Silversonic has one of the few permits, issued by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, to swim with the inquisitive minke whale if encountered – it’s a truly unforgettable and unique in-water experience!
As with nature, whale encounters are never guaranteed but from our experience, July to September is the peak season to encounter the inquisitive minkes as they frequent the Agincourt ribbon reefs where Silversonic visits. They are however common in our waters between the months of March and October.
The dwarf minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata subspecies) is the smallest baleen whale, identified by about 50-70 throat grooves. They have a characteristic white band on each flipper, contrasting with its very dark grey top colour. They have two blowholes, like all baleen whales.
Abiding by strict codes of practice, a maximum of two surface ropes will be placed in the water with swimmers then positioned 3-4 metres apart for a magical, and safe encounter. The whales actually control the encounter in that they decide how close they interact and swim with us!
The dwarf minke whale occurs only in the southern hemisphere, and the Great Barrier Reef provides habitat for their only known reliable aggregation in the world. They grow to a maximum of around 8m, with adults weighing around 5-6 tonnes.