Tonga

Region: Kingdom of Tonga, South Pacific (Polynesia)
Type: Humpback whale encounters (snorkeling), coral reefs, caves, walls, pelagics
Significance: One of the world’s premier destinations for in-water humpback whale encounters; strict whale-swimming regulations that became a model for other nations; a major subject of underwater film and photography featured extensively on Wetpixel
First Wetpixel coverage: 2004
Key areas: Vava’u island group (primary whale watching), Ha’apai island group
Season: July through October (humpback whale migration)

Overview

The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago in the western South Pacific, historically known as “The Friendly Islands” after Captain Cook’s description (^[1]). For the underwater photography community, Tonga’s significance centers on the opportunity to swim with humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in their breeding and calving grounds.

Each southern winter, between July and October, humpback whales migrate approximately 6,000 km from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to Tonga’s warm, sheltered waters to mate, give birth, and nurse their young (^[2]). Tonga receives around 2,000 whales each season (^[3]). The round trip migration covers approximately 13,000 km (^[4]). Tonga is one of the few places in the world where swimming with humpback whales is legally permitted, making it an essential destination for underwater photographers and filmmakers seeking close encounters with these animals (^[5]).

The Tongan humpback population has not recovered as well as some other humpback populations worldwide following the hunting era (^[6]). The total world population of humpback whales is estimated at approximately 80,000, having recovered somewhat since the whaling moratorium in 1966. Female humpbacks have a gestation period of 11.5 months and typically breed every two to three years. At birth, calves are approximately 6 meters long and weigh about two tons; adults reach 15 meters and 35 tons (^[7]). Southern hemisphere humpbacks feed on krill in Antarctica, in contrast to northern hemisphere humpbacks which feed largely on fish. There is virtually no mixing of populations across the equator (^[8]).

Whale Watching Areas

Vava’u

The Vava’u island group, in the north of the Tongan archipelago, is the primary destination for whale encounters. The main town, Neiafu, serves as the base for whale-watching operations, with boats departing from the Port of Refuge harbor (^[9]). The group comprises approximately 60 islands spread over 25 square kilometers, with a population of roughly 20,000 spread over only a third of the islands, leaving most uninhabited (^[10]).

The prevailing southeast trade winds mean that bays on the northwestern side of the Vava’u group are sheltered most of the time, providing calm water areas where humpback mothers and their calves gather (^[11]). During the whale season (mid-July through early October), boats operate every day except Sunday, as Tonga’s laws prohibit commercial activity on Sundays (^[12], ^[13]).

Pete Atkinson described Vava’u as “beautiful in the way that Palau is beautiful; high limestone forested islands, most of which are uninhabited, with deep, clear sheltered water between” (^[14]).

Ha’apai

The Ha’apai island group, located south of Vava’u, also hosts humpback whale encounters. Darren Rice, who operated Matafonua Lodge on Foa Island in Ha’apai, documented whales there extensively. Ha’apai was hit by a Category 5 cyclone in January 2014 with 300 kph winds, which destroyed much of the resort infrastructure. Rice spent most of 2014 rebuilding before reopening in 2015 (^[15]).

The NAI’A liveaboard also operated whale encounters in Ha’apai waters; Rob Barrel of NAI’A reported from Ha’apai concurrent with Tony Wu’s 2008 Vava’u season, noting correlations between whale behavior in both locations (^[16]).

Types of Whale Encounters

Don Silcock and Tony Wu documented several distinct categories of in-water whale encounters in their Wetpixel articles:

Mother and Calf

The most rewarding encounter for photographers. When the mother is relaxed, the calf can be playful and curious around snorkelers, occasionally bumping them (^[17]). Vanessa Mignon, who guided whale tours for several years, described swimming with humpbacks as an “exhilarating yet peaceful experience” (^[18]). The bond between mother and calf is strong: humpback mothers travel from Antarctica specifically so they can give birth and nurse their young in warm water (^[19]). Don Silcock described “playful calf” encounters where growing calves check out snorkelers “in much the same way as a young puppy might,” but cautioned that they have “very little spatial awareness and can easily hit you with a tail swat” (^[20]).

