This was my first encounter with the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth. With a permit, I dropped off the boat into the cold blue Atlantic waters and dove down, swimming in the direction our boat captain had indicated, holding my breath. Out of the deep blue came two blue whales, a mother and her baby, shining giants, glowing a metallic blue unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They passed beneath me, did a half barrel roll to look up before continuing on their way.
A blue whale calf swimming through the cold Atlantic waters, its mother just out of frame. These are the largest animals that have ever lived, bigger than any dinosaur, reaching almost 30 meters (100 feet). Despite their size they feed on tiny animals called krill which grow to 5cm (2 inches). Photographed under permit.
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 in 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