An Oldie Humpback with Sharp Barnacles – Under the Waves with Karim Iliya, July 2022

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a humpback whale is swimming closed to the surface of the ocean

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 Iliya Logo

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

Karim headshot

This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media