Sliding into the ocean with Humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) was a brand new experience for me. Having been diving around the world and seen some pretty spectacular creatures and events thus far in my career, I wasn’t expecting the intensely profound experience that occurred when I cam face to face with multiple Humpback whales. Watching a singing male, as its song reverberated through the airspaces in my core, aroused some of the animalistic beliefs and insticts I had long thought to be ridiculous and, as it happens, forgotten.
Encounters with resting mothers and their animated calves were the common throughout the week's journey. Once we located a relaxed, chill mother, a few members of our party would silently enter the sea and watch as she and her calf rested and played in the clear, protected waters of the Silver Banks. One calf, in particular, was quite boisterous and came over to each member of our group to eyeball and touch them with its massive pectoral fins (see above image). It was a crazy experience that none would, or should, soon forget!
- Ethan Daniels