Mi corazón se aceleró de la emoción mientras nadaba lentamente hacia dos gigantes que descansaban en la superficie. Me sentí rebosante de alegría porque estaba a punto de conocer a una ballena jorobada y a su cría.
Había viajado al Reino de Tonga, un archipiélago del Pacífico Sur situado entre Nueva Zelanda y Samoa. Una fuerte cultura, un paisaje inmaculado, playas arenosas desiertas, espectaculares acantilados de piedra caliza, cuevas submarinas y bosques frondosos son algunos de los muchos motivos para visitar Tonga. No obstante, su mayor atractivo turístico es la posibilidad de nadar con las carismáticas ballenas jorobadas.
Estas ballenas, que se encuentran entre los animales más grandes del planeta, miden aproximadamente 15 metros (49 pies) de largo y pesan, en promedio, alrededor de 35 toneladas. Las jorobas que tienen cerca de la parte delantera de sus aletas dorsales, las distintivas protuberancias rugosas en sus cabezas, y sus hermosas y largas aletas pectorales facilitan su identificación. Obtuvieron su nombre científico, Megaptera novaeangliae, meaning “large- or great-winged New Englander.”
Humpbacks feed in polar waters during the summer and then migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed during winter. Various locations offer seasonal whale-watching, but swimming with them is legal in only a few places — Tonga is one of them. Every year its warm and sheltered waters provide a nursery for the whales, which gather there between July and October after a long migration from Antarctica.
Tonga was not always a safe place for humpbacks. Whalers hunted them there for decades until 1978, when King Tāufa‘āhau Tupou IV declared a moratorium on all whaling within the kingdom’s waters — a decision that probably saved the Tonga humpback subpopulation. The government issued the first tourism license for whale swimming in 1993, and since then thousands of people have traveled there from all over the world hoping for the experience of a lifetime with the majestic giants.
Nadar con ballenas tiene directrices estrictas, y solo los operadores autorizados pueden ofrecer actividades dentro del agua. Las normas clave incluyen que solo cuatro clientes y un guía local capacitado por embarcación certificada pueden estar dentro del agua con un grupo de ballenas a la vez y los nadadores no pueden acercarse a ninguna ballena a menos de 5 metros (16,4 pies).
Solo una embarcación autorizada a la vez puede hacer ingresar a nadadores al agua con un grupo de ballenas. Algunos operadores pueden acordar compartir para que todos los clientes tengan la posibilidad de experimentar un encuentro dentro del agua. El tiempo máximo de interacción de cualquier embarcación con un grupo de ballenas que incluya una madre y una cría es de una hora y media, a menos que tengan un permiso de interacción especial. Después de cualquier interacción de 90 minutos, ninguna embarcación puede interactuar con el grupo por otros 90 minutos, lo que garantiza que los animales tengan un descanso.
I have been fortunate to travel to Tonga many times since 2007. People often ask me why I keep going back, but there aren’t adequate words to convey what it is like to be in the water with humpback whales. Swimming with them was truly life-changing. It gave me a sense of peace that I had never experienced, and it humbled me that the gentle giants would be so tolerant of us. After hundreds of swims, I still feel overwhelmed each time and remain amazed by their size, inquisitive nature and level of consciousness.
I’ve also observed the powerful impact the whales have on other people. I have seen individuals weep with joy. Some go quiet for hours, deeply touched by the encounter, while others get so excited that they won’t stop talking about it.
A lo largo de los años he tenido el privilegio de observar maravillosas interacciones que quedarán impresas en mi memoria para siempre. Uno de esos encuentros inolvidables fue con una cría a la que llamamos Snowy (nevado) por su piel de color pálido. Se mostraba curiosa y estaba determinada a jugar con nosotros, los humanos lentos y diminutos. Habíamos divisado a la madre y la cría a lo lejos mientras salían a la superficie. La madre saltaba fuera del agua elegantemente y sin ningún esfuerzo, pero su cría no era tan elegante y aún estaba aprendiendo. Ver sus intentos torpes y no coordinados de salir a la superficie era un verdadero placer.
After they stopped and seemed to settle, we quietly entered the water and started swimming slowly toward them. The calf left his mother and came charging at us as soon as he saw us in the water. Remember, this is not a small baby — it’s about 15 feet long and weighs more than a ton. Having a humpback calf chase you can be intimidating, especially since they tend to lack spatial awareness.
El tiempo que pasamos en el agua fue mágico y emocionante, con Snowy moviéndose en círculos, girando y nadando sobre su lomo alrededor de nosotros sin dejar de mantener contacto visual en todo momento. Pasé la mayor parte del tiempo riendo mientras intentaba capturar imágenes de este pequeño juguetón. Mi objetivo gran angular no era lo suficientemente ancho como para capturar un encuentro tan cercano, por lo que solo pude fotografiar parte del animal.
