Balaenoptera acutorostrata subsp.
What to look for
A small, sleek baleen whale, dark grey above and white below, with a white patch on the pectoral fin and a pale blaze on the shoulder that is unique to the dwarf form. They surface quietly with a small curved dorsal fin and no big blow. In the water they approach slowly from below or behind, roll to look at you, and often return again and again.
How the encounters work
The rules were written with the researchers who study these whales. Swimmers stay on a floating line behind the boat and never swim toward a whale; the whales choose the distance, and they regularly choose arm’s length. Trips run on the longer liveaboards in June and July only, and photographs of the shoulder markings go to the Minke Whale Project, which has been identifying individuals since the 1990s. See our minke whale trips for the dates and boats.
Dive with us to see it
You might also see
- Potato codThe famous friendly giants of the Cod Hole on the Ribbon Reefs, a liveaboard highlight north of Cairns.
- Green turtleThe turtle you’ll meet most on the reef: grazing on the shallows, resting under ledges, surfacing to breathe beside the boat.
- Manta rayAn occasional visitor to the outer bommies: a reef manta gliding past can be the dive of the trip.
