You want to take me swimming with Orcas?! Wont they EAT me?!!

Swimming & Embracing Nature With Whales

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 08:59:18 GMT

Click to listen to our podcast with 'Travel Experiences Reimagined' to learn more about Majestic Whale Encounters and the Whale Swimming tours we offer ...

10 Orca Facts

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 05:11:36 GMT

Facts you may not have known about Orcas

1. Size matters

Orcas, aka Killer Whales, are the largest of all the dolphin family, not the whale family as the name suggests. They can weigh up to six tonnes and grow to be around the length of a bus at 7-10m long. Orcas have 40 to 50 teeth that are approx 7.6cm long. There are many different species of Orcas including Offshore, Transient and Resident and they all vary in size depending on the which prey they eat.

2. It’s all in the name

The name killer whale comes from their original name 'whale killers' given to them by sailors who saw them hunting other whales. The name orcas “asesina ballenas”, or 'whale killer' was eventually flipped around to the easier 'killer whale'.

3. Orcas can be found in every ocean on the earth

Orcas inhabit all oceans of the world. They are the most widely distributed mammal second only to humans and possibly the brown rat! They are mostly found in the colder water like the Pacific Northwest, Northern Norway in the Atlantic and also in the higher parts of the Southern Ocean. Orcas have also been found in temperate waters such as South Africa and New Zealand while being observed in warm water areas like Australia, Hawaii, Bahamas, The Galapagos and even the Gulf of Mexico.

4. Orcas are mammals that have evolved based on culture and are the only ones! (besides humans that is)

Orcas have developed complex defined cultures based on behaviours that they have learnt. Scientists have found that the Orcas culture has shaped how they eat, how they hunt, how they have fun and who they chose to mate with. It was believed that only humans have this ability and so this new understanding has been significant in orca studies. Orcas also have excellent communicative skills using distinctive calls and whistles. In the wild they live 60 years or more, and they stay in tight knit matrilineal groups. Orca family units are led by a matriarch and she will be instrumental in teaching specific behaviours to her offspring.

5. Orcas go through menopause!

Three species experience menopause. They are humans, short finned pilot whales and orcas. Orca females stop reproducing around 40 and can live to 90, whereas males tend to live around 50-60 years.

What reason do females orcas give up the critically important process of reproduction in middle age just like nearly every other animal in the kingdom?

Theory one “the granny effect”: It was said that its possible older females experience so that they are able to devote themselves to both the rearing of children and teaching the generations important life skills. This means that grandma orcas can still pass on their genes and genetic legacy as they are able to focus their attention on the survival of their families rather than on birthing more offspring.

Theory two (and said to be a more accurate hypothesis) Middle aged Orca Mums approaching menopause were observed. It became evident that mother whales suffer much higher costs when competing to reproduce with their offspring once they become young mothers. When older mothers did have offspring, the offspring were 1.7 times more likely to die than those of younger mum Orcas. It can now be assumed that older female Orcas at the age of around 40 experience menopause as they are in direct competition over resources with their own daughters!

6. Most males never leave their mothers

Using 36 years of data on Orcas in the Pacific Northwest, the researchers found that for males over 3, the death of a mother meant an eightfold increase in the likelihood of death within a year. Orcas stick with their mothers their entire lives. Dr. Foster suspects that mothers help sons with foraging or offer protection in encounters with other males. Among female orcas over 30, there was only about a threefold increase in the likelihood of death in the year after a mother’s death. “It makes more sense for the mothers to invest more in their sons, because there is no increased burden on the family group,” Dr. Foster said. “Children of sons move on to new family groups.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/science/orca-mothers-coddle-adult-sons-study-finds.html

7. Orcas have the 2nd heaviest brain among marine mammals

Orca’s brains come in a close second to the brain of a sperm whale. Weighing on average 7.8kg, they have amazing well wired and complex brains. The size of their brain has evolved so that they can navigate the underwater world they live in by using sound and also be able to successfully communicate with each other.

8. Female Orcas gives birth to 1 calf every five years, and averages 5 calves a lifetime

Female Orcas have a gestation period of between 15 and 18 months and give birth every three to ten years. Most calves are born in winter and nurse for up to two years. Calves are born with a floppy dorsal fin and tail and are black and peachy-orange in colour, they're not born black and white. As they gradually grow adding more blubber to their bodies, their colour changes to the distinct black and white that we associate orcas with. Newborn calves weigh 136 to 181 kg and can weigh up to half a tonne and reach over 3m at 6months of age.

