{"id":65485,"date":"2026-03-04T09:56:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T08:56:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etendues-sauvages.com\/actualites\/2026\/03\/04\/wild-talk-with-vanessa-mignon\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T09:56:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T08:56:59","slug":"wild-talk-with-vanessa-mignon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etendues-sauvages.com\/en\/news\/2026\/03\/04\/wild-talk-with-vanessa-mignon\/","title":{"rendered":"Wild Talk with Vanessa Mignon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Encounters in blue<\/strong><\/p>\n

Locking eyes with a humpback whale, gliding above a whale shark, watching the extraordinary ballet of manta ray aggregations, drifting through the blue alongside massive sperm whales\u2026 From the Pacific with French Polynesia<\/a> and Tonga to the Mozambique<\/a> Channel, off Dominica or Mexico, the migratory routes of the ocean\u2019s most iconic creatures offer unforgettable encounters.
\nMoments of pure emotion.<\/p>\n

Each winter, humpback whales leave their polar feeding grounds to begin one of the longest migrations known among mammals.
\nTheir goal: reaching warm tropical or subtropical waters, suited for mating and calving. Depending on their hemisphere, northern or southern, humpback whales cover between 10,000 and 25,000 kilometres. Among the routes taken by these deep-diving swimmers, one skirts the Australian coast.
\nIt was there, in 2007, that the fate of Vanessa Mignon<\/a>, a young accountant from Brittany newly settled in Sydney, took shape. Watching the whales pass from the cliffs, she was seized by the urge to dive in and approach them. A friend told her about Tonga, where this closely regulated experience is possible.<\/p>\n

\"Vanessa

Vanessa Mignon<\/p><\/div>\n

From that adventure came a passion that never left her\u2026 \u201cIn this mammal, at once gigantic and incredibly delicate, there is a high level of awareness, an intelligence and sensitivity you can perceive in the way it interacts with its own kind, and with us,\u201d says the renowned diver and photographer, recognised for her commitment to animal conservation and awareness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had the chance to live moments of rare intensity with these animals \u2014 marvelling at the gentleness of their touch during a courtship dance, the tenderness of a mother toward her calf, the attention they give us, those exchanged glances where you can sense they know who we are\u2026 We hunted them for nearly two centuries, and they remember it. And yet, when approached properly, once trust is established, they accept us without judgment. Swimming with them should never be treated as an attraction \u2014 it\u2019s a gift from nature that must be earned, with patience and deep respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

The experience begins with locating the animal. A hydrophone can pick up its vocalisations and confirm its presence in the area. Otherwise, you scan the ocean\u2019s surface hoping to spot its blow: a vapour cloud exhaled at 400 km\/h, rising up to three metres into the air before vanishing within seconds. A rough sea makes this impossible, as it does spotting the whale\u2019s \u201cfootprint\u201d \u2014 that smooth, oil-like halo left on the surface where a whale has dived. Locating this distinctive mark helps define a search area and wait for the animal to resurface. Count ten to twenty minutes for adults, four to five for calves. At this stage, reading the animal\u2019s behaviour determines whether those hoping for an encounter can enter the water.<\/p>\n

If it feels safe, the humpback will come to the swimmers, and the magic happens<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Patience, then. And respect. As the boat approaches the cetaceans, it must slow down, keep a safe distance, never split up a group, and \u2014 when several boats are present \u2014 never surround an animal. The easiest whales to observe are often mothers with their calves, since they stay close to shore or reefs, in bays or channels, to protect their young from potential predators. If stressed, they\u2019ll retreat to open water and its dangers.<\/p>\n

On the swimmers\u2019 side, strict rules also apply: entering the water fifty metres from the animal, never approaching closer than thirty. They must stay grouped, remain calm, and never attempt to chase it. \u201cIf it feels safe, the humpback will come to them, and the magic happens,\u201d Vanessa concludes.<\/p>\n