2024 - Whale Swim Discovery

 2025 - Whale Swim Discovery

 2026 - Whale Swim Discovery

You can now register your booking in our 2026 season. No deposit required until 1st January 2025.

About our vessel Wildlife

Welcome to the live-aboard sailing catamaran experience in the outback of Tonga.

Wildlife is a high performance blue water sailing catamaran. She is a 16.2m Schionning Waterline built of state-of-the-art materials. She is fast, safe, stable and comfortable. This enables us to travel through the very remote parts of Tonga with all the comforts of home and be self-reliant. The vessel was purchased by Tris and Dave in 2012 for the specific purpose of live-aboard whale-swim charters in Tonga. 

Wildlife is powered by brand new 35hp Lombadini Diesel engines in each hull. This pushes her along at a good speed of 7knts, however, when the sails go up, she effortlessly sails at 11 to 20knts! Wildlife has recently been upgraded to run on lithium batteries and with her solar panel array increased she runs completely electric (no generator) making her a very environmentally friendly way to travel. Fresh water is made by a desalinator that runs off one of the main engines providing enough drinking and shower water for all onboard - we never need to rely on finding a water source although we do encourage the conservative use of water and power. There is one shared large bathroom and toilet, conveniently located so it can be accessed from the cockpit. This enables access to the toilet when you have been swimming, with no need to change to get down stairs. Wildlife is a simply designed with bright, clean spaces and runs very efficiently. We love living on-board and the adventures we have together and we’re sure you will too.

Wildlife on-board accommodation and facilities

There are 3 roomy double cabins, each with their own large opening hatch providing natural light and fresh air. The beds are set up as king doubles but a divider can be added for single share occupancy. Being on the ocean 24/7 has definite advantages for the whale enthusiast - some nights you can hear the whale song through your pillow!

The large saloon is the indoor living area. Here you will find a comfortable couch area with 2 small tables - a perfect area to chill out and still take in the spectacular ocean views. The Galley is also located in this space and is the heart of live-aboard life. 

The cockpit is where everything happens! This is the outdoor entertaining area where all meals are served and most people love to hang in the fresh ocean air and watch the crew raise and lower sails and navigate. The cockpit is also the action hub, where we get ready for swims and adventures, leading down to the transom steps and into the water. The transom steps allow for safe and easy access to and from the water. 

The deck area provides a perfect vantage place to watch your friends with the whales and take as many fluke photographs as possible. Relax in a deck bean bag or lay on the foredeck nets and feel the gentle rhythm of the Pacific Ocean. Keep a watch for marine life and gaze seaward as islands slide by. There is plenty of space to relax and enjoy the views. It is a very exclusive way to visit Tonga and experience swimming with the majestic whales. 

Wildlife crew and food 

Expeditions include the guidance and expertise of 3 professional crew, a qualified whale swim guide (aka, whale swim addict), a qualified skipper and a chef/deckhand/stewardess. Tris or Dior will accompany up to 4 guests at a time in the water with whale interactions. 

Skipper Dave is your watersport enthusiast; he has sailed, played and worked on the ocean all his life. Dave is a master class skipper with 250k sea miles under his belt. He is an animal lover and has the skill of anticipating what the whales will be up to. He keeps the good ship Wildlife running smoothly for the enjoyment and safety of all onboard.

Aboard Wildlife, we take our food seriously! We strive to provide fresh, home-made meals using locally sourced ingredients to maintain a minimal global footprint. We can accommodate all dietary requirements and enjoy serving healthy balanced meals. We provide a set menu, with a variety of tasty dishes carefully planned for your enjoyment and sustenance, and we catch all our own fish by sustainable means.

Our Whaleswim ethics

As a family who works together our interaction strategies are based in intensely strong ethics regarding our relationship with the whales. It begins with the first sighting of a whale. First we assess what behaviour may be in progress; if we determine that our presence will not be disruptive, the boat is slowly presented to the whales. If the whales don’t respond positively then alternative whales are searched for. If the whales show potential for in-water activities then we slowly introduce the boat at a closer range. This ‘whales first’ strategy is continued once entering the water. Guides Dior and Tris continue to monitor the whales’ behaviour and responses throughout and this informs all of our interactions.

Tris has been guiding for over 13 years. She swam with her first whales when she was 15 and has worked as a dive master as well as a whale shark guide. She is an animal admirer and motivated animal behaviorist. Tris is also an underwater photographer and artist and knows just where to position herself and her guests for the best vantage spot.

Dior has grown up on the ocean, moving onboard at just 2 months old. She is an amazing natural freediver and shares her parents’ great love for animals. Dior has interacted with whales and marine megafauna since she first started snorkelling at the age of 2.

Both of these capable women will encourage and help you if you need a bit more confidence and, for the more experienced ocean goers, they will guide you into the heart of the action.