I was doing a story about right whales for National Geographic magazine
for National Geographic magazine
for National Geographic magazine I had a absolutely off-the-scale
I had a absolutely off-the-scale
I had a absolutely off-the-scale magical experience with a population of
magical experience with a population of
magical experience with a population of southern right wells that we found in
southern right wells that we found in
southern right wells that we found in the sub-antarctic of New Zealand this
the sub-antarctic of New Zealand this
the sub-antarctic of New Zealand this was a population that had only been
was a population that had only been
was a population that had only been discovered about ten years before and it
discovered about ten years before and it
discovered about ten years before and it was very risky I didn’t know what we
was very risky I didn’t know what we
was very risky I didn’t know what we would find it was a very speculative
would find it was a very speculative
would find it was a very speculative kind of trip these were animals that had
kind of trip these were animals that had
kind of trip these were animals that had never seen a human being before I was
never seen a human being before I was
never seen a human being before I was the first person to ever encounter these
the first person to ever encounter these
the first person to ever encounter these whales and now I’m in the water alone
whales and now I’m in the water alone
whales and now I’m in the water alone with these animals and sure enough
with these animals and sure enough
with these animals and sure enough they’re interacting they’re coming over
they’re interacting they’re coming over
they’re interacting they’re coming over to me they’re checking me out they’re
to me they’re checking me out they’re
to me they’re checking me out they’re bumping me you know they’re so curious
bumping me you know they’re so curious
bumping me you know they’re so curious what is this thing that looking at me
what is this thing that looking at me
what is this thing that looking at me with this soulful eye I mean I don’t
with this soulful eye I mean I don’t
with this soulful eye I mean I don’t want to over dramatize it but that’s
want to over dramatize it but that’s
want to over dramatize it but that’s what it was you know this animal is
what it was you know this animal is
what it was you know this animal is looking at you and you know they’re
looking at you and you know they’re
looking at you and you know they’re thinking and they’re trying to figure
thinking and they’re trying to figure
thinking and they’re trying to figure out what you are and then one day I
out what you are and then one day I
out what you are and then one day I decided to ask my assistant to come on
decided to ask my assistant to come on
decided to ask my assistant to come on the water Mauricio who I had previous to
the water Mauricio who I had previous to
the water Mauricio who I had previous to this asked not to get in the water
this asked not to get in the water
this asked not to get in the water because I thought that too many people
because I thought that too many people
because I thought that too many people might spook the whales but as if on cue
might spook the whales but as if on cue
might spook the whales but as if on cue we got down to the bottom and this giant
we got down to the bottom and this giant
we got down to the bottom and this giant whale just swam over to us and stayed
whale just swam over to us and stayed
whale just swam over to us and stayed with us for about two and a half hours
with us for about two and a half hours
with us for about two and a half hours and you know there was a moment where we
and you know there was a moment where we
and you know there was a moment where we were swimming over the bottom and I was
were swimming over the bottom and I was
were swimming over the bottom and I was just shooting a cheating eventually I
just shooting a cheating eventually I
just shooting a cheating eventually I just got so tired I had to stop by you
just got so tired I had to stop by you
just got so tired I had to stop by you know probably had a hundred pounds of
know probably had a hundred pounds of
know probably had a hundred pounds of equipment on my body so I finally knelt
equipment on my body so I finally knelt
equipment on my body so I finally knelt down and just waited and caught my
down and just waited and caught my
down and just waited and caught my breath thinking the whale was just going
breath thinking the whale was just going
breath thinking the whale was just going to swim by and leave me leave me in its
to swim by and leave me leave me in its
to swim by and leave me leave me in its wake but it stopped the whale stopped
wake but it stopped the whale stopped
wake but it stopped the whale stopped and turned and came back and just waited
and turned and came back and just waited
and turned and came back and just waited it looked at me with that giant eye as
it looked at me with that giant eye as
it looked at me with that giant eye as if to say now wait for you you know you
if to say now wait for you you know you
if to say now wait for you you know you and then as I sort of got my wind back
and then as I sort of got my wind back
and then as I sort of got my wind back and started swimming we off we went
and started swimming we off we went
and started swimming we off we went again you know it was you know a dream
again you know it was you know a dream
again you know it was you know a dream come true for me and an opportunity to
come true for me and an opportunity to
come true for me and an opportunity to experience and photograph something that
experience and photograph something that
experience and photograph something that few people probably ever have and maybe
few people probably ever have and maybe
few people probably ever have and maybe ever will
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