The Whistling Blowholes of Tonga
Along a reef in Tonga, hundreds of jets of sea water shoot into the air with a roar and a whistle, like a chorus of the sea.
What was reported
On the south coast of Tongatapu, Tonga's main island, the waves strike a long, flat limestone reef full of holes and channels. With every wave, dozens or hundreds of plumes of spray burst up to 30 metres into the air, each with a whoosh and a whistle.
The place is called Mapu'a 'a Vaea, 'the chief's whistle', and the sound can carry a long way along the coast.
Explanations offered
The reef is riddled with tunnels formed by erosion. When a wave rushes in, it compresses the water and air inside, forcing them up through openings in the rock, which makes the jets and the whistling sound. The effect is strongest when the sea is rough.
- When
- Known for generations
- Where
- Houma, Tongatapu, Tonga
- Witnesses
- Islanders and visitors
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.