DWARF MINKE WHALES

It was only a couple of short decades ago when scientists realised that the minke whales that traverse the Great Barrier Reef every winter were actually a distinct form of this marvellous creature. They're known as dwarf minkes, although that's a bit misleading. At just under eight metres long and weighing a good 5 or 6 tonnes these gentle whales are possibly one the biggest things you'll ever see in the water.

Every year between May and August they appear along the Ribbon Reefs often swimming right up to boats and snorkellers. Several dive operators have developed special programmes that allow a certain amount of interaction with the whales.

Undersea Explorer has a resident scientist or two trying to understand their migration and lifestyle patterns, why they to stay in the region and - most interesting for divers - why they hang around the boat. They discovered if divers were allowed to snorkel from ropes attached to the bow and stern the minkes would swim closer and closer in to check out the weird critters!

On our trip the weather was just awful - it was mid-winter - so the whales seemed less interested than the dive crew had seen previously, but we had one really marvellous encounter with two adults. They swooped below and around us, edging gradually closer. One minute they would drop down to nuzzle a weighted hydrophone and then up to the surface and breach - no doubt to check that those still on deck were taking sufficient notice.

This is a very curious and exciting experience. The minkes are huge, but not at all intimidating, they move quickly and elegantly and in good conditions have been seen to put on quite a show. The research still hasn't determined exactly why, but no doubt that will come.

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