Las ballenas jorobadas pueden ser muy protectoras de sus crías y, normalmente, permanecen bastante cerca, así que no perdí de vista a la madre mientras interactuaba con su cría. Sorprendentemente, esta madre se quedó descansando inmóvil debajo de nosotros durante la mayor parte del encuentro. Sospeché que su confianza era el resultado de acercamientos respetuosos anteriores con otras personas, o que quizás estaba disfrutando de su tiempo libre mientras nosotros manteníamos a su tumultuosa cría ocupada.
Another exceptional experience was with five adult whales engaging in a slow-motion heat run. Heat runs can be aggressive, as several males race and compete for the attention of a female. Operators need to carefully assess heat runs before allowing swimmers in the water. If safe drops are possible, they usually last only a few seconds as the animals swim past. But that day was quite different — the whales were swimming relatively slowly compared to usual and at times would change direction and come back toward us. It felt like I was training for the Olympics, but we never managed to get closer than about 30 feet during the hour we spent with them.
It was extraordinary to watch their behavior underwater. Initially, the males were mainly chasing after the female. They would speed up, cut in front of each other and blow curtains of bubbles, possibly to confuse their opponents and hide as they tried to escape with the female. The competition escalated quickly, however, as power and chaos replaced speed and deception. It became a battle of titans in which the males displayed their strength by headbutting and tail-slapping each other. One slap was powerful enough to resonate to where we were. The recipient was swimming on his side, and we saw his throat grooves shake when the other whale struck him. I felt the impact’s vibrations in the water. The whale that had just been hit continued racing as if nothing had happened, driven by the urge to reproduce.
All the whales suddenly dived in unison and disappeared for several minutes. I don’t know what happened in the deep blue, but it ended the chase. When the whales eventually reappeared more than 300 feet away, their pace had slowed significantly, and the group quickly separated afterward except for two whales that swam away together — probably the female and her chosen suitor.
Nadar durante el canto de una ballena también es fascinante. Es difícil describir la mezcla de gemidos agudos variados y sonidos similares a gruñidos que producen las ballenas jorobadas. Solo escuchar y sentir el sonido bajo el agua hace honor a su hipnótica y cautivadora belleza. Es una larga vocalización, entre las más complejas del reino animal, y es producida en patrones organizados solo por los machos. Pueden cantar durante varias horas a la vez, repitiendo la misma canción una y otra vez.
Because whales usually sing most often during the breeding season, researchers believe the complex songs play a role in attracting females or establishing dominance between males. We are still attempting to understand whales’ singing during other times. All the males in a humpback population will sing the same song; if the song changes over time, they all will apply the same changes — proof that learning and transmission are happening among the males. Apart from being music to your ears, whale songs can be quite a physical experience. When positioned near a singer, you can feel the vibrations in your body.
My all-time highlight was a swim with two courting whales 10 years ago. That day our swim attempts had been unsuccessful — we had seen many whales, but none of them seemed interested. On the way back to the harbor, however, we suddenly saw big splashes in the distance as two adults rolled at the surface and slapped their long pectoral fins. I prefer to observe whales underwater, but watching them from a boat always gives a different perspective of size and sound. We could hear them breathe, and the rhythmic sound of their fins splashing the water was captivating.
They eventually stopped to dive, so we entered the water and swam toward where we last saw them. The pair was there, gliding slowly underneath us and pirouetting around each other, meeting and separating as if performing an underwater ballet. I am always amazed by humpbacks’ gentle and precise movements despite their size. One of the whales suddenly ascended straight in front of me less than 10 feet away and stopped there, clearly looking at me. The overwhelming feeling when looking into a whale’s eye and knowing that it is looking back and acknowledging you is unrivaled. It’s a moment in time that will remain vivid in my mind forever.
Tengo muchos otros recuerdos que atesoro y tengo la suerte de que mis viajes a Tonga han estado repletos de interacciones inolvidables. No obstante, es importante comprender que nadar con ballenas es un privilegio. Requiere paciencia y suerte y, al igual que con cualquier experiencia con vida silvestre, no hay ninguna garantía de que se produzca alguna interacción. Algunos días las condiciones climáticas son demasiado duras como para poder salir con la embarcación y otros las ballenas no están dispuestas a permitir que ingresemos al agua con ellas. La mayoría de los días pasará horas buscándolas.
Remember that the whales travel to Tonga to mate, give birth and care for their calves. The migration is more than 3,700 miles and takes several months. While migrating and staying in the birthing grounds, there is little or no available food, so whales survive by metabolizing the stored energy in their blubber. Mothers can lose up to one-third of their body weight during the migration and their stay in Tonga. It’s demanding and exhausting to protect, nurture and feed their babies in preparation for their long trip back to Antarctica.