Heat Runs

The most intense type of encounter. A heat run begins when a single female signals readiness to mate by slapping her pectoral fins on the water’s surface. Males then compete in a Darwinian contest, with groups of up to 14 males chasing a single female at speeds reaching 15 mph. The males jostle, ram each other, blow bubble curtains, and attempt to knock rivals out of the race (^[21]). Tony Wu described heat runs as “fast, loud, hectic and awesome to behold,” noting that the seas can “literally boil over with backwash, bubbles and froth as the 40 to 50-tonne giants battle beneath the surface” (^[22]). Scott Portelli described being in the water with 15 adult humpback whales during a heat run in Tonga in 2018 (^[23]).

Escorts

Escort whales guard and protect mothers and calves by positioning themselves between the pair and perceived threats, providing dramatic photo opportunities (^[24]). Darren Rice noted that escorts “can be male or female but are not the father or a close relative, instead a passing whale that adopts a protective role” (^[25]). Tony Wu observed wide variation in escort behavior, from extremely aggressive escorts that warranted keeping swimmers out of the water, to relaxed escorts that allowed close approach — on one occasion in 2008, a relaxed escort even rested near a singing male, which surprised Wu as he had assumed escorts would steer clear of other males (^[26]).

Singers

Male whales dive to approximately 20 meters where they hang nearly motionless in a vertical position, tail elevated, singing geographically unique songs for 10-20 minutes. They appear to enter an almost “zen-like state” during singing (^[27]). Humpbacks don’t have any vocal chords; they produce their songs by circulating air through their respiratory system (^[28]). Tony Wu reported that the absence of singers during weeks when breeding-age whales had moved offshore was itself diagnostic of population movements (^[29]).

Courtship Pairs

Tony Wu documented courtship behavior between mated pairs, describing “graceful dances they executed underwater” as possibly part of a courtship ritual. On one occasion in 2008, a mated pair approached and actively engaged with snorkelers for over an hour, making eye contact, using body language, and spyhopping around the boat. Wu described this level of engagement as unusual — “this high level of engagement” was something he had “only seen a few other times” in his years visiting Tonga (^[30]).

Competitive Groups

Don Silcock described “competitive groups” where an interloper tries to force out an incumbent escort whale, “producing some spectacular interactions as the candidates fight it out and the mother does her best to protect her calf” (^[31]).

Whale Behavior and Science

Tony Wu’s six-week blog series from 2008 provides some of the most detailed behavioral observations of Tongan humpback whales published on Wetpixel.

Lunar Cycles

Wu observed a possible correlation between full moon phases and whale behavior. In the days leading up to the full moon, heat runs, mating activity, and singing increased. After the full moon, whales shifted to what Wu called “yo-yo mode” — resting for extended periods underwater, surfacing briefly to breathe, then submerging again. Wu theorized that “heat runs, mating and other related social activity peaks in the week or so leading up full moon. At or around the full moon, mating and births take place, and thereafter, there’s a period of rest before activity picks up again.” He noted this pattern held across multiple seasons (^[32]).

Weather and Whale Movements

Wu documented correlations between weather and whale presence. Tongan collaborators reported that whales appeared to dislike bad weather and would move offshore as storms approached. One of his boat captains developed headaches before weather changes, and whale departures seemed to coincide. Wu’s friend Takaji observed a mother and calf lift their heads out of the water, then do a U-turn and swim away from an oncoming storm (^[33]). During weeks of sustained strong winds in 2008, Wu experienced what he called “the most difficult conditions I’ve experienced in Vava’u,” with four- to five-meter swells, thunder, lightning, and even hail (^[34]).

Bubble Blowing

Wu challenged the conventional scientific interpretation that bubble blowing in whales is always a sign of aggression. While bubbles during heat runs clearly signal aggression, Wu observed that “when an affectionate male/female pair blow bubbles at one another while executing gentle, ballet-esque moves and caressing one another, it can’t possibly be a sign of aggression.” He argued for greater nuance in interpreting animal behavior, noting that a single action (like a slap between humans) can carry completely different meanings depending on context (^[35]).

