Sunreef Whale Encounter Supervisor, Dan Hart, said Sunreef was excited to be offering this great experience.
“It’s a life changing experience – to have a humpback whale just a couple of metres away looking you right in the eye. It’s indescribable.
“It gives you such a sense of these amazing creatures and we are excited to be able to offer it to everyone.”
Dan said the swimming with whales experience was operated under a strict Code of Conduct to protect both the whales and the participants.
Participants who take part in a swim with the humpback whales experience can expect a three-hour round trip with a maximum of 20 participants taken on each trip.
“In addition to our three-hour experiences, this year we are also launching new full-day tours in collaboration with Australia Zoo, aboard their custom-built conservation and research vessel, Croc One.
“Like our three-hour tours, there will be a maximum of twenty people per tour. The full day tours will allow more time for whale interactions and include a lovely lunch as well.”
“In our experience, the whales seem as intrigued by us as we are of them and often come close to swimmers, gliding effortlessly around us, with such a gentleness that it’s like they recognise our fragility in comparison and know we are there out of wonder and respect,” Dan said.
This year more than 22,000 humpbacks are expected to make the migration north from Antarctica starting in about March, arriving in Queensland by July and returning south from September to November. After eating up to four ton of krill and small fish a day each in the Antarctic over summer, the Humpbacks migrate to the warmer northern waters which provide perfect temperatures to give birth to their calves in the sheltered waters of Queensland’s coastline.
Dan said Sunreef provide a full briefing on what to expect and safety procedures as well as providing all required equipment.
The 2016 Sunreef Swim with Whales season will start on 8 July and run through until 28 October.
Swimming with Whales
Sunreef Mooloolaba, based in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, is the longest established dive centre on the Sunshine Coast (Queensland, Australia) with roots starting back in 1976.
Sunreef is a 5 Star PADI Training Centre and offers accredited dive courses for all levels of divers as well as local reef dives, snorkelling trips and diving on the ex-HMAS Brisbane. Sunreef also plans and guides international dive trips and travel as well as dive equipment sales and servicing.
The whale swimming and watching operations work out of Mooloolaba in the heart of Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast.
