Humpback whales have become more and more plentiful in the waters of French Polynesia for some years now. For a long time they restricted their visits to the island of Rurutu but now they have extended their range to the Society archipelago as a whole, for the pleasure of everyone. Here we are in mid-August and already they are seen around the Leeward Islands.
The whales are here get your snorkels ready!
They cover the thousands of kilometers from the cold waters of Antarctica either in small groups or as lone individuals. In the animal world that’s unusual, for all other migrating species do so in large groups.
The curious and the enthusiast alike can see them from both land and sea. Those who approach them by sea are required of course to respect certain safety procedures but they will enjoy an unforgettable experience to be recounted for many years to come.
I had the good fortune to be part of one of those morning rendez-vous when a mother and her calf played a surprising game for us between Tahiti and Moorea. It was a sort of hide-and-seek around us and the other boats present. The whale appeared to amuse herself by diving into the depths only to reappear several miles further on and then diving once again. Only the most intuitive, who guessed the right direction, were lucky enough to get into the water and swim along with them. Thanks to the advice of my guide, I was one of those lucky ones.
Lilliputian beside Moby Dick…Where is the whale?…There she is beneath my flippers as the depths change color…Don’t panic… Let her do her thing… Don’t swim off before her more enterprising calf as it noses toward me… Climb back in the boat… Guess which way she has decided to go to amuse us… Wonder whether it is her or the boats that are the more curious …Until she makes her final exit into the abyss, as if to say, “that will do” ….
The whale season begins – just a few months during which those who cruise Polynesian waters can have an unforgettable experience. It’s time to take to the boats!
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