tonga

22/8 to 29/8/2020

humpbacks

Photo by Nadia Aly

ITINERARY

Join us to the absolute epi-centre of whale swimming - The Kingdom of Tonga. We just got a space in the key season, so we want to know who is keen.

We will be going on a 7 day trip with 5 days in the water. In a small group of 7 people plus Simon we would heading out every day to find and swim with whales

THE WHALES

All going well we will be swimming with mother and calf pairs and bachelor pods in so-called heat runs. Generally Humpbacks are amongst the most playful whales and are used to having tiny humans around them. Tongan law allows 4 swimmers in the water at onetime, along with an accredited whale guide - so we will rotate.The whales come from Antarctica toward the end of June; the swim season is from July all the way through to the first week of November. So our week is perfect in the middle allowing us to see all of the various behaviors - moms and calves, male heat runs, mating behavior between two adults or more, juveniles.

Working with one of the most reknown operators in the area we have best opportunities to get in there with the whales. Check out Nadia's video about the whale swims of Tonga

THE ACTIVITIES

This is a snorkel and freedive only trip. It isn't necessary to be able to freedive but you will need to be ready to fin and swim, preferably without splashing on the surface. If this is your first trip in such a form, do let me know and I can brief you about preparations. Some guests are very quick with regular fins. "Paddle style" fins such as Jetfins or Force fins should be avoided.

This can be a physically demanding trip. If the action is good, you will be doing numerous "jumps" per day, getting in and out of the boat. Boat rides can get very bumpy as we race across the water. If you suffer from serious back problems or have concerns, please do let me know.

THE TRIP
Hosted by Simon Lorenz you will be going out every day for up to 7 hours. Each boat will also have a naturalist on the boat. Our small group of 8 people will have one boat exclusively to ourselves. The speed boats communicate via Walk-Talkies and we will fan out searching the area for interactions.

THE accommodation

There are not many reasonably priced locations in VavauTonga. Flying Annie is a cute bed and breakfast, located near town. Within 5 minutes of walking, you will find yourself at restaurants and at the water's edge.
For our trips, we have a small house with two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. We also have a room inside the main building with a double bed and ensuite bathrooms. Air conditioning is available in all of these suites, however, it is winter in Tonga, and most people do not need air conditioning.

https://en.tripadvisor.com.hk/Hotel_Review-g317043-d11880302-Reviews-Flying_Annie_Moa-Neiafu_Vava_u_Islands.html

YOUR HOST ON THIS TRIP

~~SIMON LORENZ~~

Simon is an underwater photographer and journalist who speaks 6 languages, and has dived on 6 continents. Komodo is one of his favorite areas to dive, in fact he did his divemaster training here. He aims to create group trip experiences with special extras, such as diving unusual sites, with unique animals or talks with local experts. A scuba instructor as well as photography teacher he offers additional training during trips. On this trip Simon will hosts talks on Manta Rays and Sharks as well as how to best photograph them.