Whale Nursery
Sainte-Marie Island · Madagascar
Every July to September, humpback whales travel from Antarctic feeding grounds to give birth and nurse calves in the sheltered bay between Île Sainte-Marie and mainland Madagascar. Divers enter the water near singing males and mother-calf pairs in water so clear the whales are visible from the surface. The experience is strictly managed — no engines within 100 metres — making this one of the most respectful cetacean encounters on earth.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 25 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
23 to 29°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 27 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Humpback whale
Last confirmed Aug 11, 2024 · 1 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Red Fody
Last confirmed Mar 22, 2024 · 1 records
Rare
Now and then
Malagasy Kestrel
Last confirmed Aug 25, 2024 · 2 records
Rare
Now and then
Bottlenose dolphin
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Green sea turtle
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Crested Drongo
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear