OceanQuest – 4 Nights – Swim with Dwarf Minke Whales Expedition (Comfort, Value for Money)

Scheduled departures: June & July 2025 (Limited Departures – Enquire today!)

Trip Dates: Friday 6th June 2025 | Friday 13th June 2025 | Friday 20th June 2025 | Friday 27th June 2025 | Friday 4th July 2025

Explore the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef’s Ribbon Reefs and swim with Dwarf Minke Whales onboard the luxury liveaboard vessel named Ocean Quest. See the best of the Great Barrier Reef at the most exciting time of year during the Dwarf Minke Whale Season.

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Trip Highlights

• In water encounters with Minke Whales
• 4 Days 4 Nights Liveaboard Adventure
• Very comfortable vessel with ensuites in all cabin types
• Amazing scuba diving experience on the Great Barrier Reef’s Ribbon which include Steve’s Bommie, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie’s Pinnacle, Clam Garden, Challenger Bay and more (dependent on conditions)

Diving Details

In addition to the exhilarating experience of swimming with Minke whales, you will also have the privilege of embarking on a total of 16 dives across the Outer Barrier Reef & Ribbon Reefs. This particular stretch of the Great Barrier Reef boasts pristine conditions, offering some of the most exceptional diving opportunities. The superb visibility and abundant pelagic marine life make it a year-round haven for divers. Nestled well to the north of Cairns, the Ribbon Reefs encompass numerous world-renowned dive sites, creating a unique amalgamation. Beyond encountering Minke Whales, this voyage presents the chance to explore some of the Great Barrier Reef’s premier dive sites. The exclusivity of the Ribbon Reefs’ remote locale makes these sites accessible solely via a liveaboard dive trip departing from Cairns. With water depths ranging from 8m to 35m, divers of all proficiency levels, from Open Water to Advanced, will find this destination suitable.

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Great Barrier Reef’s Ribbon Reef – Dive Sites

The array of dive sites awaiting your exploration includes Steve’s Bommie, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie’s Pinnacle, Clam Garden, Challenger Bay, and more (always contingent upon prevailing weather and ocean conditions).

Anticipate captivating drift dives, enchanting wall dives, mesmerizing swim throughs, awe-inspiring caves, and the chance to traverse vibrant coral gardens and bommies. One constant thread unifying your Ribbon Reefs diving experiences will be the resounding sense of wonder evoked by the reef. A myriad of colorful fish and astounding marine encounters await, from diver-sized potato cod and dwarf minke whales to reef sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and more. During the months of June and July, the water temperature oscillates between 22 to 24 degrees Celsius. Comprehensive dive gear, encompassing full-length wetsuits and lycra suits, is included in your dive gear hire, catering to both certified divers and snorkelers alike.

Onboard Dive Courses

For those currently holding an Open Water Certification, this journey also presents the perfect opportunity to achieve your PADI Advanced Open Water Certification. Our team can readily assist you in arranging your Advanced course while aboard this liveaboard dive expedition.

4 Day 4 Night Trip – 16 Dives

Scheduled departures: June & July (Limited Departures) 2025 dates still to be released

Day 1
Your journey starts here! Check in at Divers Den shop, 319 Draper Street at 7.30am to board our transfer vessel. We’ll make our way to the Outer Barrier Reef and enjoy two dives at either Saxon or Norman Reef, before transferring to OceanQuest at approximately 2.30pm. You’ll enjoy one afternoon dive and one night dive before we steam to the Ribbon Reefs overnight.

Day 2
Wake up to the sun rising over the Great Barrier Reef at Steve’s Bommie, one of the best dive sites on the reef thanks to its huge array of marine life including schools of fish, sharks, rays, nemos, octopus and more. You will enjoy four dives today, two at Steve’s Bommie and two others (including one night dive) at various other sites on the upper Ribbon Reefs.

Day 3
We kick the weekend off with more diving and snorkelling opportunities throughout the Ribbon Reefs, giving you the opportunity to explore some of the Great Barrier Reef’s most untouched areas. Four dives are included in today’s itinerary. Your two morning dives will be at Lighthouse Bommie, where most of our interactions with Minke whales take place. You’ll also have an an afternoon dive and another night dive.

Day 4
Explore more of the Great Barrier Reef at various dive sites along the Ribbon Reefs over four incredible dives – two in the morning, one in the afternoon and one night dive. The reef locations that we visit are less frequented by any other boats, and are home to many tropical fish species and bright mesmerising coral. After your night dive (finishing around 8pm) we will steam south towards Cairns.

Day 5
Wake up to your last morning on OceanQuest. After breakfast, you will be transferred back to your Cairns city accommodation at approximately 9am, so you’ll be able to plan other activities on this day.

Please note itinerary may vary slightly depending on weather conditions. Our dive schedule will be adjusted to enable as much in-water interaction with the Minke whales as possible.