Robert's Ramblings

If I talk about coral gardens there are three ways the conversation might go.

The first, that corals are in the ocean and so you must find them everywhere.

The second, that corals are in the tropical oceans and so you only get to see them in exotic locations.

The third comes from an understanding that corals are part of all ocean eco-systems and indeed you do find them everywhere.

I love the irony, that the first and last ideas are so similar and so right while a little bit of knowledge completely compromises the reality.

This beautiful coral head just happens to be in the warm waters off a secluded northern beach on the island of Vava'u. We spent an afternoon here in the sun and in the ocean winding down, away from the boats and the people.

While snorkeling I noticed many coral heads were almost perfectly round reminding me of planets in a sky of sand, rock and water. My mission became one to find the most perfectly rounded planet and capture its image.

Yes we have corals here back home in South Australia as there are everywhere but nothing like the coral planets of Vava'u.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Coral Planet' 1/400s f/7.1 ISO160 15mm

Twenty metres below us the pair just hung there on the bottom, motionless, a strange stillness in an ever moving ocean.

A silhouette against the white sand, too far down to make out their detail, not so deep as to be hidden from our gaze. Almost as if they wanted our attention.

It was their interactions that opened my mind and my heart to these beautiful creatures. Here in this quiet moment the sense of shared stillness, of being together in that moment was overwhelming.

Like being with a best friend, not talking, each in our own thoughts, reading or drawing or perhaps engaged in some other quiet activity yet with a pervading unspoken underpinning oneness.

In these humpback whales, off the island of Fofoa, Vava'u I felt a kinship, a sense of equals and perhaps even the respect of a cherished mentor.

I am so grateful for my time here with these beautiful beings and their gentle reminder to cherish togetherness.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Togetherness' 1/400s f/7.1 ISO160 15mm

'Play with me', the whale suggested as he circled the girl closer and closer.
How do you play with a creature 400 times your diminutive frame?

'Play with me', the whale intoned with a soundless expression and an oh so gentle nudge.
How do you not panic, how do you trust being pushed through the water by a 25 tonne stranger?

'Play with me', the whale delighted as they parried to and fro.
How can you not be moved to your core by a being both so alien and so equal?

'Play with me', the whale bemoaned as he followed her back to the boat.
How can you leave such a beautiful moment? You can't, it has changed you, will be forever with you.

I'm sure George (the whale) and Jasmine (the girl) had a thing going on.

We all had an extraordinary time with George that day, a day we will treasure forever.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Jasmine and the Whale' 1/1000s f/7.1 ISO160 15mm

And this little piggy went 'we, we, we, we, all the way home'!

While in Vava'u we saw pigs, lots and lots of pigs everywhere.

In fact the maximum speed of 70Kph is almost redundant as everyone drives as if pigs both large and small are about to dart out across the road. Judging by the look of many cars the drivers have learned this lesson experientially.

Even when mum's crossed and a handful of piglets have followed it's best to wait a moment or two for the runt hiding in the bushes.

The reason the locals leave their pigs run wild is simple, the pigs can forage for food wherever they like, meaning the owners do not have to pay for or worry about food.

The down side to letting your pigs roam wild is perhaps obvious. Let's just say, 'what goes around comes around'.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'This Little Piggy' 1/250s f/2.8 ISO160 140mm

When ever I come across a cave, be it on the side of a cliff, deep in the ocean or perhaps somewhere right in the middle of those two worlds I wonder, 'what lives in there?' and feel an urgent need to explore.

Swallows Cave, on the Island of Kapa, Vava'u, did not disappoint my curiosity.

We had come to the end of our fist day on the water and we were all tired of getting in and out of the water over and over and over again.

Yes it was exciting to see so many humpback whales for the very first time. The first fleeting glimpse of diving flukes in the water were just as thrilling as our skipper dropped us into the oncoming path of a pair of large males.

But all day long it was the same; drop in, catch a glimpse, get back in the boat and and repeat.

Entering the cave were greeted by a glittering school of baitfish. Like some organic thermoclyne they held their position in that upper layers until the very last moment, gently parting to make way as we swam through.

The water was still and clear, the dappled diffuse light gentle and we experienced a serenity which washed away the jagged edges of a frantic day.

We never did come back to Swallows Cave after that first day but I'm glad we got to visit and swim here.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Swallows Cave' 1/500s f/3.2 ISO1600 15mm

'Tag me if you can!', a school yard taunt remembered from long ago. Yet here we are again playing that game of dare, chase and tag on a scale un-imagined from a landlocked childhood.

Who would have thought we would encounter Humpback whales both adept and eager to play our boyhood game.

We'd swim away and they would chase getting oh so close as near enough to snort, 'tagged you, you're it!'. W'ed chase them back and the two big males would frolic just out of range long enough to prove who's winning here before accepting the tag again.

We played this game over and over until we were worn out and they were just getting started. Finally they both chased us back to the boat and with one last snort declared 'tagged you, you're it'.

We left with 'the tag', I'm sure we left them with whale winning grins.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Tag Me' 1/320s f/10 ISO320 15mm

Sometimes I wonder just who was checking out who!

No sooner had we arrived here and two large humpback whales appeared about 100m away. As soon as we realised they were heading straight for our boat there was a mad scramble for masks, fins and cameras.

They came closer; 50m, 25m, 10m and then the pair dove and disappeared. This disappearing act was something we had grown used to as the whales often dive under our boat if we stop in their path.

Suddenly without warning one massive head rose right next to the boat, its nose more 2m out of the water. A moment later a second just as enormous head rose next to the boat and we had two unblinking fathomless eyes gazing back at us for a time before quietly sinking back into the water again. Clearly this was an invitation.