Mother-Calf Separation

During his final week in 2008, Wu and five boats cooperated to reunite a baby whale that had been separated from its mother. The calf had been left with a boat while the mother apparently joined a group of males. Wu coordinated with other boats to lead the calf back to the adult whales, a process that took over 30 minutes. When the calf and mother were finally reunited, “the bigger whale snorted loudly and emphatically, in what I interpreted to be a sign of happiness.” Wu noted this was not isolated — he had experienced a similar situation in August 2005, and a cetacean researcher colleague confirmed documenting “a number of lone calfs over the years” and observing males forcibly separating mothers from calves (^[36]).

Regulations

Tonga has strict regulations governing whale encounters. Only four snorkelers plus a guide are allowed in the water at any one time with the whales (^[37], ^[38]). Forum members emphasized the importance of this rule for choosing operators, noting that boats with more than eight passengers significantly reduce time in the water per person (^[39]). Darren Rice described rules requiring that interactions disturb the whales as little as possible: “we only enter the water if the whales have shown some kind of interest. Even whales have a bad day and if they show signs that they do not want to interact we leave them alone and move on” (^[40]).

Swimming with whales from private yachts is prohibited by law; visitors must use licensed commercial whale-watch boats (^[41]). This stands in contrast to Hawaii, where entering the water with humpback whales carries a $25,000 fine (^[42]). Forum members noted that technically duck-diving or freediving is not permitted — only snorkeling — though Pete Atkinson noted “nothing in the law says you can’t snorkel down” (^[43], ^[44]).

Photography and Equipment

Wide-angle lenses are essential for whale photography. Pete Atkinson used a Nikon D800e in a Nauticam housing with a 9-inch glass dome and a Sigma 15mm fisheye or Nikon 16-35mm, noting that the 16-35mm “didn’t seem wide enough” and suggesting the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom on a crop sensor camera as “probably the best lens for humpbacks” (^[45]). Thomas Ley captured a notable humpback image using a Nikon D7000 and Nikon 10.5mm fisheye in a Seacam housing at f13, 1/80, ISO 250 (^[46]). Darren Jew used a Canon EOS 1DX in a Nauticam housing with Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II and Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fisheye lenses (^[47]). Forum member paolobl65 reported using a Canon EF 8-15mm fisheye on a Canon 80D with a ZEN 170 dome for an August 2018 trip aboard NAI’A, noting that a big dome was unnecessary for whale work and recommending shooting at 10mm rather than 15mm on a crop sensor to fill the frame with as little water as possible between lens and whale (^[48]).

Forum member SaveOurSeas, who had photographed humpbacks in Tonga, “highly recommended” the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye over rectilinear alternatives, noting that a companion’s 12-24mm Nikon rectilinear lens “wasn’t wide enough when the whales got close” (^[49]).

Tony Wu emphasized that understanding whale behavior matters more than camera settings: “If you have your camera set perfectly for the conditions but spook the whales, you get photos with spooked whales (which comes through crystal clear).” He advised floating instead of swimming, observing instead of rapid-fire shutter clicking, and never charging the whales (^[50]).

Water temperature during whale season is approximately 26 degrees C. Conditions can be challenging, with southeast trade winds of 25 knots persisting for days, and troughs of low pressure passing every 8-10 days (^[51]). Pete Atkinson recommended against wearing a wetsuit given the limited time in the water, suggesting instead a windproof fleece for the boat. He also recommended free-diving fins over long freediving fins, and noted that “over-exertion is a real danger and the outcome of any cardiac event here is usually final” (^[52]).

Notable Photographers and Filmmakers

Tony Wu

Tony Wu is the photographer most closely associated with Tonga’s humpback whales on Wetpixel. He spent more than a month each year photographing humpbacks in the calving grounds near Vava’u, publishing detailed weekly blog reports on Wetpixel during his 2008 season covering six weeks of observations (^[53], ^[54], ^[55], ^[56], ^[57], ^[58]). Beginning in 2008, Wu and his collaborator Takaji Ochi cataloged humpback whale calves each season through photographic identification of unique markings, identifying 16 calves in 2008 (with a couple more probables), 26 in 2009, and 24 in 2010 (^[59], ^[60], ^[61]).

