Vanessa Mignon: Humpbacks of Tonga
Every year, between July and October, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate to Tonga, in the South Pacific, to mate, give birth and nurse their young in its warm and sheltered waters. During that time it’s possible to swim with those gentle giants, under strict regulations.
I have been very privileged to guide tours with the whales for several years. People often ask me how it feels to swim with humpbacks. So many words come to my mind. But if I was to use one word and one word only, it would be: “Alive”. Humpbacks are so incredibly charismatic, so powerful and yet so gentle. Each swim with them is an exhilarating yet peaceful experience.
Every day spent with the whales is very different. Various behaviours can be observed such as courting, heat runs when males compete for the attention of a female, singing, playing and nursing of the calves. Spending time with those giants promise to give you memories that will stay with you forever.
Vanessa has always been fascinated by the natural word and she hopes that her photography and experience sharing can increase people awareness of how diverse and beautiful nature is, and inspire them to conserve it. She also runs wildlife tours in various locations.
To see more of her pictures please check her website.
- Humpbacks have a knobbly head, humped dorsal fin, and long pectoral fins, which can reach up to 1/3 of their total body length.
- Humpbacks are identified thanks to their unique markings on the underside of the tail flukes. These markings are similar to our fingerprints and no two are the same.
- Humpback whales are very aware of their space, size and surroundings. In this picture, an adult ascended right below us, watching us. As it was getting very close, it rolled slightly on its side to avoid us and swam away.
- I cannot think of words strong enough to describe how overwhelming it is to look into the eye of a whale and know that it is looking back at you.
- There are strict regulations in place in Tonga to swim with the whales; Only 4 snorkelers + a guide are allowed in the water at any time with the whales.
- Spending several days on the water looking for whales usually maximises chances of observing various behaviours and encountering receptive whales. Patience and a slow approach usually lead to relaxed and close encounters.
- Whenever I am in the water with humpback whales, I feel a high level of consciousness and acknowledgement on their part. They often make eye contact with us and I am left wondering who is watching whom.
- Humpback calves are very playful, breaching and rolling in the water, often at close range
- Each calf is different in appearance and personality. The size, light colour and very smooth/clean skin indicate that this calf was very young
- Humpbacks were hunted to the brink of extinction, and the Tongan population has not recovered as well as some of the other humpback populations worldlwide.
- A very magical encounter one year was with 2 courting adults. They would glide slowly in the water, rolling and touching each other softly
The bond between a mother and her calf is strong and tender. Humpback mothers show the deepest commitment to their babies by travelling from Antarctica so that they can give birth and nurse their babies in warm water.