Dolphins and whales have always fascinated me. Their intelligence, playful nature and social bonds have all contributed to this fact. However, I guess the one aspect that truly amazes me is the convergent evolution fact. Millions of years have made them morphologically very different to us. However, in time they have developed similar traits, such as friendships, the need to stick together, working as a team and more. Their social bonds have even proven to be stronger than our own. It is facts like this that lead me to believe we can learn from them...
Below are images from my first Orca/Humpback expedition with my good friend and Killer Whale expert Pierre Robert Delatour. The experience was profounding and I hope to rejoin USEA in the near future.
The view from the plane showed us the beautiful frozen fjord system of northern Norway. The arctic in winter is truly a sight to behold. It is here where an anual wildlife spectacle takes place. The fjords shelter huge schools of herring and it is these that attract giants.
We set up base in the beautiful Arctic city of Tromso
Arctic conditions are a huge challenge
Our Orca vessel is anchored in the Tromso harbour giving us a magical experience as we wait for morning.
Pierre, is a free diver with 15 years experience of diving with Killer whales. We are briefed the night before our expedition.
We are greeted with a beautiful sunrise. The spectrum of colours that sunrises give here are pure art. Now all we needed was some subjects...
My first sight of a Killer. The captain had hoped that he would lead us to the pod. He in fact, circled the boat several times, watched us, then dived and disappeared without a trace!
We came across several groups of humpback whales. This due was far more playful than the rest...
Being at the front of the boat, with my boots filled with freezing water, and having wet gloves was a painful experience. However, when this whale came to the boat, rolled over and breached, the pain was forgotten.
Unfortunately, it was time to leave Norway, but not before a thrilling encounter with a Killer Whale. She approached the boat, twisted her head, looked up and then rejoined the pod. There is no photo of this as I decided to experience the moment through my own eyes rather than the viewfinder. The above image is just before she looked up.