In 2014, Wu identified a female humpback he dubbed “super mommy” who had produced seven separate calves over a 15-year period, tracked through crowd-sourced photographs from multiple photographers and filmmakers dating back to footage by Claudia Jocher in 1998-1999, BBC stock footage from 2002, and Wu’s own photographs from 2005 onward (^[62]). Wu was also present in Vava’u in August 2009 when a Tongan ferry sank, killing approximately 26 people, mostly women and children. He wrote about the small-nation impact: “There are perhaps only three or four degrees of separation among people here, rather than the more standard six” (^[63]).

Wu’s blog reports went well beyond whale photography, offering detailed observations of Tongan culture, economics, food, and logistics. He described attending the coronation parade of Tonga’s new king in 2008 (it “literally ‘rained on his parade’”), learning that the king “commandeered all the vanilla ice cream on the island,” and engaging in community outreach including distributing over 1,000 pencils to primary schools and giving whale education talks to yachties, one of which was recorded by Radio New Zealand (^[64], ^[65]).

Stan Waterman

Legendary filmmaker Stan Waterman hosted a humpback whale expedition aboard the liveaboard NAI’A in Tonga in July 2005. At 83 years old, the five-time Emmy winner was described as “ever the consummate gentleman, foremost storyteller, and eager explorer.” The expedition was captured in high-definition video using Gates Underwater Products housings. Regular NAI’A guests included Howard Hall, Paul Humann, and Stephen Frink (^[66]).

Jon Shaw / GinClearFilm

Wetpixel member Jon Shaw of GinClearFilm shot multiple productions in Tonga. In 2012, he produced a humpback whale film shot on a RED EPIC in a Gates Deep Epic Housing with Tokina 10-17mm lens (^[67]). In 2013, he served as DP on the IMAX 3D film “Sea of Love” using RED cameras in a 3Deep housing, during which a calf breached and landed one meter in front of his camera (^[68]). In 2015, he was DP on “Tofua’a: Seeing Eye to Eye with Tonga’s Humpback Whales,” commissioned by Mercedes Benz, featuring freediver Lucas Handley, shot with a Red Epic, Panasonic GH4 with Atomos Ronin, and a drone with GoPro HERO 3 (^[69]). Shaw also ran commercial swim-with-whale trips from Vava’u, chartering vessels for full days rather than the standard 5-6 hours, and noted that “as long as you are in the season you will have a mind blowing time” (^[70]).

Darren Rice

Darren Rice operated Matafonua Lodge, a boutique dive resort on Foa Island in Ha’apai. He documented whales using aerial drones (DJI Phantom 2 with FPV and Fatshark goggles), with his wife Nina driving the boat and spotting. His viral aerial whale footage attracted attention from Tony Wu, who identified one of the whales in Rice’s video as the “super mommy” female previously recorded with six other births in Tongan waters since 1999 (^[71], ^[72]).

Darren Jew

Australian photographer and Canon Master Darren Jew, a Wetpixel moderator, photographed extensively in Tonga. In 2014, he captured what was reported as a world record image with nine humpback whales in a single frame (^[73]). Season 1 of the Netflix documentary series “Tales by Light,” produced in conjunction with Canon Australia and National Geographic Australia, featured an episode of Jew filming in Tonga (^[74]). Darren Jew also shared calf portraits from multiple group trips he ran during the 2012 season, receiving praise from Wetpixel members including Mike Veitch (^[75]).