9. Orcas cannot smell

It’s believed that Orcas are unable to smell due to the fact they don’t have smelling organs or a lobe of the brain that is dedicated to smell. They spend so much time underwater that they have very little use for this sense. They do however have excellent hearing and excellent sight.

Orcas are able to use their excellent sense of hearing to practice echolocation. They use echolocation to distinguish where objects and animals are in relation to them. For example, echolocation is used to help orcas locate prey when hunting and also to navigate their way around in the dark or murky waters. Orcas produce sounds like squeals and clicks and then listen to the echoes.

10. They can sleep with one eye open

Orcas don’t really ever sleep -well not like humans do anyway. Orcas sleep or rest while still keeping an awareness of what is around them. If the left eye is closed, their right brain will remain active and vice versa. All dolphins will have this ability as they need to go to the surface continually to breathe, they also need to be somewhat aware should any predators be near and so they sleep using only half of their brain.

If you would like to know more about the life of Orcas, or even have the opportunity to snorkel with these beautiful mammals in Norway please get in contact with us!

www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

Top 4 threats to Whales

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 05:26:35 GMT

Plastic, Noise, Climate and Over Fishing

1. Plastic Ocean

Globally over 100,000 whales, dolphins, seals, porpoises and Sirenia die annually as a result of plastic in our oceans. Whales and dolphins can easily ingest plastic. This can be directly through mistaken identity for prey or through the prey that they eat who have ingested the plastic previously. A sperm whale was stranded in Indonesia and its necropsy revealed that it had ingested over 13 pounds of plastic, including bags and thongs.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/11/dead-sperm-whale-filled-with-plastic-trash-indonesia/

Over 60% of beached whales found been found to have both plastics and micro-plastics inside them meaning over half of the population is at risk form plastic pollutants. The ingested plastic causes major problems, disrupting their reproductive and developmental processes. This also making them unable to fight off diseases and illnesses. The toxins absorbed are almost impossible for the animal to metabolise.

Micro plastics (pieces smaller than 5mm) have also become a major threat to marine life particularly the baleen whales who take huge gulps of seawater during filter feeding.

Items found to be the most deadly to marine life include:

Plastic bags
Balloons
Ropes
Rubber
Fishing debris

Small things we can all do to help:

Avoid single use plastics where possible
Regular beach clean ups in your community
Education
Reuse, recycle and Reduce the use of chemicals and products containing micro-beads.

2. Noise

Ocean noise can include ship traffic, sonar and now seismic testing (air gun blasts for gas and oil exploration). These noises can disrupt whales migration, breeding, communication and navigation. They can also be very physically harmful to whales impairing their hearing, brain haemorrhaging and the drowning out of communication sounds important for survival. In some circumstances ocean noise can result in death.

Seismic Testing involves blasting the seafloor with high-powered airguns every 10 seconds and measuring the echoes with long tubes to map offshore oil and gas reserves. These blasts disturb, injure and kill marine wildlife around the clock for years on end. The deafening sound is between 200 and 240 decibels and can travel for around 3000km at a low frequency affecting mostly the larger species of marine mammals such as the great whales because of the lower frequency.

Shipping Noise happens with increased shipping. Increased ocean noise presents obstacles for whales on migrations and within feeding grounds. Whales rely on their hearing and sonar to find and hunt food. Sound travels more than 4 times faster in water than in air. Ships produce noise at approximately 175 decibels and this noise often overlaps with the whales frequencies which in turn greatly affects their ability to navigate, reproduce and feed. Whales also experience high levels of stress which can be detrimental in many ways.

Sonar: low-rolling sound waves topping out at around 235 decibels; the world’s loudest rock bands top out at only 130. These sound waves can travel for hundreds of miles under water and can retain an intensity of 140 decibels as far as 300 miles from their source.

Submarine sonar exercises have been linked to several high-profile mass strandings. There have been at least 12 beaked whale mass stranding events (involving two or more individuals) that coincided with naval exercises. Research has shown that Beaked whales cease vocalising and foraging for food in the area where mid frequency sonar is being used. Beaked whales are deep diving animals who dive to the bottom of the ocean to feed. Sadly when exposed to sonar the beaked whale becomes stressed and tries to swim away from the sound too quickly towards the surface causing the whale to effectively have ‘the bends’ otherwise known as decompression sickness. The bends occurs when nitrogen bubbles get into the bloodstream often causing haemorrhaging and damage to vital organs.

3. Climate Change

According to the WDC Climate change is one of the biggest threats whales face today. As climate is changing so fast right now, dolphins and whales may not have time to adapt. Some of the many dangers include loss of polar habitat, increase in sea temperatures, rise in sea level, acidification and decline of food sources.

