An experience of a lifetime that exceeded all my expectations.
As most of you know I am a diving and critter nut. So it is not a big surprise to hear me come back and rave about what a great time we all had snorkeling with the Minke whales on my recent Dive 2000 Minke Whale trip. However, remember that I have been belting around the traps for a while now with a couple of thousand dives under my belt, from all round the world, in exotic places like the Galapagos and PNG. So for me to say that this was quite possibly the most amazing, mind altering experience I have ever had on snorkel is a big call.
In the middle of every year, for a short 6-8 weeks the Dwarf Minke whales are sighted along Ribbon Reefs out from Cairns. No one knows for sure why they are there, they just are. And the only way to see them is to jump on one of the liveaboards and head out. So I did my research and booked the best boat for the most reliable weekend of this short period and took five others from Dive 2000 with me this year to check out what all the fuss was about.
On the first morning we woke up at our dive site and during breakfast the first of the whales were sighted and by the end of our dive there were at least half a dozen whales milling around the boat! Somehow the call had gone out “Hey the dive boat is in town lets go check out those funny humans” and that is exactly what was happening. As we hung off the 5m safety bar under the boat we were seeing the whales as they passed by us doing laps around the boat and the snorkelers who were now in the water too.
This was the pattern that was to be repeated throughout the whole trip, pull up to the dive site and the whales simply came to us. Four, six, ten at a time, staying with the boat for hours. You could grab your snorkeling gear and hang out with the whales, do a dive if there was a lull in the whale action, or just relax on the sundeck with a nice G’n’T.
Seeing the whales could not be easier or less stressful, for the whales or us. In fact, to really enjoy this trip there is no need to be a diver at all. Even though at times they could be seen from the 5m safety bar, by far the best whale action is enjoyed on snorkel. From the stern the Mike Ball crew had put out a long snorkeling line with floats along it. With our snorkel, and of course cameras, we simply slid into the water off the back of the dive deck and hung on to the line as it stretches away from the boat.
Photo Josie Ruth - Emma Shearer & Minke Whale
The whales then control the whole show from there. No need to spend hours searching for the whales, with a mad rush to jump in the water once they have been sighted to snatch a few precious moment as they go swimming by on their journey somewhere else. They actually can come and go as they please without being harassed by us, and generally stay and play for hours: coming in, swimming between, past and under you.
After seeing 10 different whales on day one, we did not believe it could get any better, but boy were we wrong! Not forgetting some awesome diving at Two Towers and Light house reef, day two treated us to more whales for even longer periods. At one stage I got out of the water after 3hrs, not because of a lack of whale action but because I had run out of memory in my camera! We had about 15 whales about the boat at one time.
One of these whales, a 6m female called Pavlova treated us to numerous “spy hops” and “pirouettes” as she came up vertically between the snorkelers on the rope slowly turning to look each of us in the eye. I could have reached out and touched her. To be so close to such a magnificent wild animal who is there because she is curious, to look into her eyes and know she is looking back at you is an experience beyond words. I left the water speechless – something that is rare for this excitable person with a reputation of being able to talk under water!
Photo Josie Ruth
Day three sees more whales and for the divers, interaction with the big potato cod at The Cod Hole. With all the whales and great diving, peripheral things like the fantastic Mike Ball dive crew, great food, comfortable cabins (with pillow mints), excellent dive deck and camera facilities almost get forgotten.
On the final morning your trip is then topped off by a low level flight from Lizard Island back to Cairns. Flying low over the reefs, looking down over the natural wonder that is the Great Barrier Reef. It is a perfect way to end an awesome trip.
Photo Josie Ruth - View of Spoilsport
Once back in Cairns there is nothing left to do but, in the words of club member Nik Auzins “Go again next year!"
We have another Minke & GBR trip in June 2008. Limited spots available due to short minke whale season & popular demand...put down your deposit with Dive 2000 now to reserve your place. Dive Travel Page
