An adult humpback whale swipes his long fins covered in sharp barnacles through the water. Barnacles might sometimes be overlooked as uninteresting creatures; a simple shell attached to the bottom of a boat or dock, however, these ones have attached to the fin of a humpback whale. Inside the shell is a living creature, filtering little particles of food, hitching a ride on a long journey from Antarctica all the way to the warm waters of Tonga.
Karim was published in National Geographic magazine for his humpback whale photography. He now leads his own trips so that others can swim with whales.
If you are interested in swimming with or photographing humpback whales, Karim guides people on small trips between August and October every year in Tonga. Visit www.dancewithwhales.com to find out more
To see more of Karim’s work, visit his website at www.karimphotography.com
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media