Close Encounter of the Third Kind

Nothing quite like meeting a full size female humpback whale face to face, a few feet between us, having a pair of beady eyes quietly evaluate whether you are a suitable individual to trust her calf child to for a few minutes. Having passed the test she silently glides down in 50 fathoms of ocean until she is barely an outline and leaves her two month old baby to cavort and frolic amongst our bodies, gliding between us, thrusting itself out of the water and plunging back in to come from a different direction and thrill us with her antics. Ten minutes of laughter and thrills later mother emerges like a ghost from the depths to let baby know its time to move on. We have the distinct feeling we were borrowed to baby sit and entertain one of nature's most intriguing mammals. Mother and baby will head off the Antarctica as soon as she is strong enough to brave the long journey south. Photos thanks to my new GoPro Hero camera and Ben's steady nerves under pressure!