Swimming with Humpback Whales TONGA AUG 25 - SEPT 5, 2014 Spend ten nights on a liveaboard in Tonga s Ha apai Islands, snorkeling with humpback whales. This is a truly rare opportunity to be in the water swimming with these massive but friendly creatures. Seacology
NAI A Your floating home will be the NAI A, a spacious liveaboard built by Dutch craftsmen. The NAI A features nine staterooms with ensuite bathrooms to accomodate 18 guests. Amenities include hot showers and air-conditioned staterooms, as well as a beautiful woodpaneled salon, spacious dive deck, secure camera room, and relaxing sundeck. The Fijian crew excels at comfort and entertainment, and professional chefs prepare meals from local produce, meat, and fish.
Humpback whales From July to September, the Ha apai Islands are full of humpback whales who come to court, mate, and calf before returning to their feeding grounds around Antarctica. On this trip, you ll get the chance to actually swim with the whales, as Tonga is one of the few places in the world where this is permitted. I could not believe how frequently we were able to swim with humpback whales. To see mother whales seemingly show off their newborn calves was an incredibly moving experience. On one occassion we swam with three whales for over an hour. -Duane Silverstein Seacology Executive Director
TRAVEL ITINERARY Aug 25 Board the NAI A liveaboard in Nuku alofa, Tonga s capital, on the island of Tongatapu. Head for the Ha apai Islands. BOOK YOUR SPOT Seacology s first trip to Tonga to swim with humpback whales in 2011 was such success we couldn t accomodate everyone who wanted to go. By popular demand, we are offering this incredible experience again. Aug 26 - Sept 3 Explore the Ha apai Islands in search of humpback whales while taking time to snorkel, swim, and relax. Visit a Seacology project in Felemea, a seaside village on Uiha Island. To make a reservation, please contact: Melody Settelmayer melody@seacology.org (510) 559-3505 Sept 4 Return to Nuku alofa in time to visit the flying fox sanctuary on Tongatapu. Overnight in Tongatapu. Double-Occupancy $6,500/person Sept 5 Trip ends. Single-Occupancy $11,375/person TONGA Price includes stay on the NAI A liveaboard, all meals, overnight stay in Tongatapu, Seacology site visit, flying fox sanctuary visit, and a $100 per person carbon offset donation. Price does not include airfare or travel insurance. Nuku alofa H a a p a i I s l a n d s Uiha Island 0 25 50 Miles 0 25 50 75 Kilometers Reservations can be made with a deposit of 50% of the per person cost. These deposits less a $500 per person cancellation fee are 100% refundable up to April 1, 2014, after which deposits are not refundable. Final nonrefundable payments due June 15, 2014. Payments can be made by check made out to Seacology, or by an American Express, Mastercard, or Visa credit card. A surcharge of 4% will be applied to credit card payments. PROJECT VISIT: UIHA ISLAND H a a p a i I s l a n d s This trip includes a visit to a Seacology project on Felemea, 0 25 50 Miles Nuku alofa on Uiha Island, where, in 2010, we funded the rennovation of their community center. As in many island villages, Felemeans use their community center in a variety of ways, such as for holding civic meetings, conducting workshops, and running a preschool. The renovations mean they ll have an adequate space for years to come. In exchange, Felemeans agreed to actively manage 368 acres of nearby fish habitat reserves. 0 75 25 50 Kilometers
SEACOLOGY 1623 Solano Avenue Berkeley, CA 94707 Phone: (510) 559-3505 Fax: (510) 559-3506 islands@seacology.org www.seacology.org About Seacology We help island villagers protect their forests and coral reefs by offering them a unique deal: agree to create a habitat reserve and we ll provide funds for something the community needs, like a schoolhouse or a health clinic. Since 1991, we ve worked with over 200 villages on 149 islands in 51 countries to develop communitywide conservation plans, helping to protect nearly 2 million acres of some of the world s most vulnerable ecosystems.