Other Notable Coverage

• Mary Lynn Price produced “Humpback Whales of Tonga” for DiveFilm Podcast Video (Episode 32) in 2006, featuring footage by Price, Chuck Nicklin, Roger Norman, and Steve Perez, reflecting on attitudes towards the Tonga whales (^[76]).
• Bryant Austin spent two field seasons with South Pacific humpback whales developing life-size whale photography, producing prints up to 12 feet high by 90 feet long for his “Whales in Public Spaces” exhibition at Santa Cruz in 2007. He used methods requiring him to be within two meters of the whale. His non-profit, Marine Mammal Conservation through the Arts (MMCTA), funded the work through limited edition print sales (^[77]).
• Simon Buxton produced a short film combining underwater 4K footage from a RED Epic with Panasonic GH4 clips and DJI Phantom 2 aerials in 2014 (^[78]).
• Patrick Masse documented his trip to Tonga for a humpback whale film, describing the journey from France as requiring “3 days, 3 airlines, 5 calls, almost 32 flight hours, a night stop and an aborted landing due to weather” (^[79]).
• Vanessa Mignon published a portfolio of Tonga humpback images and guided whale tours for several years (^[80]).
• Jem Cresswell shot his acclaimed black and white “Giants” portrait series of humpback whales over three years in Tonga, selected from over 10,000 images (^[81]).
• Don Silcock spent nearly three weeks in Neiafu and wrote a comprehensive guide to Tonga’s humpback whale encounters for Wetpixel in 2016, describing his first heat run encounter as “in over 30 years of diving I have never seen anything quite like it” (^[82]).
• Tim Rock contributed a story on diving with humpback whales in Tonga for Underwater Journal issue 21 (^[83]).
• Scott Portelli documented and discussed shooting a humpback heat run in Tonga in 2018 with underwater and aerial footage (^[84]).
• Shawn Heinrichs won recognition at the Our World Underwater 2014 competition with “Temple of the Sun,” shot in Tonga (^[85]).
• Pete Atkinson published a detailed and characteristically frank trip report and photography guide for Wetpixel in 2014, later incorporating his Tonga experiences into his ebook “Polynesia ~ An Ocean Realm” (^[86], ^[87]).
• GoPro featured Tonga humpback footage with free divers in their HERO3 promotional video and a “Video of the Day” in September 2013, paired with the voice of philosopher Alan Watts (^[88]).

Community Forum Discussion

Tonga whale encounters generated sustained discussion in Wetpixel’s forums, particularly in Trip Reports and Travel and the Photo/Video Showcase. Community members shared practical advice, images, and trip reports:

• Equipment debates centered on fisheye vs. rectilinear wide-angle lenses for whale photography, with experienced shooters generally favoring the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye for its wider field of view during close encounters (^[89], ^[90]).
• Trip planning threads advised booking a minimum of one week, going with operators that take no more than 8 passengers per boat, and noting that earlier in the season calves are smaller (producing dramatic size-difference images) while later in the season calves are larger and more curious (^[91]).
• Don Silcock’s forum post promoting his 2016 Wetpixel article drew praise from troporobo, who called it “the go-to starting point for anyone thinking of going to Tonga” and noted having personally swum with humpbacks in nearby Niue (^[92]).
• NWDiver documented the typical Tonga experience in 2016: weather that was “rough to the point people were getting seasick” for the first several days, followed by calm conditions with excellent calf encounters where animals got close enough that 24mm was sufficient — “technically you are not supposed to ‘Duck Dive’ or freedive” (^[93]).

Diving Beyond Whales

Vava’u offers diving year-round, though whales dominate the winter season. Pete Atkinson described several notable dive sites:

• Swallow’s Cave — The most famous cave in the group, described as “spectacular for snorkelling from mid-afternoon” (^[94]).
• Fotula Pinnacle — A pinnacle with a small tunnel at 30 meters, its entrance crowned with black coral where long-nose hawkfish perch (^[95]).
• Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) — Offshore structures in nearly a kilometer of water where Atkinson reported schools of mahi-mahi, silky sharks, and oceanic whitetips (^[96]).
• Clan McWilliam wreck — A wreck dive in Neiafu Harbor (^[97]).
• Lafa Lafa — A pinnacle on a small reef three miles offshore from Matafonua Lodge in Ha’apai, with hard corals and visiting mantas, large sharks, sailfish, and dogtooth tuna. During whale season, whales occasionally visit the site during dives (^[98]).

