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The Greatest Aerial Show on Earth
With an explosion of energy, a whale raises her 45 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 boat is the perfect accommodation for whale watching in the tranquil and unspoiled enviroment of Tonga, anchoring overnight at uninhabited islands close to the whale 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 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 whales of the day while breakfasting on deck. With patience and care we will get an opportunity to swim with the whales.
Whale Watch Trips
Breeding and Birthing grounds
Humpback whales have visited Vava'u for centuries. They migrate from their summer feeding grounds in Antarctica to southern hemisphere winter breeding grounds in TongaÕs warm tropical waters. The whales start arriving in June, and most new calves are born between July and SeptemberÑboisterious courtship displays, male competition, and mothers caring for their calves make this an exciting time to be watching whales in Tonga.
By October many of the new calves are old enough to travel, and by November, most of the whales have left Tonga to begin their journey south to the nutrient-rich waters of Antarctica where the whales gorge themselves on crill. They do not feed on their winter breeding grounds and must subsist on fat reserves stored in their blubber through the season.
Protecting the Whales
Today, in most areas, humpback whales are protected but that has not always been the case. l9th Century whalers slaughtered the whales in great numbers in Tonga, other South Pacific Islands and in the Antarctic. Over 200,000 Southern Hemisphere humpbacks were killed from l904 until l963, when Southern Hemisphere humpbacks were protected from commercial whaling. Tongan whaling ended in l978 when a moratorium was imposed by Royal decree. Since l99l, Tongan humpbacks have been studied and monitored by University of Auckland research teams. The researchers have identified and catalogued 397 individuals to date. But the legacy of whaling remains, two hundred years ago, an estimated 7,000 humpbacks visited TongaÕs waters, but by the time whaling was ended there were as few as 15 mature breeding females arriving annually. Recovery is happening, but it is slow, the current population is estimated at between 250-700 individuals. |
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| Responsible Whale Watching
Whale watch operators in Tonga are aware of the delicate balance which must be maintained between viewing and harrassing the whales so they have developed a code of conduct to help insure this population of humpback whales continues to find a safe and peaceful haven in the Kingdom of Tonga. We feel that contact with these ancient and gentle creatures inspires our guests to participate in the worldwide effort to protect them. And bringing tourists to Tonga to see the whales, ensures a sustainable economic benefit to Tonga that will help them fend off the pressure from some ex-whaling nations to resume ÒharvestingÓ whales.
Whale Expeditions began a program in 1998 taking groups of Tongan high school students out on ÒMelindaÓ to see the whales. In this way the students get to learn about and appreciate the whales, and hopefully will want to protect them. We are committed to making sure that the whales and the ocean environment are preserved.
Tonga Whale Watching Regulations
Other links:
Melinda Sea Adventures
Save the Whales sign a petition
The Great Whale Trail
Ocean Alliance
Sea Shepard
Whale Expeditions
contact:
whalestonga@yahoo.com
PHONE
(676) 70975 OFFICE or 70861 AFTER HOURS
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