Kara and Nate dissect Tonga's recent happenings in a comprehensive review
In Tonga, fishing enthusiasts are treated to a memorable experience, with an abundance of pelagic fish waiting to be caught. For those seeking adventure, these shallow waters off the beach offer a chance to catch small snappers and groupers, while venturing out onto the outer reef yields larger species like jacks and trevally.
One angler experienced this thrill firsthand, casting out with large popper lures off the reef and encountering what they believed to be tuna or trevally. Despite using 60lb line and a 100lb leader, the line would snap before the angler could engage in a fight. Frustrated, the angler decided it was unfair on the fish, asking others for suggestions to improve their fishing technique.
For those seeking a Tongan island adventure, it's worth checking out the available dates, as spaces are filling up fast. For the second time in just over a year, the channel Kara and Nate, popular on YouTube, embarked on an island survival adventure with the destination switched from Panama to Tonga. Joining this year's challenge was Nate's parents, Christie and James, who had never attempted anything like this before but were swayed by the promise of swimming with humpback whales.
The group participated in four days of survival training, learning essential skills such as shelter building, water sourcing, fire making, and food gathering, and were all successful in their friction fires. Once the group training was complete, they moved on to their survival phase.
Despite the plentiful resources available in Tonga, the survival challenge was no easy feat. From encountering encountering meter-wide flying foxes to problematic pigs that can territoriality chase locals up trees, there were numerous challenges to overcome. However, the group thrived, building a shelter and honing their survival skills. Kara's coconut climbing skills especially shone, as she successfully navigated the palm trees to find bountiful drinking coconuts.
Tonga is home to an incredible array of wildlife, with the star of the show undoubtedly being the humpback whale. Here, in large numbers, the whales come to give birth and nurture their young, who consume up to 500 litres of rich milk per day. Straight off the beach, visitors are treated to breaching, tail slapping, and fin flaps, often seen up to 50 times a day.
After the survival challenge, the group was rescued and treated to a hearty breakfast aboard a plush RIB. They were then given the opportunity to swim with these magnificent creatures, an experience that often exceeds high expectations. One particular highlight was a playful calf that seemed to show off its amazing fins, rolling over and flailing just a few meters away.
For those interested in experiencing their own Tongan adventure, be sure to check out the available dates. And for those who want to catch up on Kara and Nate's previous island survival adventures, part one can be found here, and part two can be found here.
- The Tongan islands offer an adventure-travel lifestyle, with opportunities for sports like fishing and island survival challenges.
- For the YouTube channel Kara and Nate, Tonga became the new location for their second island survival adventure, a switch from Panama.
- During their Tongan adventure, the group underwent four days of bushcraft training, learning skills such as shelter building, fire making, water sourcing, and food gathering.
- Despite the abundance of resources in Tonga, the survival challenge presented numerous challenges, including encountering meter-wide flying foxes and territorial pigs.
- After the survival challenge, the group was treated to a travel experience like no other, swimming with humpback whales that seem to put on a show of breaching, tail slaps, and fin flaps, often seen up to 50 times a day.
