The young humpback calf swam by, no more than an arm's length in front of me, and turned away. We were in open water off the island of Vava'u, in Tonga, in August in the midst of her migratory journey. She slid through the water and moved away into the blue depths, then abruptly rolled onto her back, showing me her great white belly, pivoting and turning back toward me, circling closer until she almost touched my camera lens. Then, as she looked directly into my eyes, curious and docile, her massive gray flank within easy reach, her mother loomed up behind her, 40 tons of maternal presence suddenly only feet away, and together they sped away. Enough play, mom seemed to signal. And they were gone. No animal experience I have had compares with snorkeling with humpback whales in Tonga. Nadia Aly's Humpback Swims is a fabulous adventure. My wife and I traveled there in August, and joined four other travelers for eight days of chasing, watching, swimming with, and getting to know these magnificent humpbacks. The logistics and accommodations were exceptional. Nadia took care of all the details, the Tongan islands were charming and welcoming, the weather was perfect, and the memories will last forever. Or maybe they won't, because we will go back with additional family members in tow and replace them with new ones. I cannot recommend Humpback Swims with Nadia Aly highly enough: six stars out of five!