“In the water, in the water” Ali our skipper yells from the wheel of the boat. Jumping in feet first, kicking as quickly as I can and hoping to see what I had come here for.. I was faced head on with 10 male humpback whales fighting for the attention of one female, also known as a ‘Heat Run’! The energy in the water was immense and for only a short 30 second window I caught a glimpse into the world of these gentle giants!
Every year thousands of Humpback Whales migrate north from the Antarctic to the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean. After giving birth, female humpbacks find their way to the protected waters of Tonga to raise their calfs. Tonga is one of the few countries in the world that currently allow tourists to enter the water and swim/snorkel with humpback whales. My whale swim adventure was on the remote island of Vava’u, a tropical paradise with turquoise water, sandy white beaches and water visibility reaching well over 50 meters. It was a spur of the moment decision, I had just finished my University degree and there was one spot left on the Whales Underwater photography tour with world renowned photographer and Canon Master Darren Jew and this would also be my first solo adventure!
It took 3 flights and 48 hours to get to Vava’u, 2 international flights, 1 inter-island flight with REALtonga Air with a stop over in Nuku’alofa. We had a whale-packed 10 days, with 7 days on the water and 3 to explore the village of Vava’u. Each morning started bright and early with a hardy breakfast and a brief on what we had in store for the day ahead. Suited up, swimmers, wetsuit, mask, fins, and camera of course, we piled into the van and made our way down to the marina. All aboard ‘Dream Catcher’ we were off looking for whales!
Each encounter is different in its own right and fills you with so many emotions! Over the 10 days I couldn’t count the number of encounters we had from spending time in the water with the mum and calves, whose inquisitive nature is incredibly heart warming, to the heat runs where the males are fighting for the attention of one female. At one point we were head on to 11 Humpback Whales!
Vava’u is an incredibly untouched destination, it’s like nowhere else in the world; pigs, cows, chickens, dogs, cats and goats roam the streets, church and no work on Sundays, and a laid back island feel. There is so much to explore, from secluded beaches, colourful reefs, underwater caves and a vast array of marine life. It truly is postcard perfect, and my reminder on the fridge keeps me dreaming of my next adventure!
