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Swim with the Minkes on Silversonic

Swim with Minke Whales

The inquisitive Minke Whales have also arrived and are already treating visitors to the Great Barrier Reef with extra special experiences.

With one of the few permits available from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to swim with the minkes, guests travelling aboard our luxury dive and snorkel vessel Silversonic may be in for an extra treat! A truly unforgettable encounter!

The peak season to encounter these special animals is July to September 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 voluntary approach to the vessel and swimmers by minke whales creates a unique in-water experience. 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 Tourism Monitoring Program was a world first fully permitted swimming-with-whales program and is conducted in partnership between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, researchers and the tourism industry. Silversonic and the Quicksilver Group pro-actively contribute to this program.

About the Minke whale

The minke whale 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 color. They have two blowholes, like all baleen whales. The largest dwarf minke whale that was accurately measured was 7.8 m long with adults weighing 5-6 tonnes.



Video: Silversonic passengers enjoy this friendly minke whale at Agincourt Reef.