Have you ever been on a BBQ boat? When BJ was little we joined friends on a BBQ boat while staying in Port Macquarie. I remember it as a relaxing and fun day out. Our most recent visit to the area was during winter and we were looking for activities to replace our usual days of swimming at the beach. I had my heart set on a trip out on a BBQ boat. I figured it would allow us to enjoy cruising the river while social distancing. It proved popular with all the family and it was a fairly accessible experience.
BBQ BOAT HIRE PORT MACQUARIE
Being school holidays it took a couple of days before we could find an available BBQ boat and it was an overcast day. A sunny day would have been ideal but a bit of cloud cover didn’t take away from the novelty of the experience for the kids.
The BBQ boat has a capacity of 12 people so we had plenty of room for the four of us. A table, matches and BBQ is provided on board. We needed to supply our own food, cutlery, cups and plates.
Our decision to hire the boat was fairly last minute so we made up a fruit and cheese platter, took some sausages and eggs to barbecue and drinks. It was simple but that’s the joy of a no fuss holiday day out.
AJ enjoyed being skipper of the BBQ boat, I was happy with Hubby manning the barbecue and BJ just loved being together and being out and about.
We cruised the river at a relaxed pace before and after lunch and spotted bird life along the way.
BBQ BOAT HIRE ACCESSIBILITY
Port Macquarie has several boat hire companies. We chose Jordan’s because we’d used them before for stand-up paddle boarding and knew access was relatively easy. Parking is available at the wharf and there’s only a small step up to get on to the ramp for the boat.
The BBQ boat was spotlessly clean and we found there was ample circulation space for BJ’s wheelchair on the boat but he preferred sitting on the bench seating with the rest of us. A toilet is available on the boat but the door width is fairly similar to an airline bathroom. It would require a standing transfer to get into the toilet. BBQ boat hire time averages 4 hours so we didn’t even use the bathroom for our cruise.
In an era when we’re looking for ways to get out and about and enjoy life without being amongst crowds of people, a BBQ boat hire is a great activity. I can’t wait to try it in summer when we can also go swimming in the river.
You can read more about the BBQ boat hire offered by Jordan’s on their website.
If you’re keen to know about accessible accommodation in Port Macquarie, you can read our review of Northpoint Apartments. The accessible apartment even has a view.
The majority of people head to Port Macquarie to experience the exceptional beaches, and pleasingly many are accessible. You can read about the beach wheelchairs available and Port Macquarie’s beaches here.
