Wave

"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 400 feet away and quietly slid into the water, waiting to see if it would approach us. I heard my local dive guide's voice about 200 feet from me exclaiming "whale!" At that moment, I took a deep breath and freedove to 40 feet 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."