Mirissa - Blue Whale Watching & Reef Dive

dive**

The largest animal that has ever existed. Six kilometres offshore. This is why the departure is at 6am.

The deep-water channel south of Mirissa is one of the top three blue whale sighting locations on earth. Responsible operator --- small boat, marine biologist on board, no chasing, no circling. Spinner dolphin pods in the channel before the whale grounds. Blue whale sighting rate exceeds 90% in peak season (November to April). Afternoon reef dive for divers. One night.

Experiences at this stop

Blue whale watching --- November to April

Departure at 6am. At 60 metres distance, the blue whale surfaces for three to five breaths then dives for fifteen minutes. The scale --- a creature 30 metres long and 4 metres wide --- does not register until you are next to it. Ophiro uses a responsible, biologist-staffed operator. Not the mass-market fleet.

Spinner dolphins en route

The channel between Mirissa and the whale grounds supports resident spinner dolphin pods. Schools of several hundred dolphins ride the bow wave. The spinner dolphin leaps for no biological reason science has satisfactorily explained.

Mirissa reef dive --- afternoon (intermediate)

An afternoon dive on the Mirissa reef at 15 to 25 metres --- coral formations, reef fish, and the occasional turtle. A worthwhile second session on a day structured around the morning whale watch.