LIVE-ABOARD SAILING CHARTER TO SEE TONGA WHALES

Or Join us for 3 to 10 day private trip of Whale Watching on our Sailing Yacht

With an explosion of energy, a humpback whale raises her 40 tonnes out of the water next to the boat, then pauses for a pirouettte before crashing back into the sea, leaving us with our mouths hanging open in awe. We are lulled by the steady motion of the boat and the silence of sailing. Watching the aerial show is as spellbinding as having extraterrestrials land on your doorstep. Living aboard our beautiful sailing yacht is the perfect way to see the Tonga whales in the tranquil and unspoiled enviroment of the Tonga islands. We anchor overnight at uninhabited islands close to the whales' nursery. There is opportunity to explore the island and snorkel at each anchorage. We are sometimes kept awake at night by the haunting sounds of humpback whale song reverberating through the hull, or stunned by a flash of white as a whale breaches in the moonlite. Often we see our first Tonga whales of the day while breakfasting on deck. With patience and care we will get an opportunity for swimming with the whales.

Whale watching in comfort

“Jocara” is a beautiful and seaworthy centre-cockpit cutter-rigged sloop. 52' on deck, Jocara is a solidly-built fibreglass yacht designed and constructed in New Zealand to Herreschoff hull lines in 1974. She has comfortable living quarters with two double cabins, shower and full kitchen. Jocara is equipped with a custom built hydrophone system which allows guests to listen to and record Humpback whale song, a fascinating and eerie display that is believed to be an important part of the breeding behaviour of Humpbacks in the Vava’u island group. Recordings can be transferred to CD for guests to take home with them as a wonderful and unique souvenir.

Exploring the Vava'u islands

The waters around Vava'u are crystal clear with visibilty exceeding 100 feet. Underwater is an unspoiled wilderness. On a "whales tonga" charter on Jocara we anchor near a different Vava'u island each night where you can explore the island, snorkel or just relax. Staying out in the islands we often hear whalesong through the hull. You can be immersed in the pristine natural environment of the Vava'u islands. Some of the smaller, uninhabited islands, are surrounded by white sand beaches, while others have dramatic limestone cliffs with sea level caves. We can hike through lush tropical forests to vistas overlooking sheer cliffs where the surf crashes in the turqouise water, or we can explore a stretch of beach, poking into tidepools full of marine life.

Snorkeling Tonga

Humpback whales are only one of the unique activities in Vava'u. Over 100 species of colorful tropical fish, giant clams, manta rays, sea turtles, spinner dolphins, whether you are a novice snorkeler or an advanced scuba diver, Vava'u island has a vast array of underwater wilderness for you to explore. And you can experience it in warm tropical water with visibility often exceeding 100 ft. There are snorkeling opportunities in shallow water close to shore, where you can relax floating just above a fascinating aquatic wilderness, or we can arrange for you to dive vavau at an additional cost. While living onboard Jocara you can follow the humback whales to a different Vav'ul island each day, as well as experiencing the best of South Pacific sailing. If you visit between mid-July and mid-October, may have an opportunity to swim with whales.

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