email or free call for enquiries regarding your interest in ‘bare boat’ charters as we may consider it - if your skipper has the necessary maritime qualifications.
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11. What happens if I get sea sick?
Motion sickness is a disturbance of the inner ear affecting your sense of balance and equilibrium. With Escapade's unique design, the cruising experience is very stable and a pleasant and relaxing experience – minimising the likelihood of seasickness.
In the event that motion sickness is experienced on board, over-the-counter medicine is available for our guests. However, we do recommend that guests who know they experience motion sickness take the appropriate medication one hour before coming aboard to maximise the effect of the medication.
When on board, sitting in the cockpit area or moving up on the large deck area and looking out at the horizon is also helpful to reduce the symptoms of nausea.
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12. What are Escapade Ecotour's Terms and Conditions?
We accept payment by cash, direct debit, cheque and all major credit cards. Bank account details will be provided on request, please Contact Us. (link to Contact Us &FAQs page)
A 20% deposit is required to secure a booking. The balance of the payment is required within 48 hours of the departure date.
If a charter is cancelled with 48 hours notice or more, a cancellation fee of 10% of the charter cost will apply. If a charter is cancelled with less than 48 hours notice no refund is available. Failure to attend a charter will also result in no refund.
We reserve the right to cancel a charter due to poor weather conditions such as strong winds. The charter or tour will be rescheduled or a full refund will be made available if this occurs.
Prices are subject to change without notice.
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Please download our pre-voyage instruction sheet for more information about your voyage on Escapade.
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