Curious 7 m whales that approach snorkellers on the Ribbon Reefs in June and July, in the only permitted minke swim program in the world.
Balaenoptera acutorostrata subsp.
Every June and July dwarf minke whales gather on the northern Ribbon Reefs and seek out boats and people. Under a research-based permit program, liveaboards from Cairns and Port Douglas deploy a line from the stern and snorkellers hang on it while the whales approach, sometimes to within a few metres, for an hour or more. It is a passive encounter (the whale decides) and one of the most extraordinary in Australian waters. The Lighthouse Bommie, Steve's Bommie and Challenger Bay are the usual sites.
Ordered by how regularly the site is dived and how well it is documented. The species is listed in each site's recorded marine life; sightings are never guaranteed.
Ribbon Reefs, especially around Ribbon Reef 10 and the Lighthouse Bommie.
June–July.
Book a dedicated minke-week liveaboard; the whales are seen on most trips in season.