How predictable is the whale season?

Hi all,

I am planning on visiting Tonga in early September because I'm keen to snorkel with the whales.

I'm told that the whale season starts from July and goes on until November but that seems like a long time for the whales to be hanging around. Are the humpback whales really around for that long or are they normally around for a much shorter period and it just varies as to when they arrive from year to year?

Any advice much appreciated as snorkelling with the whales is pretty much the only reason I am visiting TOnga and it'd be a huge disappointment to get there only to find the whales have been and gone already!

Many thanks.

the southern humpbacks stay a couple of weeks in warm waters, their calving and mating grounds.
rarely would a individual whale spend the whole season in those grounds. I am in central fiji and we have the earliest sightings in june, numbers and sightings will increase till end of august and from then decrease until it fades out in end october. we are seeing above average humpbacks this year.
i have never been to tonga during their winter, but shoud expect seasonal movements there are to be similar as in fiji. so early sep is should almost allow a statistical max. sightings.
weather will be a factor to, but this year most of july and august have been very mild and dry with less than average winds.

Hi. I lived in Ha'apai for a few years, and saw lots of humpbacks there in late August and through September. They appeared off Lifuka (main island in Ha'apai, with airport) as well as out in the Ha'afeva/Kotu group further west. I spent a week in Ha'afeva at the beginning of September one year, and we saw many humpbacks breaching and cavorting each day. I also saw a whale (humpback, I think) right off the southern-most beach of 'Eua at the end of that same September, and as you know Vava'u gets a lot of whales and has plenty of tourist infrastructure to cater to would-be whalte watchers.

There's a relatively new dive operator in Ha'apai that offers whale cruises, and they seem to be pretty confident about finding whales and letting swimmers get into the water with them. You might email them or just check out the website to see what updates they have about the whales this season. That's what I've been doing. http://www.tonga-dive.com/

Also check out this report by Tony Wu, an underwater photographer who is/was in Vava'u to photograph the whales.
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/tony-wu-blogs-from-tonga-week-one-with-humpbacks/
Be sure to read some of the comments, too, as one of them describes the whales that were in Ha'apai.

Good luck. And maybe we'll bump into each other!

Whales migrate to warmer waters to have their babies, some to mate and others just to hang around. Re. the time frame - Mothers and new babies need a few months to give birth and then fatten the babies for the long and ardous trip south. So yes, generally, whales are still up there up to late October and early November.

September though should be still quite a few mums and bubs around!

ps. better be as I am going to be there then as well LOL

Thanks everyone for you input - really useful information. Sorry for the late reply but I've only just got back to internet access!
I will try and get there for early September and try and find a reputable and whale-friendly operator that runs snorkelling trips with them. If you have any other recommendations or ideas, that'd be great.

Thanks again.

Hi Isurus

I've just checked out those 2 sites you recommended, they're great. Thank a lot. :)

Hope you have a lot of luck when finding/swimming with the whales!

Make sure you allow time and money for several attempts at whale swimming. It is not always successful. 3 days should work. Just don't expect success 1st time.