What to Expect

Uoleva Island

Kingdom of Tonga

The Beach is only the beginning……………...

What to Expect from your Whale Watching Experience

We feel incredibly privileged to be able to spend so much time with the whales and of course throughout the season we are lucky enough to have numerous profound encounters. Some of our guests also spend several weeks here during the season and participate in multiple in-water encounters as well as daily topside sightings and interactions.

But what should you expect if you are able to do only 1 or 2 days of whale watching.

The most important thing to remember is that you are participating in a wildlife encounter, not a "Sea World" performance so nothing is guaranteed.

The whales are not confined by any artificial barriers. They are free to roam throughout the ocean but they choose to spend the mating season in the sheltered waters of the Kingdom.

We are fortunate that many whales choose northern Ha'apai waters which means we seldom have to travel far before sighting the first whales of the day.

Indeed, on some days we have spotted the first whales before we even leave the beach. But this is only the first step. Many other factors have to fall into place before that initial sighting turns into an unforgettable in-water encounter or even a close topside observation.

From the moment of that first sighting our aim is to allow the whales take charge of the encounter. We approach the whales slowly to avoid disturbing them so we can observe their behaviour. At this stage the whales are aware of our presence and they will decide whether to continue with their current activity, initiate an interaction with us or alter their behaviour to avoid us. If they move to avoid us we let them go on their way and we continue on looking for more whales. If on the other hand they approach us or simply continue with their current behaviour the possibility is there for close observation and potentially an in-water encounter.

In-water Encounters

We don't get in the water everyday, but if you are lucky enough to swim with these majestic creatures we are sure that you also will become a strong advocate for their conservation.

Nauti Gal is a 7.5 metre RIB, powered by a 150HP Yamaha outboard.She has a large purpose-built boarding ladder which makes getting in and out of the water very easy.

Plan for the Day

The whale watching day starts at around 9am where everyone is kitted out with short wetsuits, snorkel, mask and fins. Once onboard you will receive a safety briefing and introduction to the day’s activities. At this time we will also take the opportunity to explain the guidelines for in-water encounters as well as sorting people into swim teams of 4. We take a maximum of 8 people so there are never more than 2 swim groups.

During the morning we will hopefully have several sightings and encounters. We will also stop at different times to lower the hydrophone over the side to listen for singing males. At lunch time we generally stop at a sheltered anchorage, either at an island or one of our many diving/snorkeling sites where you will have ample time to eat lunch and snorkel on pristine reefs.

During the afternoon we will continue whale watching, slowly making our way back home to arrive at approximately 4pm.

We have a lot of information on-board Nauti Gal about the humpbacks but before we set off we will give you a general introduction to the whales, as well as outlining our philosophy around your involvement with them during the day. Rest assured that whatever happens during your day whale watching with us, our primary motivation is to minimize any impact on the whales. Their reasons for being here are far more important than ours!