Swimming With Whales in Tonga
Being kept awake by singing Humpback whales was only one of the amazing experiences in store for Bruce Watkins in Tonga. Full details in this e-mail interview...
Vava'u Island Group, Kingdom of Tonga in September 2007.
Melinda Sea Adventures, and they performed magnificently. They know the area, the whales, and know how to get people respectfully close to the whales. (make an enquiry)
And how did you get to hear about them?
I met the owner in a café in Tonga some years earlier. I booked directly through her well before the trip.
Anything special about the service they provided?
It was clear that the crew was there for the passengers and not the other way around. Each trip and each day was structured around what the passengers wanted.
Did they give a whale briefing?
Yes, they are very knowledgeable. They work closely with research groups and have up to date information on whale movements and behaviour.
How big was the boat?
Melinda is a 44 foot sailboat, comfortably sleeps 4 adult passengers, plus a crew of 3.
More whale watching tours reviews »
Humpback whales - single whales, mother and calf pairs, or groups of 7-10. Dozens of individual whales on a week trip. The humpbacks often stayed with us for hours at a time, allowing us to swim with them for an hour or more.
It is truly spiritual to have a 40-foot whale swim up to you a short distance away and look you straight in the eye. We swam next to singing whales, very loud and mesmerising. One night a singer spent the night beneath our boat, and sang to us most of the night. We also had encounters with spinner and bottlenose dolphins, but they were not as friendly as the whales.
How close did you get to the whales?
When swimming with the whales, they choose to approach us within 10-15 feet. Young calves were particularly curious, friendly and playful, and their moms did not mind us swimming with their calf! They frequently choose to approach the boat within 30 feet.
Back to Questions
My trip was all about swimming with whales. We left the dock headed to where the whales were and the whale's schedule dictated the events of the day and week. We ate, rested and napped when there was a lull in whale activity. We snorkelled and explored remote islands in the late afternoon, and visited a village for a local Tongan feast one evening.
How was the food on board?
The owner is a magnificent cook. Local, fresh ingredients are masterfully put together. Curry from freshly ground spices was memorable.
Mostly fine with clear, blue skies calm seas. It is the tropics so we did get rain some days.
Did you ever get seasick?
I never get seasick, but Melinda is a heavy sailboat that rides very well. Those who often get seasick on other vessels will not on Melinda.
Here's how to prevent sea sickness on boat trips »
Practice swimming in the ocean with fins before you go. My camera with lots of film was the most useful item.Back to Questions
9.5 - no such thing as perfect.
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