Citizen Science

Tony Wu’s humpback whale calf cataloging project, conducted from 2008 through at least 2014, represents a notable example of citizen science in the underwater photography community. By photographing the unique markings on the underside of whale tail flukes (which are as distinctive as human fingerprints), Wu and his collaborators built a database tracking individual whales across seasons. Wu named each calf based on distinguishing features — “Scratches” for markings on the mother’s fluke, “White Stripe” for white stripes on the dorsal area, “Scar” for vertical scars on the side, “Val” (Scandinavian for “whale”), “Jet,” “Fuli Fuli,” and “Chibi-chan” (^[99], ^[100], ^[101], ^[102]).

The discovery of the “super mommy” whale was a triumph of crowd-sourcing: photographs from Claudia Jocher (1998-1999), BBC stock footage (2002), Tony Wu (2005, 2008, 2012), Nonie Silver and Karen Stone (2009), Kirsty Bowe (2012), and Darren Rice (2014) were combined to document seven births over 15 years. Wu described it as a demonstration of “crowd-sourcing and citizen science” (^[103]).

Wu challenged the prevailing local belief about population size. Many experienced Tongan residents believed there were only six to eight calves born in or visiting Vava’u each year; Wu’s systematic cataloging showed the actual number was much higher, with 16 confirmed in his first systematic year (2008) even in what he considered a below-average season (^[104]).

Travel and Logistics

Multiple Wetpixel contributors noted the significant logistical challenges of reaching Tonga. Pete Atkinson’s 2014 trip report is particularly detailed: the domestic airline (Real Tonga, the 12th domestic airline to operate in the country) was unreliable, with canceled flights, lost baggage, and connections between the international airport at Tongatapu and Vava’u frequently disrupted. Their flight was canceled when the Chinese pilot was sick and the Tongan pilot didn’t have enough hours to fly unsupervised, stranding them in Nuku’alofa for two nights. He recommended spending a night in Tongatapu both coming and going to buffer against missed connections (^[105]).

Patrick Masse described the journey from France as requiring three days, three airlines, five calls, 32 flight hours, a night stop, and an aborted landing (^[106]). Tony Wu devoted sections of his 2008 reports to Tongan logistics, noting escalating fuel prices, reduced tourist numbers, fewer yachts, and higher boat charter costs compared to previous years (^[107]). A forum member traveling from Singapore described the route as “Singapore - Sydney - Auckland - Tonga - Vava’u” with overlays of 2-3 hours at each stop (^[108]).

Whale-watching boat costs were approximately TOP$350 (about US$190) per day per person for six hours as of 2014. Operators included Endangered Encounters (recommended by Atkinson), Whale Watch Vava’u, Dive Vava’u, and Sailing Safaris (^[109], ^[110]). The liveaboard NAI’A, described as “the flagship of Pacific liveaboards,” spent several weeks each season in Tongan waters with a crew of 14, offering 10-day trips with 8 full days in the water (^[111], ^[112]).

Atkinson offered characteristically blunt commentary on Nuku’alofa: “I have been to almost every capital in Polynesia, but Nuku’alofa takes first prize; for being lamentably grotty.” Much of the CBD had been burned down in pro-democracy riots in 2006 targeting Chinese businesses. He noted that people of influence in Tongatapu benefited financially from forcing tourists to transit through the capital rather than allowing direct international flights to Vava’u (^[113]).

