Swimming With Humpback Whales - Vava'u Tonga

Our first swim with mother and calf humpback whales off Vava'u Tonga 11 October 2007.

We were horrified to hear that the Japanese were going to resume the hunt for the magnificent humpback this season but we've learned, as of 23 Dec 2007, that due to international pressure they won't be hunting humpbacks this year. Minke whales and the endangered fin whales are still on the "menu" though. With a bit of luck the Japanese may be pressured into the complete cessation of whaling soon.

In the meantime we hope to have at least another 2 whale swim videos real soon now...

Music by Eric Fairhurst used by permission under creative commons licence. Eric's music can be found at http://www.erfmusic.com (official website)
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ericrfairhurst (cd available at CDBABY) and http://www.soundclick.com/ericrfairhurst

Video shot with a Sony HVRA1 HDV camera in an Ikelite underwater housing.

We went whale swimming with http://www.whaleswim.com

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• humpback
• whale
• swimming
• whaleswim
• hdv
• Tonga
• Vava'u
• underwater
• travel
• high
• def
• ikelite
• pacific
• whaling
• destination
• nature
• log
• adventure

[jetairteam]

Awesome ! anyone see that MONSTER at 5:18, scared the sh*t out of me !

[shaggerb]

@jetairteam

I had to check the video to see what you meant. Horrifying! Sorry about that. :-)

[Hunting4TheLight]

how deep are those waters?Anyone ???

[shaggerb]

@Hunting4TheLight

In closer to the islands we could see the bottom - maybe 20 - 30 metres. Out further probably hundreds of metres deep. One flick of the tale and the whale disappeared into the deep. There was a big male circling us too and he was deep enough we only saw him occasionally.

[papasmurf530]

why cant you touch them:( i wana film diving footage with blue whales one day wewt

[shaggerb]

@papasmurf530

If you get too close an accidental flick of the flipper or tail could kill or seriously injure you. These are BIG animals even if they act fairly gently around people.

[megadork456]

Simply Stunning. Just don't get too close. One time a group got too close to the calf and the mother protectivley swatted them with her fluke. To another whale, it would have simply been a warning, but for humans, it broke one diver's leg and rendered another unconcious. You do not trifle with the queen of the seas!

[TheAnimallover81]

This video is do amazing! My eyes are beginning to water cause I've wanted to do this ever since I was a little girl! Now I'm 30 soon to be 31 and I want to do this before I get any older!!!! :-)

[jetairteam]

@artur1992online bumcake !

[artur1992online]

@jetairteam yes really !

[jetairteam]

@artur1992online really ? was a light hearted joke that Shag didn't mind... ;)

[artur1992online]

@jetairteam idiot !

[Hunting4TheLight]

@shaggerb thanks

[newsk8ter117]

that was a kitchen?