Dominica Sperm Whale Videos and my favorite photos November 25 - 26, 2019

This blog has links to a selection of GoPro videos I shot during the wonderful week of snorkeling with Sperm Whales and also a link to my favorite photos from the week. We had a great group of six, Tom Campbell and Beth Davidow, Russ and Barbs van Aardt, Jerry Wyss, and I.   The trip was permitted with Indigo Safaris' Chris Bartlett, https://www.indigosafaris.com/dominica-sperm-whales.html.

10194
https://youtu.be/9rgwl2HNLbM

10195 Sperm Whale with her jaw open gives us a pass.
https://youtu.be/4Cpx2caLWAQ

     Russ getting a tail shot of a passing sperm whale with her impressive jaw open.  Sure was glad that it wasn't a threat display!

    Say AWWWW!  Awesome, that is.


10197
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxgaFLNkizM

10198
https://youtu.be/i2iCDzQcuZ8

10204   If you listen, you can hear the sperm whale clicking.
https://youtu.be/xKjLZKNpaXA

10205 - Encounter with dive at end.
https://youtu.be/OIWx2CgBbe4

10206
https://youtu.be/UK_-3dlt6y0

                                Closing fast!

                                         Shallow dive, no turn, does she see us?

     Below is the link to the video of this encounter.
10220 We had one very close encounter with sperm whale that didn't turn!
https://youtu.be/FpSd5umuVNw

10222
https://youtu.be/p83C-vKoypU

10223 Listen for sperm whale clicks
https://youtu.be/kaaPHYyNYLo


10224 - In this video, I caught a sperm whale pooing as it began its 40 to 60 minute dive down to about half a mile deep to hunt squid.
https://youtu.be/IV8TEy6yE4A

Sperm Whale Photo Edit 1
https://youtu.be/v-RwOREnKhc

30224 - - In this video, if you are curious, I accidentally left the GoPro running- love its interface-not, and filmed using the submersible hydrophone to listen for hunting sperm whale's clicks.
https://youtu.be/zIR_b7dHEZY


40225 - In this video, if you are curious, I accidentally videoed (I lack a high opinion of the GoPro inerface) a ride on the swim platform of our boat as my team was about to be dropped in front of a pair of sperm whales.
https://youtu.be/1ob1IivSvjg






Below are some more of my favorite photos from this fantastic six days with the sperm whales of Dominica.  Here's a link to all my favorite Sperm Whale Photos from this trip:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mbuAn1fgGf3ZRHVCA

She's nick named "Can Opener" for the white scar you can see here, halfway between the front of her head and her eye.

    A trio.

     Mother and calf.  The calf is probably 25 ft long.

    Another fast approach with her jaw open.

    I thought she was turning but she was instead rotating onto her left side.

    Still closing fast, now she's on her side.

    Now she bends her body as if diving but since she's on her side, she's changing course to go past me.

    She righted herself to continue.

What an incredible, unforgettable experience this trip was!!!  What a way to cap off diving for 2019 since conditions did not cooperate with me squeezing in any local Monterey/Carmel dives in December.