4 Night Minke Whale Adventure

Explore the wonders of the Ribbon Reefs and swim with 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 Minke Whale Season.

With only four (4) scheduled departures trips will fill up fast as historically the months of June and July have recorded the most whale sightings consistently now for many years.

Scheduled Departure Dates

19th June 2020

26th June 2020

3rd July 2020

10th July 2020

Diving Details

In addition to swimming with Minke whales you also receive a total of 16 dives on the Outer Barrier Reef & Ribbon Reefs.  This section of the Great Barrier Reef is really pristine & offers some of the very best diving, excellent visibility and larger schools of pelagic marine life year around.  The Ribbon Reefs lie well to the north of Cairns and are home too many world famous dive sites so this trip combines the opportunity not just to dive with Minke Whales but some of the best dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef.  The remote location of the Ribbon Reefs means these dive sites are only accessible on a liveaboard dive trip out of Cairns. Water / dive depth varies anywhere from 8m to 35m, making this a perfect destination for divers of all experience levels, from Open Water too Advanced.

If you currently hold an Open Water Certification then this is also the perfect trip to complete your PADI Advanced Open Water Certification. We can assist you in organizing your Advanced course while on this liveaboard dive trip.

You can expect to experience amazing drift dives, wall dives, swim throughs, caves and exploring colourful coral gardens and bommies. A consistent factor of diving the Ribbon Reefs will be the absolute wow factor of the reef. A multitude of colourful fish and some amazing marine encounters, from giant (diver-sized) potato cod in addition to the dwarf minke whales to reef sharks, sea turtles, stingrays and more. The water temperature varies between 22 degrees to 24 degrees during June and July. Full length wetsuits and lycra suits are included in your dive gear hire for both certified divers and snorkelers.

4 Day 4 Night Trip – 16 Dives

Departing Fridays and returns on Tuesdays

Day 1 (Friday)

You’re journey starts here! Pick up from your Cairns city accommodation will be at approximately 07:45 – 08:00 am. We make our way to the Outer Barrier Reef where we will enjoy two dives on Norman Reef, before steaming overnight to the Ribbon Reefs.

Day 2 (Saturday)

Wake up to the sun rising over the Great Barrier Reef. We will enjoy four dives at various sites on the upper Ribbon Reefs. You will be intrigued by friendly creatures and an abundance of marine life as you immerse yourself in their underwater habitat for a truly unforgettable experience. Four dives are included in today’s itinerary, including one night dive.

Day 3 (Sunday)

We kick the weekend off with more diving and snorkelling opportunities throughout the Ribbon Reefs. Today you will have the opportunity to explore some of the most untouched areas of the Great Barrier Reef. We will also take part in an exploration dive. Four dives are included in today’s itinerary, including another night dive, when the reef will transform itself into a completely different setting with all new nocturnal marine life just waiting to meet you. This pristine and unique reef system, is an underwater playground teaming with marine life, a real natural wonder for you to explore and enjoy!

Day 4 (Monday)

Explore more of the Great Barrier Reef at various dive sites along the Ribbon Reefs over four incredible dives, including a dive at Steve’s Bommie, one of the most pristine dive sites that the Ribbon Reefs have to offer.. The reef locations that we visit are home to many tropical fish species and offer magnificent viewing of bright mesmerising coral less frequented by any other boats. On completion of our final night dive we will steam south towards Cairns.

Day 5 (Tuesday)

Wake up to your last morning on Ocean Quest feeling exhilarated! After breakfast, you will be transferred back to your Cairns city accommodation at approximately 9:00am. Please note, itinerary may vary slightly depending on weather conditions. During Minke Whale season, the dive schedule may be altered to enable as much in-water interaction with the whales as possible.