The rapid warming of the planet is leading to a loss of habitat for whales and dolphins and greater competition for a diminishing amount of prey species. It is affecting the timing and ranges of their migration, their distribution and even their ability to reproduce.

Climate change is a fundamental threat to whales, dolphins and porpoises. Unless radical actions are taken, some whale and dolphin populations may not be able to adapt quickly enough to survive. For example, the northern Indian Ocean is fringed by land, limiting the ability of species to move northwards into cooler habitat as waters become warmer.

https://au.whales.org/our-4-goals/create-healthy-seas/climate-change/

Some small changes we as humans can do to help slow climate change include:

Avoid using single use plastics where possible
Switch to low energy light bulbs and use renewable energy in your home if you can
Shrink your carbon profile – by purchasing carbon offsets
Try to decrease the amount of times you use a car, bus, train, plane

4. Over Fishing

Over Fishing is when vessels catch fish faster than stocks can replenish. This poses a huge threat to whales and dolphins who rely on the fish populations and particularly the whales and dolphins who can only eat one or two particular species of over fished fish. For example the Salish Sea orcas who are critically endangered mostly eat one species of salmon – chinook salmon which can be found in the ‘Salish Sea.”

These Orca have a unique connection with chinook. More than 80 percent of their diet is chinook salmon — the population eats more than 1,400 a day. Due to over fishing in the area, the Orca numbers have dwindled to critically low numbers. Only 75 Southern Resident Orcas remain in the Salish Sea as they are slowly starving to death and on a collision course with extinction due to the over fishing of Salmon in these waters.

Overfishing is also closely tied to bycatch, which is the capture of unwanted sea life while fishing for a different species. This too, is a serious marine threat that causes the needless loss of billions of fish, along with hundreds of thousands of sea turtles and cetaceans.

How can we help? By focusing on sustainable practices that not only conserve ecosystems, but also sustain livelihoods and ensure food security.

https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/overfishing

French Fire Cracker Laura Jourdan

Fri, 07 May 2021 02:25:31 GMT

The Good the Bad and the Insane...

Today we will be interviewing the very ambitious, adventurous and talented Laura Jourdan. Growing up in France, Laura always dreamed of beautiful, snow filled mountains and chilly climates. S he spent her days day dreaming about the many animal filled adventures that she would one day have! And now after chasing her dreams and never giving up, Laura is living the life many of us only dream of. Travelling to far away arctic destinations and becoming a tour guide in the polar regions, she immerses herself in the many wildlife wonders that the arctic offers and has never once looked back! Even the halt of international travel due to covid has not stopped her adventurous spirit as she has found a new direction - training to become an astronaut! We are so impressed Laura!

We love this little french fire cracker and we know you will too.......enjoy!

What inspired you to do what you do?

As a child my imaginary world was turned towards nature and adventure, spending my time healing the trees or exploring forbidden corners at the playground or reading adventure and animal photography books at home. My love for nature made me study biology but being stuck in a laboratory or a classroom between four walls was not really my cup of tea. I caught the Arctic bug when I travelled to Svalbard in 2016 and did not stop exploring the polar regions since then, falling each time more in love with the ocean, the sea ice, the icebergs and the animals that inhabit these remote regions. That is how I ended up being a polar guide on expedition ships, an achievement that I am very proud of.

What is your must pack item/s when travelling?

My camera, my binoculars (otherwise there is no animal to photograph) and A LOT of wool. Wool socks, wool gloves, wool shoes, wool underwear… When you spend your entire days with your feet in the snow, wool quickly becomes your best friend!

With all your travelling, how do you contribute to protecting the environment /flora and fauna?

I try to share my passion for the polar regions with my passengers as much as I can, by explaining them how the ice is formed, how the animals live, why do they migrate, what do they eat, how do they hunt, what is their life cycle… so that they become aware of how sensitive they are to the disturbances caused by human beings (fishing, hunting, pollution, climate change, etc.) I try not to push because people are on holiday so my main aim is that they have a good time, but I hope that my explanations make them better understand the world that surrounds them and make them want to take care of it and maybe even to become ambassadors of its protection :)

What’s next in store for you?

Haha that is a big (and uncertain) question! The covid crisis has got me stuck at home for more than a year now. In the first months I was looking back at my photos and living again my memories, thinking that I was so lucky to have done all I have already done in my life, but one year is long and being stuck between four walls is still not my cup of tea. Last February, I heard that the European Space Agency is currently recruiting its next generation of astronauts and the kind of profile they are looking for looks similar to mine, so I put myself into the challenge to apply! The only problem is that there is no animal in space… maybe I should start a farm on the International Space Station!

