Trip to Figi and island of Tonga
Oct 11, 2023 11:20:50 #
I got to spend the last two weeks snorkling with Humpback whales off the island of Vava'u Tonga and snorkling in Fiji! OMG...so much fun and so exciting to be able to be so close to those huge animals.
Most of all the pics were taken with friends GoPro's since I did not have an underwater camera. We have so many video's of the whale's but not a whole lot of photo's, just have to take screenshots of the frames from the video's.
I was able to play with one of the babies once, I would twirl and then the baby would copy me and twirl, if I dove down- the baby dove, if I flipped on my back - the baby flipped on his back...I will never forget this experience! To hear them was also such an amazing thing and if you were able to dive down...the lower you got in the water the better you could feel the sound in your body....amazing!!
Got to experience so many things with the whales:
A heat run - which was 9+ whales swimming fast - 1 female and the rest males trying to get to the female
Breaching whales - where the whales come all the way out of the water
Momma and baby - quite a few different pairs we got to get in the water with
Watched a baby feed - that was amazing
Momma, baby and escort - a lone male following a momma hoping to breed
Solo Singer - a single male whale singing trying to find a female
On the very last day of our trip, we had a single whale that started breaching a few times right by the boat, then it started waving his fin at us - like he was saying goodbye - was the perfect ending to a perfect trip!
Most of all the pics were taken with friends GoPro's since I did not have an underwater camera. We have so many video's of the whale's but not a whole lot of photo's, just have to take screenshots of the frames from the video's.
I was able to play with one of the babies once, I would twirl and then the baby would copy me and twirl, if I dove down- the baby dove, if I flipped on my back - the baby flipped on his back...I will never forget this experience! To hear them was also such an amazing thing and if you were able to dive down...the lower you got in the water the better you could feel the sound in your body....amazing!!
Got to experience so many things with the whales:
A heat run - which was 9+ whales swimming fast - 1 female and the rest males trying to get to the female
Breaching whales - where the whales come all the way out of the water
Momma and baby - quite a few different pairs we got to get in the water with
Watched a baby feed - that was amazing
Momma, baby and escort - a lone male following a momma hoping to breed
Solo Singer - a single male whale singing trying to find a female
On the very last day of our trip, we had a single whale that started breaching a few times right by the boat, then it started waving his fin at us - like he was saying goodbye - was the perfect ending to a perfect trip!
This is me
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Oct 11, 2023 11:22:39 #
Oct 11, 2023 11:40:51 #
Oct 11, 2023 11:54:19 #
CindyHouk wrote:
I got to spend the last two weeks snorkling with H... (show quote)
Wow! Great set Cindy.You sure had a fun trip.
Oct 11, 2023 11:57:21 #
CindyHouk wrote:
I got to spend the last two weeks snorkling with H... (show quote)
What a fun and exciting trip Cindy! Thanks for the share
Oct 11, 2023 14:04:18 #
Oct 11, 2023 14:29:59 #
Longshadow wrote:
NEAT!
It was so different from anything I have ever experienced. We had so much fun.
Oct 11, 2023 14:30:42 #
Retired CPO wrote:
These are GREAT!! Luck you!!!
I was very lucky to get to go on this trip...just wow is the only way to describe it!
Oct 11, 2023 14:31:07 #
bcheary wrote:
Wow! Great set Cindy.You sure had a fun trip.
Thanks...I had a blast!!
Oct 11, 2023 14:32:12 #
junglejim1949 wrote:
What a fun and exciting trip Cindy! Thanks for the share
It was truly an amazing thing to witness and be a part of..just magical!
Oct 11, 2023 14:33:05 #
UTMike wrote:
Outstanding, Cindy! You REALLY know how to do retirement.
Lol...first big trip, first time overseas, first stamp in passport...lots of firsts on this trip!
Oct 11, 2023 14:42:01 #
f32clubmember
Loc: Maple Valley, WA
Cindy, now I am really jealous. I have been diving for over 50 years and have never been this close to humpback whales. Great photos, topside and underwater. Beautiful water, too.
Oct 11, 2023 14:49:59 #
f32clubmember wrote:
Cindy, now I am really jealous. I have been diving for over 50 years and have never been this close to humpback whales. Great photos, topside and underwater. Beautiful water, too.
Thanks! This was my first time snorkeling and getting this close was one hell of an amazing experience! We actually got a little to close one time and had the babies fin come right over top of me...had to roll out of the way...lol.
Oct 11, 2023 14:52:40 #
f32clubmember
Loc: Maple Valley, WA
I just hope you have more chances to get this level of life experiences in the future.
Oct 11, 2023 15:39:05 #
f32clubmember wrote:
I just hope you have more chances to get this level of life experiences in the future.
So do I!
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