Once we were in the water these two large males turned the tables on us. I felt like we were now the subject of their curiosity and if they had had iPhones they'd be taking selfies with the humans and and texting their mates!

We were all circled and observed from every angle. On one occasion when I dived deep to get a view from below the pair dove down, corralled me then followed me back to the surface in a spiraling ascent of three, the two getting closer and closer to me almost embracing me with their huge pectoral fins as we ascended. It felt like they were making sure I returned safely to the surface again.

This was another extraordinary experience where I felt that these beautiful animals were complicit in the exchange of a shared experience of each other.

We should not need moments like these to nurture love and respect for these wonderful creatures but if it were possible I wish every human could experience the humpback whales of Vava'u as I now have.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Just Check'n You Out' 1/160s f/10 ISO320 15mm

The the big male far below me had already started blowing bubbles on his last descent. As his stream of bubbles ascended from below it expanded and divided over and over like some roiling cauldron until the ocean became a sea of bubbles telling of his progress far beneath me.

As I watched all five whales had aligned in a column from the big bubble blowing male below through to the week old calf at the surface. It was an awesome sight to see these beautiful creatures come together this way.

As had happened many timea before, I expected the group to pick up just a little speed to leave us behind. This is the normal behavior for male escorts, a mix of dominance and protection for the mother and calf. This time however something unexpected happened.

The mother and calf continued gently on their way while the other three turned towards the surface. As we swam and the three big whales rose it seemed like they were intent on a collision while all the while the big male's bubbles seemed to blow harder and more violently. They all rose together directly underneath us enveloping us in foaming white-water and completely obscuring our vision. Amidst all the bubbles and confusion three large bodies surface just in front of us with tail flukes in our faces. Despite the showy ascent, all three broke the surface gently, arched their backs and gently slid back down away from us into the depths below.

What a show! Perhaps it was their way of saying we had overstayed our welcome, perhaps they were just having fun with us. Regardless we decided to leave them on their way.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Deep Five' 1/40s f/7.1 ISO160 15mm

'Don't go in there' he said as he swam back from the gates. Unspoken, we both perceived the gauntlet drift downward to the ocean floor below.

For a while we watched and we waited until during a brief lull in the waves we quietly slipped through.

It was so intense in that crazy place, always on our guard and never knowing where the next onslaught would come from.

We lingered as long as we dared then slipped unnoticed out the back in to the world of wind and sunshine again.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'LL in the Underworld', 1/60s f/7.1 ISO640 15mm

We followed these three humpback whales on the surface for a while as they played their own games, indifferent to our attempts to get their attention.

On one particular drop the three dived in unison and came to rest around 20m below the surface where for a while they remained in this beautiful group cuddle, gently sliding their massive bodies across one another.

Finally they split out from this loving embrace to glide gently back to the surface again.

Behavior like this is a beautiful reminder just how social humpback whales can be and if I can be so bold to suggest, affectionate and loving.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Ménage à Trois', 1/160s f/6.3 ISO320 15mm

The day I met George was one of the most magical moments in my life. It was an experience I will relive, will reflect upon and treasure for the rest of my life, ... but I am getting ahead of myself.

It was our second day in the waters just off the west coast of the island of Vava'u in the Kingdom of Tonga and our first day with Vinney our Tongan skipper. That morning during our briefing Vinney described to us how he had prayed the night before for the insight and the guidance that would bring us to the whales but he also told of his respect for the will of the oceans and the whales regardless of our success or otherwise. We knew then we had someone special leading our little expedition.

It was late morning when we spotted George, a young male humpback whale lounging on his own in open blue water. Our excitement was palpable but subdued as until now all our encounters with these graceful giants were fleeting, barely lasting a few seconds and most in poor visibility. This whale did not move on as we slowly drew near. In fact an enormous pectoral fin slapping the water seemed to welcome us as the four of us and our guide slipped into the water.

At first George just seemed happy enough for us to swim around him as he rolled from side to side slapping the water with those massive fins. It was obvious he was happy for our company so I positioned myself a few meters away in front and a little below to photograph the proceedings from what I thought would be a safe distance. Perhaps George's interest increased as he became more comfortable with, perhaps it was something else. What ever the reason this whale decided it was time to play.

Imagine a 25,000 kilogram 12 meter whale eyeing you off and begin swimming directly towards you. Remembering the safety instructions of the briefing you tell yourself remain motionless, tucking in arms and legs for protection when every instinct is screaming 'run'. All the while trying to be mindful to not touch or interfere in any way. At the last moment the whale appears to dive underneath but then lifts you gently onto its head, the pressure of moving water and whale gently holding you there.

This was one of the most terrifying moments of my life but at the same time I was completely struck with how effortlessly and gently I was brought up to the surface, rolled over to his left and let me slide off. As he rolled back to the right I found myself staring into that big beautiful searching eye. For a moment I was lost in that unfathomable gaze but then he rolled further over as he swam and I realised I was being guided down that expansive white belly out of harms way of his two massive pectoral fins.

The last part of George I saw as he continued his roll was that enormous tail fluke. I experienced another moment of terror as I realised the damage that tail was capable of, but it was was short lived as he gently swished that enormous fluke out of harms way leaving me tumbling in his wake.

The extremes and the intensity of emotions I felt, the profoundness of what just happened, the shear inability to even comprehend it all left me shaken. It was as if George new I needed a moment to compose myself but when I had he headed straight back for another round!!

We spent quite some time with George before we had to leave him. Each of us had just experienced something exquisite, something very personal and something very rare. My gratitude for George's gift to all of us that day and for Vinney finding him out there is something I will cherish forever.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'George's Gift', 1/400s f/6.3 ISO320 15mm