About The Shot
Moorea, French Polynesia/ 2023
Encountering a 40-ton animal swimming directly towards me while freediving and extending its fin towards me was one of the most incredible moments I've experienced in the ocean. During certain months of the year, Humpback Whales gather in French Polynesia to rest, almost like a pitstop before continuing their global travels. I spotted the whale's spout at the surface more than 400ft away and quietly slid into the water, waiting to see if it would approach us. I heard my local dive guide's voice about 200ft from me exclaiming "whale!" At that moment, I took a deep breath and freedove to 40ft into the deep blue water, still unable to see anything myself. Emerging from the depths, I began to see the white underbelly of a gigantic Humpback whale swimming directly towards me. The whale was moving swiftly, and I started to swim backward to avoid a collision. At the last second, the whale slowed down and extended its pectoral fin towards me to gauge our distance. It looked me directly in the eye and, with one final strong kick of its tail fin, glided away into the depths.