Great Barrier Reef and Minke Whales Trip Recap 2025

Underwater Camera Equipment Used: Sony a6700, Sony a6700 Ikelite Housing, Sony 10-18mm lens, dual Kraken KS-160 strobes

Overview

This bucket-list Bluewater Traveltrip combined world-class diving on the Great Barrier Reef with one of the ocean’s most unique encounters, snorkeling with dwarf minke whales. From the moment we took the scenic low-level charter flight over the Great Barrier Reef to Lizard Island, excitement was sky-high. Our week aboard Mike Ball’s Spoilsport delivered spectacular dives at iconic sites like Lighthouse Bommie, Cod Hole, and Steve’s Bommie, along with some of the longest and most magical minke whale interactions of the season, including a jaw-dropping 7-hour encounter with 15 minke whales.

The combination of vibrant coral reefs, curious minke whales, and world-class crew made this trip a once-in-a-lifetime adventure both above and below the surface.

Learn more about Liveaboard Diving with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions.

June 23, 2025 – Arrival at Lizard Island & First Minkes

Fresh from an incredible 10 days on the Rodney Fox with great white sharks, we flew to Cairns and boarded a charter flight to Lizard Island. The aerial view of the reef was mesmerizing. Within hours of boarding Spoilsport, we were already in the water with nine dwarf minkes, snorkeling with them for over an hour before weather conditions called us back onboard. The excitement continued with afternoon and night dives at Gotham City, where the reef came alive with grey reef sharks, whitetips, giant trevally, and groupers hunting in the shallows.

June 24, 2025 – Lighthouse Bommie & A 5-Hour Whale Show

We kicked off the day diving Lighthouse Bommie, a towering pinnacle and seamount buzzing with life. As we released from the mooring, we spotted minkes nearby and the next few hours were pure magic. We snorkeled with 12 minkes for over an hour, then watched in awe as the pod followed Spoilsport for nearly five hours, breaching and showing off for the group. Even our onboard minke researcher from James Cook University was blown away by the behavior we witnessed.

Later in the day, we enjoyed more stunning dives and a fascinating evening presentation on minke whale research.

June 25, 2025 – Steve’s Bommie & Crew Party

This morning we explored Steve’s Bommie, home to schools of jacks and snappers, stonefish, nudibranchs, and multiple species of clownfish. Afternoon dives were open-pool style, giving us time to explore at our own pace. Some guests chose to do one to two dives, and some chose to snorkel as the shallow reefs were bursting with life.

As guests from the 3-night trip prepared to disembark, the crew hosted a lively party onboard—complete with plenty of laughs and dancing.

June 26, 2025 – Wildlife & Rainforest Excursion

After breakfast and goodbyes to some of the crew, we spent the day on a land adventure. In Port Douglas, we hand-fed kangaroos and cassowaries, admired koalas, and spotted crocs at a wildlife park. An aboriginal cultural tour of Mossman Gorge in the ancient rainforest followed, capped with a quick shopping and dining stop before returning to Cairns to rejoin Spoilsport for the northbound itinerary.

June 27, 2025 – Meeting Professor Minke

Back on the reef, we began diving again and eagerly searched for minkes. Although only one or two approached the boat briefly, the day was a success thanks to our new onboard guest, Dr. Alastair Birtles, also known as “Professor Minke”, founder of the Minke Whale Project. His passion and in-depth presentations added a fascinating new layer to the trip.

June 28, 2025 – A Record-Breaking 7 Hour Minke Encounter

Ribbon Reef #10 delivered the moment we had all been hoping for. After a great dive at Lighthouse Bommie, we spent the day snorkeling with 15 dwarf minkes in a marathon 7 hour interaction, drifting nearly 18 km along the reef. We saw them blow bubbles, gape with open mouths, and raise their heads to check us out, behaviors even Professor Minke rarely sees. Two bull sharks even swam up from the deep to make a cameo appearance!

For more about whales, check out the Best Destinations to Swim with Whales.

June 29, 2025 – Cod Hole Finale

The day began with dives at Coral Kingdom and Twin Towers, where six minkes joined us for an hour long snorkel. Several divers had the rare experience of seeing them while on scuba. Our final dive at Cod Hole featured the iconic potato cod waiting right under the boat to greet us, a perfect farewell to an extraordinary week of diving.

June 30, 2025 – Farewell to the Reef

On our last morning, we hiked to a lookout on Lizard Island for one final view of the reef before catching the scenic flight back to Cairns. Spirits were high as we said our goodbyes, reflecting on a week of phenomenal minke whale encounters and world-class diving that exceeded every expectation.

Final Thoughts

This trip was a dream come true for anyone who loves marine megafauna. Snorkeling with dwarf minkes for hours on end, including a record-setting 7-hour interaction, was nothing short of life-changing. Combined with the spectacular coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef and the expertise of Mike Ball’s crew, this was truly an adventure of a lifetime.

Special thanks to the Spoilsport team and researchers from the Minke Whale Project at James Cook University for their hospitality, professionalism, and deep knowledge of the reef and its wildlife.

Watch the trip unfold with this featured video!

More Photos

Interested in learning more about diving in Australia? Check out our South Australia Great White Shark Trip Recap 2025.