Natural Events

• 2006: Pro-democracy riots in Nuku’alofa targeted Chinese businesses, burning much of the CBD (^[114]).
• 2009 (August): A Tongan ferry sank near Vava’u, killing approximately 26 people, mostly women and children. Tony Wu, who was in Vava’u at the time, wrote about the impact on the close-knit community: “Just about everyone here, me included, knows someone who’s been affected by this misfortune” (^[115]).
• 2014 (January): A Category 5 cyclone hit Ha’apai with 300 kph winds, destroying much of the resort infrastructure including Matafonua Lodge (^[116]).
• 2014 (December): The Hunga Tonga volcano erupted off the coast of Tonga, forming a new island approximately one mile long, 28 miles northwest of Tonga’s capital. In March 2015, locals visited the island and captured images, reporting the surface was hot to the touch. The island was expected to erode back into the sea (^[117]).
• 2018 (February): Cyclone Gita, the strongest storm in 60 years, passed over Tonga, leveling the Parliament House and causing widespread flooding in Nuku’alofa, with dozens of homes destroyed. No deaths were reported (^[118]).
• 2022 (January): The Hunga Tonga—Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted again on January 14, 2022, causing tsunamis in Tonga, Fiji, American Samoa, and along the Pacific rim. A wave of 15 meters (49 feet) struck the west coast of Tongatapu, with significant flood inundations and ash deposits contaminating drinking water. Communications were severely limited. Wetpixel published a community statement noting that “many members of the Wetpixel community have traveled to Tonga and we have friends and colleagues that have been impacted by this event” (^[119]).

Timeline

• 2004-11: Wetpixel publishes announcement of Stan Waterman humpback expedition aboard NAI’A for July 2005, with Gates Underwater providing HD video housings (^[120]).
• 2006-11: Mary Lynn Price’s “Humpback Whales of Tonga” DiveFilm Podcast Video episode published, featuring footage by Price, Chuck Nicklin, Roger Norman, and Steve Perez (^[121]).
• 2007-05: Bryant Austin exhibits life-size South Pacific humpback whale photographs at Santa Cruz gallery (^[122]).
• 2008-08 to 2008-09: Tony Wu publishes six weekly blog reports from Tonga on Wetpixel, documenting heat runs, mother-calf encounters, courtship behavior, singing whales, lunar correlations, and a mother-calf reunion (^[123], ^[124]).
• 2009-08: Tony Wu present in Vava’u during Tongan ferry sinking that killed 26 people (^[125]).
• 2009-10: Tony Wu reports cataloging 26 humpback whale calves during the 2009 season, up from 16 in 2008 (^[126]).
• 2011-01: Tony Wu releases results of his 2010 Tonga humpback whale calf study, identifying 24 juveniles (^[127]).
• 2012-09: Jon Shaw’s humpback footage from Vava’u, shot on RED EPIC in Gates housing, published on Wetpixel (^[128], ^[129]).
• 2013-09: Thomas Ley publishes humpback whale and diver image from Tonga on Wetpixel Facebook Group (^[130]).
• 2013-09: GoPro features Tonga humpback footage with free divers in HERO3 promo video (^[131]).
• 2013-11: Jon Shaw releases “Sea of Love” IMAX 3D humpback footage, with calf breaching one meter from camera (^[132]).
• 2014-05: Pete Atkinson publishes comprehensive Tonga trip report and whale photography guide on Wetpixel (^[133]).
• 2014-10: Tony Wu identifies “super mommy” whale with seven calves over 15 years through crowd-sourced photographs (^[134]).
• 2014-10: Vanessa Mignon publishes Tonga humpback portfolio in Wetpixel Full Frame (^[135]).
• 2014-12: Darren Jew captures reported world record image with nine humpback whales in one frame, shot in Tonga (^[136]).
• 2015-03: Jon Shaw’s “Tofua’a” film for Mercedes Benz released, shot in Vava’u (^[137]).
• 2015-03: First images published of new volcanic island formed by Hunga Tonga eruption (^[138]).
• 2016-05: Don Silcock publishes comprehensive guide to Tonga’s humpback whale encounters on Wetpixel (^[139]).
• 2017-05: Jem Cresswell releases “Giants” black and white humpback whale series shot over three years in Tonga (^[140]).
• 2018-02: Cyclone Gita, strongest storm in 60 years, devastates Tonga (^[141]).
• 2018-09: Scott Portelli discusses shooting a humpback heat run in Tonga with 15 adult whales (^[142]).
• 2022-01: Hunga Tonga—Hunga Ha’apai erupts, causing 15-meter tsunami on Tongatapu; Wetpixel publishes community message (^[143]).

References