Snorkeling with Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whales

Whale season in Tonga is starting, and Southern Hemisphere Humpbacks are migrating to the tropical waters of Tonga to mate, give birth, and nurse young calves.

For the fifth year in a row, I am organizing an adventure dedicated to Humpback whales in Vavau, Tonga. The goal is to observe and photograph Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whales.

www.douglasjhoffman.com As of now there are a few spaces available. Please call 808 879 0260 and reserve a space today.

Just because its legal does not mean swimming with whales is easy. The fact is whales are wild and are not on anyone's time schedule. They can come or go as they see fit, and all encounters are on their terms. For the safety of the whales, and fairness to others, several protocols are followed. The standard is to watch the whales, to observe their behavior and let them get used to our presence. If they feel we are not a threat, they will relax and that's when good interaction happens.

This adventure is limited to a small group, so each person will gets the experience of a lifetime. I charter a small boat that has the proper permits and specializes in working with film crews and scientists, as opposed to a larger boat with a boat'em and float'em attitude.

I have found that with the exception of a heat run that most encounters are best when swimmers float motionless and as needed swim together in a parallel course not an intersecting course with the whales. Imagine how you would feel if several large fish were swimming at you from multiple directions. I would feel threatened, so it only makes sense that the whales do too. Staying in a group allows the mother to relax and become comfortable with our presence. Once this happens the baby is free to check us out.

The baby whale in this video from last years trip is a perfect example of what happens when people relax and don't force the encounter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Calz1ZbKJA0

When it comes to nature photography, the daily plan is to hurry up and wait. As a result, a lot of time is spent looking at the horizon for whale sign. When whales are sighted, many factors have to come together before we get in the water. These include the demeanor of the whales, good visibility, low winds, and flat seas. Some days the water the water is clear and there are no whales. Other days there are plenty of whales but visibility is poor, e.t.c... Thats why the adventure includes 8 days on the water.

Read more about Tonga in my recent article in http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/diving-tonga-humpback-whales

Participants must be comfortable snorkeling in deep water and be in good health.