Anyone done the Minke Whale thing in Australia?

[Jonathan Bird]

I'm looking for Blue World segment ideas...anyone done the snorkeling with the dwarf Minke whales thing near Cairns on the Barrier Reef? I'm wondering what the chances of actually seeing whales is.

Thanks!

Jonathan

[Carsten Wolff]

I'm looking for Blue World segment ideas...anyone done the snorkeling with the dwarf Minke whales thing near Cairns on the Barrier Reef? I'm wondering what the chances of actually seeing whales is.

Thanks!

Jonathan

Old thread, but I just came across it :) It's quite a way up from Cairns. I think the boat that did the Minke Expeditions (Undersea Explorer) has new owners and I don't know what they're up to these days. Just contact a JCU Minke researcher, Dr Alastair Birtles. He used to go with them and can tell you when and how. I think the odds were way better than 50:50.... and if not, at least you'll be able to shoot Nautilus at night. A dive off North Horn, Osprey Reef is something to behold as well. I did perhaps 30 dives with them as a guest researcher; after a few minutes you stop counting the sharks....great place to see schooling hammerheads etc.

[Jonathan Bird]

I actually did it last June. Didn't see a damn thing. One person on the boat saw a single minke far away. Whales are one of those things you just have to get lucky on.