Each day we set off into the Pacific Ocean we enter the world of the whales, and leave ours behind. Every day is different. Some days there will be whales everywhere – spouts in all directions. Others will be quiet, with seemingly no whales around. Some days the water will be rough, and others will be calm. You can expect to experience a bit of both during your week-long adventures. We encourage you to embrace all that mother nature has to offer, and appreciate the beauty that different conditions bring in their own unique way.
Whale Behaviour
Some whales are shy, and just swim by. Others are curious and want to play. Encounters can last anywhere from 1 minute to 1 hour - it all depends on the whales. The best we can do is to quietly enter the water, stay calm and together as a group, and let the whales come to us. Swimming after whales never works, it’s always best to let them come to us.
Weather Conditions
The most important conditions each day relate to wind and swell. This is where the geography of Tongatapu is very beneficial, and another reason it is one of the best places to swim with humpback whales in the world. Tongatapu is surrounded by an inner reef, outer reef and then open ocean. On windier days your skipper will stick to the inner reef to provide greater shelter for you. On calmer days we might drive out to the outer reef and beyond. The diversity of the marine environment ensures there are multiple options for different weather conditions.
We’ll do our very best to put you on the water every day, but your safety comes first, and some days it may not be possible to go out to sea. On those days your Trip Leader will organise a back-up plan closer to shore. That could be a tour of Tongatapu Island, a visit to a cave with crystal clear waters, a short-form freediving lesson or a snorkelling session off one of our favourite nearby reefs.
Rest assured, though, that the low pressure systems that typically cause strong winds usually pass quickly through the marine environment. The days after a storm are often some of the calmest, and those that can bring the very best experiences.
At the end of the day, we are in the Real World, not SeaWorld, and we think it is so much better. You are most likely to see and encounter many whales during your adventure, but what keeps us coming back time and time again is that one truly magical encounter with a curious humpback. For some guests that magical encounter might happen at the start of the trip, for others it’s the very last drop of the last day. Our week-long adventures are designed to give you the highest possible chance of experiencing the magic of a curious humpback whale, an experience that will stay with you forever.
