Storytime! Ever since I penned down my travel bucket list, one experience stood out the most – swimming with humpback whales. Skydiving, traveling in a camper van, and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef were all enticing (and already ticked off 😉) but the anticipation of sharing the water with these majestic creatures was unparalleled.

As I floated on the clear Tongan waters, with a colossal humpback whale mother and her calf beneath me, the feeling was overwhelming. Watching the calf gracefully navigate the waters, I realized I was living my number one dream: swimming with humpback whales. This was an experience that I doubted anything could surpass.

Tonga is one of the rare places on Earth that allows adventurers the privilege of swimming with humpback whales. Every winter in the Southern Hemisphere, throngs of humpbacks journey from Antarctica to the warm Pacific islands, engaging in one of the world’s most incredible animal migrations.

The anticipation of swimming with humpback whales

My day began with a 7:30 alarm, a quick gear-up with snorkels, flippers, and wetsuits at Deep Blue Diving HQ in Nuku’alofa, and an eager wait on the boat. I was raring to start my adventure of swimming with humpback whales. Our guide, a Kiwi expert, set the mood right by managing our expectations about whale encounters, recounting instances where nature didn’t follow the script. Yet, just being in Tonga, surrounded by the Pacific’s vastness with the promise of humpback whales nearby, I felt my day was already made.

Our whale watching boat with Deep Blue Diving

My expectations were already exceeded. I was in Tonga, on a boat, about sail around small pacific islands, and the waters were teeming with humpback whales. I had never seen a whale in the wild, let alone swim with one. Even just spotting a puff of water coming out of a blowhole in the distance, I still would have been one very happy camper.

As we set off into the ocean we befriended a passionate Spaniard, for whom, like me, swimming with humpback whales was a lifelong dream of 40 years.  You could tell from his overly-animated expressions this was going to be a groundbreaking day for him as well, but when he thought no one was watching you could see the nerves on his face.

“What if I’ve come all this way for nothing” he was most probably thinking. I knew because, at some points, I was secretly thinking the same.

Maniloa Island – Our lunch spot

Whale Whale Whale…

Look what we have here! After lunch and a few hours island hopping, our persistence paid off. We spotted a lively calf, affectionately named “Sassy”, and her mother. Well acquainted with humans already, Sassy is notorious for being super curious of humans and boats. In the water, Sassy’s playful nature was evident. Her close approaches, tail slaps, and intricate underwater dances were mesmerising. But as with any wild creature, there were moments of unpredictability, reminding us of the respect and distance these magnificent beings command.

What must we look like to Humpback Whales? This weird bony creature, staring at them with a long skinny blowhole poking out of their mouths.

The crew called for our group to get ready.The four of us scrambled around putting on our fins and snorkels. I was physically shaking with excitement. I’m about to be swimming with humpback whales! – I thought. Hearts pounding, we waited with bated breath on the edge of the boat. Holding for the call to jump in. Just before diving headfirst into the depths, we were told to look down. As I did, Sassy’s mother, an enormous 30,000kg humpback whale, slunk right underneath my feet and under the boat. 

“MOMMAS UNDER THE BOAT AND SHE’S HUGE” Shouted the Tongan guide, with a massive smile on her face. I couldn’t stop grinning, her enthusiasm for her job alone was making this whole experience worthwhile. As we prepared to dive in, the sheer size of Sassy’s mother, gliding silently under our boat, left us in awe.

Once in the water, the humpback calf swam right up to us during our swimming with humpback whales experience. She was showing off the whole time, twisting and turning, and slapping her tail on the surface. At one memorable moment during our swim, she approached me directly, quickly turning upside down before getting too close.

This was more than just a swim; it felt like an intimate dance with these majestic creatures. I was utterly engrossed, drinking in every moment as if it was my last, admiring the intricate details of the humpback whales. While these encounters were breathtaking, it’s essential to remember these are wild animals, unaware of their immense size. With the humpback calf displaying such playfulness around us, there were unpredictable moments. Like when she enthusiastically slapped her tail on the water’s surface, nearly knocking my camera out of my grasp. I was thankful the mother chose to rest on the seabed, surfacing occasionally for air. While she seemed indifferent to our presence, letting her calf engage with us curious humans, her watchful eye never strayed far. And when she breached unexpectedly while we were still in the water, the sheer size of this humpback made me shit myself* because she was GIGANTIC. 

*Not literally, obviously

The finale 

At this point my expectations were more than exceeded, I couldn’t have asked for a better encounter with a wild animal. This was only the first swim and first day. We spent two days on this particular boat swimming with humpback whales, and encountered Sassy and her mother both days. 

The last swim concluded in getting close to both mum and baby who were hugging the surface serenely. Once they dived down, I thought that was our encounter over.

Turning to swim back to the boat, more than satisfied, I looked down one last time and noticed a shadowy figure emerging from the depths. She was coming straight at me! All I heard from the Tongan guide was “swim back! swim back!”. It was Sassy coming back for another look, and she was coming right for me from the depths like a slow-motion Jaws. I was eager to get out of her way because, baby or not, she’s still three times the size of me. Right in front of me she twisted, danced, and barrel-rolled upside down. One last show before we swam back to the boat. 

I can say with a lot of confidence that this was the single most greatest experience of my life. There’s very little that can top being in the water and so close to such majestic, peaceful creatures. I found it very hard to put what It felt like into words (concisely, anyway), so below is a short video of my encounters. Watching the video footage transports me back to those magical moments, but as with all profound experiences, no medium can truly capture the essence of swimming with humpback whales. No words, photos, or videos will ever do this experience justice, though.

Swimming with humpback whales video

Song: Ripples In The Stream – Borealism

All of my swimming with humpback whales footage was taken on my GoPro Hero 7. Want to know which GoPro is best for travel? Check out my latest guide here. 📸

Ethics for swimming with humpback whales

Swimming with humpback whales is an experience of a lifetime, but it’s crucial to respect these gentle giants. Still recovering from the impact of whaling in the past, humpback whales are still pretty vulnerable. Their populations have still not fully recovered from commercial whaling back in the seventies. Strict regulations in Tonga ensure the well-being of these whales, emphasising a safe distance and discouraging chasing.

Our choice, Deep Blue Tonga, epitomised these principles, offering a responsible and memorable journey. They are Tongan run and operate out of Tongatapu (Tongas main island).

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