we went to the sub-antarctic in winter time because we were told that there was
time because we were told that there was
time because we were told that there was a new population of southern right
a new population of southern right
a new population of southern right whales that had only been discovered
whales that had only been discovered
whales that had only been discovered about ten years before and had probably
about ten years before and had probably
about ten years before and had probably never seen a human being before
never seen a human being before
never seen a human being before certainly not underwater it was a very
certainly not underwater it was a very
certainly not underwater it was a very speculative trip I didn’t know what we’d
speculative trip I didn’t know what we’d
speculative trip I didn’t know what we’d find but got there and lo and behold
find but got there and lo and behold
find but got there and lo and behold these animals just couldn’t have been
these animals just couldn’t have been
these animals just couldn’t have been more curious I do pretty much alone most
more curious I do pretty much alone most
more curious I do pretty much alone most of the time I was there we had some bad
of the time I was there we had some bad
of the time I was there we had some bad weather but the visibility was really
weather but the visibility was really
weather but the visibility was really good for sub-antarctic conditions and
good for sub-antarctic conditions and
good for sub-antarctic conditions and here you see two of these right whales
here you see two of these right whales
here you see two of these right whales just coming right in I should also
just coming right in I should also
just coming right in I should also mention that right whales have these
mention that right whales have these
mention that right whales have these things on their head called kalasa T’s
things on their head called kalasa T’s
things on their head called kalasa T’s these are they’re born with rough
these are they’re born with rough
these are they’re born with rough patches of skin and about the same place
patches of skin and about the same place
patches of skin and about the same place that humans have hair so on the top of
that humans have hair so on the top of
that humans have hair so on the top of their head over their eyes like an
their head over their eyes like an
their head over their eyes like an eyebrow and on their chin and they get
eyebrow and on their chin and they get
eyebrow and on their chin and they get occupied by by barnacles and little
occupied by by barnacles and little
occupied by by barnacles and little crabs called Salmons which give them
crabs called Salmons which give them
crabs called Salmons which give them shape in color but these animals were
shape in color but these animals were
shape in color but these animals were just so curious I mean these were 45
just so curious I mean these were 45
just so curious I mean these were 45 foot 70 ton whales that came right up to
foot 70 ton whales that came right up to
foot 70 ton whales that came right up to me allowed me to make full-frame you
me allowed me to make full-frame you
me allowed me to make full-frame you know pictures of just the eye this very
know pictures of just the eye this very
know pictures of just the eye this very soulful eye of this whale you know but
soulful eye of this whale you know but
soulful eye of this whale you know but the size of a softball just looking at
the size of a softball just looking at
the size of a softball just looking at you even thinking and you know you just
you even thinking and you know you just
you even thinking and you know you just can’t help but wonder what they’re
can’t help but wonder what they’re
can’t help but wonder what they’re making you out as you just don’t know
making you out as you just don’t know
making you out as you just don’t know you know in the days when the visibility
you know in the days when the visibility
you know in the days when the visibility wasn’t so good I sort of dropped down
wasn’t so good I sort of dropped down
wasn’t so good I sort of dropped down and made silhouette pictures this is a
and made silhouette pictures this is a
and made silhouette pictures this is a courtship of a male and female I was
courtship of a male and female I was
courtship of a male and female I was careful not to get in between that would
careful not to get in between that would
careful not to get in between that would have been very bad but and then you know
have been very bad but and then you know
have been very bad but and then you know after doing this for a number of days
after doing this for a number of days
after doing this for a number of days and getting a few pictures I had an idea
and getting a few pictures I had an idea
and getting a few pictures I had an idea in my mind I wanted to make a photograph
in my mind I wanted to make a photograph
in my mind I wanted to make a photograph of a human with one of these whales so I
of a human with one of these whales so I
of a human with one of these whales so I asked my assistant ratio to get in the
asked my assistant ratio to get in the
asked my assistant ratio to get in the water with me never knowing if the
water with me never knowing if the
water with me never knowing if the whales we cooperated not but sure enough
whales we cooperated not but sure enough
whales we cooperated not but sure enough as if central casting this this
as if central casting this this
as if central casting this this beautiful female whale just came down
beautiful female whale just came down
beautiful female whale just came down and spent about two hours with us on the
and spent about two hours with us on the
and spent about two hours with us on the bottom this is Mauricio standing on the
bottom this is Mauricio standing on the
bottom this is Mauricio standing on the bottom at a depth of about 70 feet and
bottom at a depth of about 70 feet and
bottom at a depth of about 70 feet and this this thing that’s the size of a
this this thing that’s the size of a
this this thing that’s the size of a city bus just swimming it right up to
city bus just swimming it right up to
city bus just swimming it right up to you and hanging out with you you know
you and hanging out with you you know
you and hanging out with you you know you couldn’t believe it as I as I made
you couldn’t believe it as I as I made
you couldn’t believe it as I as I made these pictures I was swimming along the
these pictures I was swimming along the
these pictures I was swimming along the bottom and you’ve got a dry suit on and
bottom and you’ve got a dry suit on and
bottom and you’ve got a dry suit on and a steel tank and all this weight about
a steel tank and all this weight about
a steel tank and all this weight about 100
100
100 of equipment and after a while you know
of equipment and after a while you know
of equipment and after a while you know you got to catch your breath so I just
you got to catch your breath so I just
you got to catch your breath so I just sort of knelt down and tried to catch my
sort of knelt down and tried to catch my
sort of knelt down and tried to catch my breath that I was sure this whale would
breath that I was sure this whale would
breath that I was sure this whale would just keep me keep me in the dust leave
just keep me keep me in the dust leave
just keep me keep me in the dust leave leave me in its wake but it actually
leave me in its wake but it actually
leave me in its wake but it actually turned and came back and stopped and
turned and came back and stopped and
turned and came back and stopped and waited for me I was looking at that big
waited for me I was looking at that big
waited for me I was looking at that big softball I was if to say you know wait
softball I was if to say you know wait
softball I was if to say you know wait for you catch your breath I know you
for you catch your breath I know you
for you catch your breath I know you can’t swim very well but and then you
can’t swim very well but and then you
can’t swim very well but and then you know off we went
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