OK, now it’s time for the good the bad and the insane question:

What is one of your Good experiences you can share with us?

Here I have to talk about this amazing opportunity I had to get into the water with the orcas in Norway! I was working as a whale safari guide on board a boat which was bringing tourists from all over the world to a very special fjord area where orcas and humpback whales come in the winter to feed on herring. Watching the feast every day from the deck made me want to see them closer. I am grateful that Carmen and Sarah offered me the opportunity to jump into the water! It was my first time immersed with such big animals in their environment and the experience was amazing. For sure it left a memory that hasn't left me since then. From that day on, I saved money to buy an underwater housing and the two next winters I went back into the water again to photograph these beautiful animals under the surface.

Thanks for the plug Laura! What is one of your Bad experiences you can share with us?

One day at work on Svalbard, I was on polar bear duty and of course that day we had to land on a site with a lot of fog and a lot of hills behind which polar bears could hide. My expedition leader asked my colleague and I to scout in two different directions because the site was quite wide and I quickly ended up on my own, feeling like I could be an ideal food for predators. While I was carefully moving forward, my bag on the ground and my rifle on the shoulder, I heard on the radio “Polar bear in the area, please retreat to the landing site”. First I thought that it was a joke but the message was repeated several times. My blood froze and I understood that I had put myself in a very sticky situation. No one could hear me on the radio because I was behind a hill and I prayed for my team not to forget me here. I walked back to the landing site completely terrified about the idea that a bear could appear from anywhere and take me as a dinner target but I finally reached the edge of the water safely, just on time before the last zodiac left the beach. That was a frightening experience and this polar bear came to visit me in several nightmares, but that day also taught me to always assess the conditions myself before accepting any polar bear guard mission!

What is one of your most insane experiences you can share with us?

I think that calving icebergs and glaciers are always insane to watch. They are so gigantic and yet so fragile. I remember one day while we were coming back from a zodiac cruise, I had just disembarked my passengers on the main ship and I was waiting to recover my zodiac when a huge wall of ice fell from a glacier front into the water. We initially thought that this part of the glacier was inactive so we had parked the ship just in front of it to launch the operations so the wave and pieces of ice which came after the calving made the ship move quite a lot. It was definitely insane to watch! Oh and whales are insane too, of course. One can watch a whale a thousand times and still shout “Wooooow” when it pops up again.

And the final fun question (and don't be shy with this one):

What's your most disgusting habit ?

Haha, I would say all the things linked with peeing when you are a female diver using a dry suit ! Any technique is disgusting. From wearing baby diapers – the sexiest underwear ever; to using an external pipe and pee while standing like a man behind the boat - and wetting the rubber of the inflatable boat because you didn´t pee fast enough or wetting yourself because you didn´t place the pipe correctly; to using a “she-P” which consists in sticking a pipe directly on yourself with medical adhesive and keeping your butt cheeks stuck with the remaining medical adhesive several days after you removed the system. A whole mood!

And now I know what a She-Pee is! Thanks so much Laura, I cant wait to hear what's in store for you next in your non-terrestrial life.

The Good the Bad and the Insane

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 05:08:29 GMT

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Mads Odgaard

Today we will be interviewing the very charismatic, adventurous and ambitious Co Founder of King Fish- Mads Odgaard. Mads owns and operates the largest and most established dive/free dive /travel company in all of Scandinavia. Having lived all over the world and experienced many cultures such as New Zealand, India and Africa, Mads now resides in Denmark with his wife and two gorgeous little girls. His passion for dive and travel have taken him all over the world and with a big love for all large aquatic animals and underwater photography, Mad's role in the company is as Trip and Expedition Leader and the operator of Kingfish Orca Swim Live aboard. Majestic is lucky enough to partner with Mads and Kingfish with our Orca Swim and Northern Lights tours to Norway!

What inspired you to do what you do?

Right from early childhood I was always a massive fan of large aquatic animals. After my first dive certificate in 1998 and shark diving with large bull sharks in South Africa same year, the passion was unleashed. I quit engineering studies and never looked back.

What is your must pack item/s when travelling?

Mmm..difficult one if it’s besides a passport and credit card. When tropic, it’s a cap for my hairless head I think.. :) when arctic it’s got to be my arctic free dive suit.

With all your travelling how do you contribute to protecting the environment /flora and fauna?

I choose eco-conscious operators to visit. In my hometown of Copenhagen, two cargo bikes are our everyday means of transportation between kindergarten, work and home, averaging 20km/day with 2 kids in the front. As a company, I also donate to the worldwide nature conservation organisations Oceana and WWF.

