Photo and caption by vanessa mignon

I was in Tonga looking for whales. We had been unsuccessful all day. On the way back to the harbour, we finally saw some splashes in the distance. It was 2 adults whales courting. We jumped in the water and I became the witness to the most amazing thing I ever saw. 2 massive whales gliding in the water, softly touching each other, rolling over. And then suddenly this whale ascended right in front of me, and stood there looking at me. I push the camera trigger just at that time. Many people say that there is nothing like looking into a whale eye, and I could not agree more.

Location: Vava'u, Tonga