La población de ballenas jorobadas de Tonga aún es relativamente pequeña y no se ha recuperado por completo como otras poblaciones de ballenas jorobadas. Se calcula que los balleneros mataron más de 200.000 ballenas jorobadas en el hemisferio sur en el siglo XX. La caza de ballenas en la Antártida redujo las poblaciones reproductoras E y F, las subpoblaciones que se reproducen en Tonga, Nueva Caledonia, Fiyi, Samoa y Niue, y actualmente la población tiene un poco más de 1000 especímenes.
Al estar en el agua con ballenas jorobadas, es fundamental ser respetuoso y no afectar su comportamiento y bienestar. Al hacerlo, garantizará que tanto usted como otros visitantes tengan una experiencia inigualable.
Cómo bucear en este lugar
Cómo llegar: Tonga’s borders closed quickly after the pandemic started, so check travel advisories for the current status. Before COVID-19, you could get to Tonga via Sydney, Auckland or Fiji. From the U.S., flights leave from Los Angeles and connect through Fiji. Most international flights arrive at Fua‘amotu International Airport, Tongatapu, but a few direct flights happen weekly between Fiji and Vava‘u. If your whale-swimming adventure takes place in Vava‘u, Ha‘apai or ‘Eua, you can take a domestic flight on Lulutai Airlines.
Allow plenty of time between your domestic flight’s arrival time and your international flight’s departure for your return trip. Domestic flights occasionally get delayed or canceled due to weather, causing missed international connections.
I recommend carrying all your essentials with you, including your camera housing. Luggage delays due to being over the weight limit are not uncommon. It’s also good to have travel insurance to cover medical expenses, repatriation, flight delays and cancellations, and lost luggage.
Dónde hospedarse: Tonga is home to about 170 islands divided into three major groups: Tongatapu and ‘Eua in the south, Ha‘apai in the middle and Vava‘u in the north. The northernmost tip is the small Niua island group. Tourism infrastructure and whale-swimming conditions vary depending on the location. Staying on the main island, Tongatapu, for your whale experience will save you time and money because you won’t have to take a domestic flight to another destination, and far fewer operators are on the water. Your best option for hotels and activities is in the capital, Nuku‘alofa.
Most travelers prefer to take the one-hour flight to popular Vava‘u, the hub for whale swimming. Vava‘u is a scenic location with deeper waters and the possibility of seeing other pelagic species. The influx of tourists during the whale season has resulted in a wide choice of restaurants and accommodations to fit all budgets. The main town of Neiafu is a popular option, but quieter, more secluded resorts are located on the outer islands. The downside is there are many whale-swimming boats, increasing pressure on the whales. In the past few years, queueing for a whale has become more common.
There are fewer boats in Ha‘apai, where the tourism infrastructure is less developed than in Vava‘u. The waters are shallower, and the visibility is usually not as good. It is also flatter and more exposed to the weather. The most accessible islands in Ha‘apai are Lifuka, Foa and Uoleva.
Cuándo viajar: The whales arrive in Tonga in mid to late June, and you can typically observe them until early October. The timing varies, so August and September are usually more reliable for whale encounters. These winter months can have strong winds, so have warm clothes and a spray jacket on the boat. Water temperature in August and September is usually in the mid-70°F range.
Es fundamental reservar las excursiones para nadar con ballenas con operadores autorizados. Sus tripulaciones están formadas de acuerdo con las normas y las mejores prácticas que deben usarse al acercase a las ballenas, y sus embarcaciones y equipos de seguridad son apropiados.
Reservar varios días le permitirá maximizar sus posibilidades de disfrutar de buenos encuentros y oportunidades de ver diferentes comportamientos. Tres días es un buen mínimo, pero dedicar cinco o siete días será mejor si su presupuesto se lo permite. No hay ninguna garantía de que podrá nadar con ballenas, y es posible que un operador que le diga lo contrario no siga prácticas éticas. Calcule unos días adicionales al final de su viaje en caso de que los días designados para nadar con ballenas se pospongan por el clima u
otros motivos.
Solo se permite que haya cuatro personas y un guía dentro del agua con las ballenas en un momento dado, por lo que unirse a un grupo pequeño limitará las rotaciones y maximizará el tiempo en el agua. Esta es una experiencia de snorkel; no se permite el uso de equipo de buceo ni flashes.
Nota para fotógrafos: Tonga is remote and doesn’t have a photography shop or support. Make sure your equipment is in perfect working order before going to Tonga. If you stay on an outer island, charging equipment might be available only at certain times of the day, so be sure to have spare batteries and memory cards in case you cannot charge or download daily. Drones are allowed, but talk to a licensed operator at the time of booking to determine the current permit requirements.
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See more of Tonga’s humpbacks in this video by Annie Crawley.https://www.youtube.com/embed/GbyaIjSyXg0?feature=oembed
© Alert Diver — Q3/Q4 2021