June is a great month for whale encounters, especially humpback whales. These giants of the ocean migrate during June and divers can enjoy them in Australia and the Galapagos Islands.
The Galapagos Islands are magical in June, with numerous whale sharks and also humpback whales migrating through the area. Divers have the opportunity to come face to face with these whales and whale sharks whilst also enjoying the beginning of the Galapagos dry season.
The calm seas and great visibility at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in June make it a perfect destination at this time of year. It is also a whale hotspot, with dwarf minke whales migrating through the reef each winter. It is the only location in the world where divers and snorkelers can jump in the water with these whales. Humpback whales are also spotted frequently in June but swimming with them is not allowed at the Great Barrier Reef. Divers can instead enjoy listening to their song and watch them breach. The curious whales will sometimes even swim over to the boat.
The dive season for Socorro is coming to a close in June and is worth visiting before the season closes. It is a great destination in Mexico and can only be reached by liveaboard from the Baja Peninsula. It isn’t the place for coral reefs, but it is the place to enjoy dive experiences with large marine life such as dolphins, tiger sharks, hammerheads, Galapagos sharks and more. The diving is deep with currents and is best suited to intermediate and advanced divers.
The Sea of Cortes season is just around the corner, beginning in August, and some liveaboards offers safaris to both Socorro Island and the Sea of Cortes, making the most of both destinations. The Sea of Cortes has calm dive conditions and plenty of opportunities to dive with sea lions and pelagics, explore coral reefs, and search for tiny macro life. Find out more about these great dives in our best places to dive in June.
This article was written by divers and writers at LiveAboard.com