What’s next in store for you?

I was meant to be in Brazil to dive with Anacondas in 2020 and working to reschedule that trip. Can hardly wait for the Orca season to start again in late October – it’s just my favourite! Until then, my plans are to be in South Africa for the Sardine Run and Galapagos for pregnant whale shark season.

Ok now it’s time for the good the bad and the insane question:

What is one of your Good experiences you can share with us?

One of my very best experiences was diving free with great whites. Something I had been wanting to do since my first cage dives in the 90’s. Planned the trip for several years before I could make it happen. When it finally did, I was lucky enough to swim eye to eye with a beautiful shark and there was a moment of pure magic that will always be special to me. Did you know great whites have beautiful blue eyes full of life?

What is one of your Bad experiences you can share with us?

Once in the Philippines I hit a crown of thorns and got around 35 poisonous spikes logged into my knee. It was really very painful and I couldn’t walk for around 6 weeks.

What is one of your most insane experiences you can share with us?

Back in 2007, I had a kiss from a large tiger shark on my thigh. It was on a shark dive where we had 7 tigers and many other large sharks around us, and one of the sharks snuck up on me from behind in midwater. I managed to push it away, so nothing serious really happened, but one tooth did go through my wetsuit and cut my thigh app. 10cm long and 3cm deep. Even though this sounds crazy to most people, I did not experience this as a shark attack but more like a man-shark encounter in the ocean. The whole thing just emphasised to me that sharks are very misunderstood animals and not the mindless killers they are still made out to be in the media.

And the final fun question (and don't be shy with this one):

What's your most disgusting habit?

I’m a sucker for raw herring which is a national dish.. especially taken with lots of schnapps ��

Mads in his younger years - Bull Shark Diving South Africa circa 1998

The Blue Whale

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 01:10:48 GMT

What is it about the blue whale that we find so very intriguing?

What is it about the blue whale that we find so very intriguing? Is it the fact that they are the largest animals ever known to have lived on earth? Even bigger than megalodon who scientists say grew to 60 feet long. Blue whales can grow up to 100 feet long – the length of a boeing 747! It could be that blue whales can weigh over 200 tonnes (which would equate to 30 elephants). Or could it be the fact that a blue whale’s tongue weighs 8000 pounds or the weight of two medium sized cars?

Their heart beat can be detected from 2 miles away and it weighs roughly 1300 pounds. You could fit 5 or 6 adults quite comfortably inside the space of the heart chambers. Blue whales’ arteries are so big in fact, that a full-size human could swim through them, or so it’s said.

For those who are intrigued by something a little on the gross side you, may like to know that a blue whale poos 200 litres a day. It is bright orange in colour ewwwww, which is thanks to their diet of krill and its consistency like bread crumbs. The smell? Well that’s said to be as stinky as a dogs poo!

The farts of a Blue Whale can smell really bad, this is due to the breakdown of their krill diet. When a whale farts under water the sound can be almost non-existent, making the flatulence ‘silent but deadly.’ In some cases bubbles can be seen rising to the surface some big enough to fit a large horse inside!

To go one step up from farts, i’m sure you are already aware that male blue whales have the biggest appendage in the world (both animal and human!) A blue whale’s willy is 12 inches in diameter and a whopping 10 feet in length! When retracted it curves up in an S shaped loop inside the body. By comparison, an adult African elephants’ appendage can grow up to 1.8m on average.

Blue whales are also some of the loudest animals ever to have lived. Up to 188 decibels which is louder than a jet plane. Luckily the human ear can’t pick up the sound underwater or our eardrums would be blown to smithereens.

You may ask the question, why are blue whales bigger than any other animal? There are a few answers to this but to simplify here’s a couple of key reasons. Back in the days of the ice age of uncertain climate and declining food supplies, the bigger the whale became, the more fat they could store. Their large bodies allowed them to migrate more efficiently to search for the best feeding grounds. A technique of lunge feeding and capturing their food source emerged allowing blue whales to gather enormous amounts of food, approximately 4 tonnes of krill each day. The blue whales have become specialised feeders transforming them to the largest animals ever to have lived.

Personally, I love the fact that whales are emotional and loving animals. In a new study of the brain, scientists have come across a cell that was originally thought to have only lived in humans and apes – the “Spindle Cell.” This cell allows humans to experience love and emotions. This discovery means not only that whales also have these distinguishing spindle cells but that whales were also the first to have them, well before the apes did. The large whales have been evolving these cells for over 30 million years which is twice as long as humans. Interestingly the cells were also found in the same area of the brain regulates emotional functions. These emotions include social organisation, empathy, speech and intuition… amazing!

