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Whale Diving at the Great Barrier Reef
What Types of Whale Are At The Great Barrier Reef?
From June to September, around 10,000 whales migrate from Antarctica to the Great Barrier Reef to breed and calve. Humpback and dwarf minke whales are commonly seen and there are plenty of other species to lookout for as well; including orcas, false killer whales, short-finned pilot whales, sperm whales and beaked whales.
Can I Swim With Whales At The Great Barrier Reef?
Yes! You can swim with dwarf minke whales at the Great Barrier Reef. These whales are only found in the southern hemisphere and migrate to the Coral Sea each winter to breed and calve. Their migration route was discovered in the 1980s and the Great Barrier Reef is the only place in the world where divers and snorkelers can jump in the water with these curious whales. They can grow up to 8 metres in length, weigh up to 6 tonnes, and live for up to 60 years. Each whale has a distinctive colour pattern, making it easy to identify individual whales in the water, and they are known to approach divers closely when encountered.
Humpback whales are more timid than dwarf minke whales. These whales can reach lengths of 15 meters and weigh over 40 tonnes. Divers can enjoy listening to their song underwater and watching the whales breach and tail slap at the surface.
Image: Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Who Offers Whale Swimming Safaris at the Great Barrier Reef?
The M/V Spoilsport liveaboard offers minke whale safaris during June and July each year. This liveaboard also hosts special Minke Whale Coral Sea expeditions with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. Guests on these safaris can participate in minke whale behavioural monitoring and research, enjoy lectures about the reefs and whales, and spend plenty of time swimming with the whales.
These minke whale expeditions have had a 98% success rate of finding the whales since they began in 1996, and the largest pod they have seen consisted of 28 whales. Their longest encounter with the whales lasted a whopping 10 hours!
The OceanQuest liveaboard also offers Meet the Minke whale safaris during June and July each year.
What Else Can I See At The Great Barrier Reef?
One of the advantages of visiting the Great Barrier Reef in whale season, is it also happens to be peak diving season with dry weather and great sea conditions. Divers can experience some of the 1500 species of fish, 400 coral species, and numerous sharks found at the reef.
Image: Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
There are many scuba diving highlights, such as exploring Ribbons Reef, a chain of remote reefs in the northern part of the Great Barrier Reef, to swim with huge diver-sized potato cod at Cod Hole. The beautiful Lizard Island national park is also well worth visiting to enjoy pinnacles, walls, flat reefs and pelagic diving.
Osprey Reef is known for large animal encounters and is the place to go in search of whale sharks, beaked whales, sperm whales, bottlenose dolphins, eagle rays, mantas, green turtles and loggerhead turtles. North Horn at Osprey Reef is famous for its shark feeding dives with silky and grey reef sharks.
Flynn Reef has some of Australia’s best corals, whilst Milln Reef is ideal for snorkelers and new divers. Bougainville Reef is an exposed reef that can only be reached when conditions permit and offers some of the most unspoilt diving in the area.
The SS Yongala wreck is unmissable for wreck fans and is one of the best wreck dives in the world. The wreck sank in 1911, is relatively intact and hosts a huge variety of marine life.
Image: Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
What Experience Level is Needed For Diving At The Great Barrier Reef?
Diving at the Great Barrier Reef is suitable for all dive experience levels and there is plenty for new and experienced divers to enjoy.
Swimming with dwarf minke whales is conducted at the surface using a snorkel, though it is recommended to be a qualified diver to also take advantage of the dive sites on offer during the safari.
This article was written by divers and writers at LiveAboard.com
Discover liveaboard diving holiday solutions around the world at Liveaboard.com.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Cozy and warm in cold water.
It’s drysuit season all year round. With the new RS series premium drysuits from DYNAMICNORD, divers are perfectly equipped for all cold waters.
The sophisticated cut of the RS drysuits allows complete freedom of movement, providing maximum comfort. The high-quality 350 g/m² ripstop material with double ripstop zones on the elbows, knees, and crotch protect ensures extreme robustness as well as long life.
The suit’s features leave nothing to be desired: A high-quality TiZip zipper, easily adjustable inlet and outlet valves, upgradeable with electrically heated underwear, HP bottleneck cuffs made of high-strength latex on the wrists, a 3mm neoprene neck cuff for maximum comfort, a 7mm hood with air outlet and 3mm boots made of double-sided, cross-layered neoprene with ankle straps and fin strap stoppers and a protective but very flexible sole.
Noteworthy is the Molle fastening system, which can be used in a variable and compatible manner. This way, the two detachable leg pockets can be attached easily, safely and comfortably.
Alterations of boots to a different shoe size or adjustments to neck or wrist cuffs are done free of charge at the own DYNAMICNORD service centre in Germany in only a couple of days.
The matching Dynaskins made with high-quality Polartec® technology are available in various designs. As an undersuit under the drysuit, as a single suit in warm waters or as a two-piece suit. Polartec® technology’s main features are neutral buoyancy, breathablilty and quick-drying.
Dynaskins are made largely from recycled plastic bottles.
The drysuit RS-351 for men and RS-352 for women are now available at your DYNAMICNORD dealer and in the online store.
Colors men and women: Black-Blue and Black-Burgundy
Sizes men: XS-4XL incl. intermediate sizes MS, MT, MLS, MLT, LS, LT, XLS, XLT, 2XLS, 3XLS, 4XLS
Sizes Women: XS-XL incl. intermediate sizes MS, MT, LS, XLS
DYNAMICNORD – Your Outdoor Companion.
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