Freediving with mamals

[cebaztian]

Whats your experience with meeting animals (mamals) under water?

Fred Buyle has some nice photos from a neeting with manatees,
http://www.nektos.net/show_images.php?IDcat=manatees

Myself I am back from freediving with Killer whales in Norway (with Stig Severinsen).
http://www.fridykning.se/freediving/features/orca.html

Whalesharks anyone?
Sharks?
Dolphins?
Turtles?

Sebastian

[Pucko]

I have been cose too Beavers while diving. but i realy want to see Killer whales... I have otters living close to mee and they like to play so i might have some dive buddys there...

[worst]

hi cebaztian
i´m really amazed by your story about diving with orcas, i think they are one of the most beautiful animals of the world...
i´m just curious how you felt about the risks (haven´t you been afraid?) cause I remember, once or twice on cetacean research
activities i´ve listened to stories about diving with whales and
nearly all of the specialists (unfortunatly) had the same opinion that dives with orcas are the most dangerous ones since they attack not only fish but also other dolphins, smaller whales and well... ehm...other bigger mammals. (and not only for eating!)
soooo... it would be nice if you could convince me that diving with orcas is safe. please. thank you

my experience with meeting mammals underwater was some times with dolphins
(of course with wild dolphins),
once, was in egypt when one of the dolphins swam very close to me and closer and closer, and as closer it came it got every time a little bit slower
and seemed that it wants to touch me (notice: i didnt want to touch it)
when in the last second it swam away again, and returned and played
about an hour with its stupid game... (i have to admit i liked it)

another time, it was i think 2 years before, with common dolphins,
i had a very bad feeling when i snorkeld with two other girls to those .
maybe because it was the group with the calves that they seemed like they want to attack us. they made fast movements towards us and we recognized pretty soon, (although we pretended to be not there because of them)
that we should leave that side imidiatly.

cheers, réka

[Amphibious]

have dove with Dolphins, Seals, sealions, otters, beavers, muskrats, bears.. (long story)....

I like Seals the best

[Craig Thailand]

I have free dived with humans once or twice, very clumsy looking under the water and once with my dog.

I remember when i was a kid, the seal (scar face) from Newquey peir followed me around while i was snorkeling for about half an hour, at 10 years old it was pretty scarey.

Last week i went game fishing and a 'bit' of spearfishing off the Burma banks, i went free diving with a baby whale shark, it was very cool. see pic

We also saw a great Hammerhead shortly after i shot a wahoo, it was about 5 meters long. I wanted ti freedive with it because i know that they are the least dangerous of the top ten but it came to the boat because it could smell/sence fish so i thought it might not be a good idea. Plus i was scared too. see picme3.jpg

hammerhead.jpg

me2.jpg

me1.jpg

[DeepThought]

Diving With Whales Video

I hate this kind of story making, using "objective" commentary such as "suddently the whale attacks!".

[Craig Thailand]

AGREED
What a stupid video, the whale is obviuosly playing with her. Did you notice that there were no bite marks on her leg after it took her back up? That animal is so strong it could have snapped her leg like a twig. Why do some people have to be soooo anal about these kind of things?

[BlueKarma]

agreed.
that whale ment her no harm at all, however how would you feel if some pale small thing jumped right next to you and started touching you like crazy? id probally want to drown her too

but seriously, the whale could have easily taken her much deeper or simply bitten her in half. people have no right to complain, after all we are not at the top of anything in the ocean. (food chain or otherwise)

[island_sands]

Originally Posted by Amphibious

have dove with Dolphins, Seals, sealions, otters, beavers, muskrats, bears.. (long story)....

I like Seals the best

I would have thought that beavers were your favourite

[island_sands]

Originally Posted by DeepThought

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/231681...g_with_whales/

I hate this kind of story making, using "objective" commentary such as "suddently the whale attacks!".

i like the way they say "she is not wearing an oxygen tank"

[yugyug]

thats a great story you posted Sebastien, its sounds like an amazing experience. I remember reading a story about an aussie or kiwi freediving with orcas, too - it might have been rob torelli.

I dont know about your theory though - that orcas are the top of the food chain and therefore don't fear anything and therefore dont show aggression. I'm sure given the right circumstances they could be very aggressive, they are wild animals (and what about that movie "Orca"......just kidding

but I would love to swim with them. I wouldn't wear a monofin like Stig Severinsen though - think it might be best to look least like a seal as possible!

[deep thinker]

"the whale senses Lisas panick", the whales thinking, wait a minute your not one of us, o sorry need to breath allready
That was a stupid mistake from her side...

[Craig Thailand]

Weren't they pilot whales???

[Amphibious]

Originally Posted by island_sands

I would have thought that beavers were your favourite

very true, but the seals are less clingly

[cebaztian]

Afraid while diving with Orcas?
No not realy - a bit concerned or worried once or twice. But with a camera in my hand I mostly think about getting good images.

Would Orca hurt you. Don't think so. They see the difference between a seal a herring and a human. Just as us they have a preferable diet - and would be reluctant to try something new.

Just as sharks - but they unfortunately sometimes try to bite you to find out if you taste good, since they are somewhat more primitive than a whale.

Sebastian