In closing, there are many reasons why the majestic blue whale is one of the most intriguing animals ever known to man. I have named just a few cool points here and I’d love to hear your own thoughts on this topic. Please leave a comment below…nerdy, funny or gross!

Majestic Whale Encounters

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 03:34:39 GMT

Founded in 2013 by two sisters Carmen and Sarah...

Majestic Whale Encounters was founded in 2013 by two sisters Carmen and Sarah who have always had a passion for travel, the environment, the ocean and particularly the large marine life that lives within it. They turned that passion into their livelihood and are now Australia’s largest Whale Swimming Company. Taking guests to beautiful destinations around the world such as Tonga, Tahiti, Norway and The Bahamas for life changing experiences of swimming with humpback whales, dolphins and orcas. Swimming with whales can be a life changing experience for many people. The surreal feeling guests have when under water with these gentle ocean giants is something that can only be described as pure exhilaration and joy.

In small groups guests quietly enter the water with the whales from the boat and wait for the whales to come and interact, the whales can be extremely curious and cheeky. Majestic operate all their tours with total respect for the whales and all encounters are made on the whale’s terms. Over the years that Majestic have been operating, the whales have come to know them quite well and the interactions experienced are truly amazing and can also be quite humbling.

All tours are inclusive packaged tours, so that guests have a relaxing, stress free holiday from the moment they arrive in their selected country. Most tours have a maximum group size of 8-12 guests, plus a personal guide making each tour a great way to get up close and personal with the whales. It also means maximum interaction with minimal impact on the whales and the environment. This is also a fantastic way to meet like-minded travellers that become friends for life.

Priding themselves on a high level of customer service, the team at Majestic Whale Encounters are there every step of the way. From the moment of first contact, to during and even after the tour they are always there to offer their services.

Majestic Whale Encounters are also immensely proud to be able to use Majestic as a platform to be able to give back to the many countries that host them and their groups. They have developed a pay it forward initiative from reef rehabilitation and environmental education to donating directly to the villages in need.

Sarah and Carmen say the best part of their job is sharing these once in a life time moments with their guests. There is one guest that Carmen will never forget. “A few years back, I had an ex soldier on one of my tours. He was trying to cope with post traumatic stress from the many things he’d been through, and after swimming with the humpbacks in Tonga, he felt as though it was a really healing experience. So much so that when he got back home, he decided to change his career path and went into animal rescue. I will never forget him and the way this experience changed his life”

So, what does the future of Majestic look like? With the way that covid has changed the world, it is hard to know exactly what international travel will look like in the future or when all the borders will open up again. This has not stopped the girls from making plans though, and they have some extremely exciting tours up their sleeves! Antarctica is one of those tours, and there is already quite a big waiting list wanting to find out more. They also have their eyes set on Rwanda and South Africa for the near future. If you have ever wanted to do something you’ll never forget, get in contact with them today ��

Website : www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

Email: sarah@majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

Instagram: @majesticwhaleencounters

Facebook: Majestic Whale Encounters

Terrigal Ocean Tours

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 00:45:43 GMT

Meet our friends at Terrigal Ocean Tours

Meet our friends at Terrigal Ocean Tours, a highly regarded Whale Watching company operating on the NSW Central Coast. They provide a range of small group adventures in a high performance ecotour vessel. The boat is purpose built for whale watching, very capable on the ocean and not intimidating to the whales. This gives you the best opportunity for an amazing wildlife encounter, with a qualified Marine Biologist on board to provide facts and information. They are passionate about conservation; education and helping you connect with the marine environment. The whale season at Terrigal runs from May to October. They operate sea life tours in Broken Bay during summer.

Seeing a humpback whale up close and in the wild is possibly one of the most exhilarating wild-life encounters that you can experience in NSW. Now, Terrigal Ocean Tours have brought this experience to our doorstep. It is a new company that provides a range of tours along our stunning coastline.

Terrigal Ocean Tours owners, Sharyn and Andrew Jones, saw an opportunity and took the plunge commencing tours in January 2019. With whale numbers increasing and tourism growing, they decided to put their years of boating experience and marine knowledge to good use and have a whale watching vessel custom built. “Merrow” is a Rigid Hull Inflatable, which is very stable and comfortable, essentially it is a coast guard rescue boat fitted out for whale watching with all of the latest safety gear and technology.

Together, they have a fairly unique skill set with Sharyn being a High School teacher for 20 plus years, and Andrew with a background in conservation and marine science. Andrew is also a very experienced mariner having served as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy and sailing as an offshore yachtsman for several years.

