Text / Compiled and reported by the editorial team of MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network
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Come to the azure waters of Queensland for a chance to dive with whales! (Photograph provided by Tourism and Events Queensland)
Visitors who have experienced this all say things like “It’s amazing!” “Unbelievable!” “Truly unique!” One traveler on the first trip, Julia Abraham, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You can only do it at a specific time of the year, and only a small number of people in the world get to take part. We were in the middle of the ocean, watching these little pygmy whales in their natural habitat, freely and happily approaching humans. It was truly a breathtaking gathering between humans and animals.”
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The Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s wonders, is the largest and longest coral reef system in the world. (Photograph provided by Tourism and Events Queensland)
Dr. Alastair Birtles from James Cook University said: “No other wildlife approaches humans so readily and remains close for such extended periods without any form of baiting or feeding. The pygmy whales actively come toward us because they are extremely curious about us. Just being able to interact with them at such close range is truly indescribable. They are absolutely amazing.”
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Queensland has always placed great importance on underwater conservation. Pictured here is the research being conducted by the Tiger Shark North Research Centre on tiger shark tracking. (Photograph provided by Tourism Queensland)
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Swimming with humpback whales is definitely an unforgettable lifetime experience. (Photograph provided by Tourism and Events Queensland)
John Rumney, who has been running the marine research tourism program “Eye to Eye Marine Encounters” since 1985, said: “We used to often see these dolphin-like creatures, but didn’t know what they were. It wasn’t until I had the chance to swim face-to-face with them that I came up with this pygmy whale program. This unique marine encounter entirely depends on the whales — they swim toward you, observe you, and initiate contact, often staying for over two hours on average, sometimes even four, five, or six hours. It’s truly a very special wildlife encounter.”
The whale swimming experiences operated by John Rumney were once selected by the International Whaling Commission as the best in the world and are now widely adopted in the industry. His “Eye to Eye Marine Encounters” won the 2013 Whale Watching Award from the organization Planet Whale, and he continues to support scientific research by marine biologists, including tagging and tracking pygmy whales.
For visitors, the magical feeling of locking eyes with a pygmy whale is as heart-stirring as sitting next to a gorilla in Rwanda or an African wildlife park. Some are moved to tears, some shout out, and others are left speechless. John says it is this breathtaking, lifelong interaction that keeps him coming back for this “whale” legendary experience every winter for the past 29 years.
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