One of the highlights for Sharyn and Andrew is introducing kids to an ocean experience. Often someone will come on board nervous and quiet, but by the end of the trip they are confidently gaining their sea legs and grinning from ear to ear. Sharyn attests this to Andrew’s regular ‘dad’ jokes.

Last year the Humpbacks put on a fantastic show. They are the most common whale on the East Coast with a population of approximately 35,000, and they migrate right past Terrigal. They are also the most acrobatic. Amazing displays of breaching and tail slapping have been enjoyed by many on the tours. The competitive male groups are an incredible sight, with pods of up to 7 big males, charging along, jostling to be the dominant male. In May, the whales start heading north to the warmer waters of Queensland for breeding and these big guys try to out-compete each other with their displays of breaching and tail slapping.

During September and October, it is a magical time to sight the mothers and their new calves on their return journey south. They often pull in to the Central Coast’s protected bays to rest and feed up for the long trip back to the southern ocean. Surprisingly, last year Terrigal Ocean Tours also saw five newborn calves on their way north. Traditionally, the humpbacks give birth to their calves in the warmer waters around the Great Barrier Reef. Recent research is showing calving to be increasingly common around the Gold Coast. This year Sharyn and Andrew will be looking to validate the new born calf sightings. It is possible that the Central Coast is more im-portant for whale habitat and conservation than previously thought.

One of our key aims is to support local marine conservation and education. Terrigal Ocean Tours are establishing research links with the University of Newcastle Marine Science section and local marine conservation groups, like Central Coast Dolphin Project. They also participate in the “Happy Whale” international research program which identifies and tracks individual whales from photographs of their tail fluke. Sharyn and Andrew were very excited to learn they had taken a photograph of a whale that was last spotted 10 years ago in Queensland. This database gives scientists and researchers a much better understanding of whale biology and their migration patterns.

Terrigal Ocean Tours also runs tours out of Hardy’s Bay, across Broken Bay to Pittwater, West Head and around behind Lion Island. Guests on the tour are always excited to see the colony of Long Nosed Fur Seals are establishing in Broken Bay. The seals were pretty much hunted out of the area back in the 1950’s. Up to 20 seals have been seen which are thought to be a bachelor colony. Sharyn and Andrew are developing a photo catalogue to estimate numbers and identify individuals. If the males establish a safe anchor point, it is expected the females may return and hopefully breed seal pups for future tours to encounter.

Everyone loves dolphins. These gorgeous sea mammals often follow the tour boat and ride the bow wake putting on a playful show, jumping and darting all around the boat. Equally as playful, but not so well known, are the False Killer Whales encountered on some of the tours.

Not to forget the twitchers (bird watchers). There is an abundance of bird life on the ocean dur-ing the months of whale migration. Just to mention a few species who also travel thousands of kilometres; Fluttering Shearwaters, Black Bowed Albatross’ and Australian Gannets. The huge flocks of Shearwaters diving deep into the ocean needs to be seen to be believed.

As we pull out of Terrigal Haven, it is always breathtaking to see the stunning view of the coast-line with its sheer cliffs and white sandy beaches. Highlights include Terrigal skillion, Cape Three Points, Bouddi National Park, Crackneck Lookout, and there is always time to respect Mother Nature when Andrew talks about Coastal Erosion.

Terrigal Ocean Tours take a maximum of 10 passengers which makes it an engaging small group experience with the marine life. Andrew is a qualified marine biologist who gives an informa-tive and interesting commentary and is happy to answer any questions.

For more information please email bookings@terrigaltours.com.au or see their website at www.terrigaltours.com.au

Live your dreams whatever they may be...

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 01:45:00 GMT

A moving, meaningful soulful experience that will last in your memory forever.

Ever since I can remember, I have always dreamt of being able to be in the water with whales. Any whale, dolphin, seal, dugong, manatee…. I wasn’t fussy. Just so long as I could swim with them and share their underwater world in my dreams, in fact still till this day it is a recurring dream that I have on a regular basis.

In my senior years of high school when the world wide web was created, it gave me a way of finding out if swimming with whales was actually something that was offered for people like me to do, so I put on the old dial up and searched. Eventually after hours of coming up with nothing on the search, I hit the jackpot and stumbled across one small company that was taking whale and ocean lovers like myself on tours to snorkel with humpback whales on an island called Vava’ U in Tonga. I was beside myself and thought someday, somehow I would join this company on one of their tours and finally realise my lifelong dream.

I didn't care how much time, effort and pestering it would take. Unfortunately there was one major obstacle holding me back, I was only in year 12 in high school and had not even a penny to my name, so I got to work and started annoying this company with weekly letters and monthly phone calls for no less than 13 years before they were sick of me. They eventually caved in and invited me over for a season to volunteer.

From the moment the small plane flew over the top of the pristine reefs of Vava’ U, I knew this was only the beginning for me and I'd be back here many more times. I almost immediately felt at home on this small island and I hadn't even reached the good part of meeting the whales yet.

I was to be a whale guide. The voluntary job entailed educating people about the South Pacific Humpback Whale which just happened to be my favourite subject and guiding people in the water snorkelling from the boat to the whale or whales. I was so ridiculously excited I could hardly contain myself. I had seen many whales from above the water but to be in the same space as them in the ocean.. was I finally about to live my dream?

No one EVER forgets their first encounter, the first time I was privileged to be in the water with my first whale it was with a resting female. As a group of four people, we all slid quietly into the water. The water in Tonga is tropical warm and is so crystal clear you immediately see the sandy bottom which on this swim was approximately 30m below. The whale is roughly 50m from the boat so we very quietly snorkel towards her. You can almost hear everyone's hearts beating with anticipation, the feelings are a mixture of exhilaration and anxiety as no one knows quite what to expect.

All of a sudden an image that looks to me like a jumbo jet lying still under the water comes into my vision. As we get near her, we all let out squeals of delight. It is such a surreal and overwhelming experience. Oddly, all anxiety simply disappears once the whale comes into our vision and a sense of calmness falls across the group. We are now approximately 10 meters from this incredible animal in the ocean, we can clearly see her smooth leathery skin and the barnacle nodules that cover parts of her body. There are also some large remora fish hovering underneath her 5 m pectoral fin. This whale looks to be very soulful, and I can see she is filled with wisdom and knowledge. She looks at all of us individually, we seem to be as intriguing to her as she is to us.

All of a sudden we notice a smaller grey body with eyes that are peering at us over the top of this whale. Unbeknownst to us, a calf that has been suckling underneath the mother has decided to make itself known. Humpback whale calves are the most curious of all the baleen whales. This beautiful little one must have been less than a month old and already the size of a small car! So young and yet so curious, the calf swims straight to us showing no fear or trepidation whatsoever. Swimming circles around us, diving up and down underneath and around us. Her mother calmly keeps a watchful eye but seems nonplussed and doesn’t seem to feel threatened in any way. The calf thinks of us as a new game- hide and seek with the humans. Sometimes she dives down underneath her mother and then pops up on the other side of her to take a peek. Other times she swims right up to us stopping only meters short to lie on her side showing off as she does her pec slaps her mother has no doubt been teaching her in the past few weeks.

We enjoy this moment for what feels like hours but is probably only around 30mins before we decide to let them be and continue with their nursing. The whales will be here for around another 40-50 days courting, mating, giving birth and teaching their young. On this first day we are lucky enough to have 3 amazing whale swimming experiences, a magical day that I will never forget a moment of.

My husband, Matt and I returned the season after. Matt is an avid surfer who loves all things ocean but wasn't too sure about snorkelling with something quite as powerful and impressive as a 40 tonne whale, however once he was in the water and had the chance to experience the majestic world of whales underwater his mind changed very quickly and it was nearly impossible to get him out. We were supposed to take it in turns to go on the boat with the guests each day but after a while it was me one day, Matt three days. He just didn't want to stop! He will now tell you that swimming with whales tops surfing, which is REALLY saying something!

We also had our two young children, aged 2 and 1 with us. Thankfully we got to stay in the village during our time there and were welcomed by the warm local people of Vava’u. Very quickly we fell in love with the people, the place and the whales.

Fast forward 6 years to 2013 (with the help of my sister and now business partner Sarah) we started running trips of our own to a beautiful group of Tongan islands we were lucky enough to discover called the Ha'apai group. Ha’apai is a smaller group of islands with less operators on the water, but still just as many whale encounters. We have found it to be the perfect place to take our guests for the past 6 years and hope to continue for many more to come.

The island has a lot of amazing Tongan culture and warm wonderful people. We host all of our small groups in the most incredible beachfront resorts with gorgeous beachfront bungalows. Our guests can literally sit at the resort and lazily watch the whales go by, making the experience even more special (if that is at all possible) .

Sarah and I started this business because we want everyone to experience what we have had the pleasure of experiencing each year. A moving, meaningful soulful experience that will last in your memory forever.

I hope you all go on to live your dreams whatever they may be.

The Good the Bad and the Insane

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 02:34:38 GMT

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Jemima Robinson

This months interview is with 'Ocean Warrior' Jemima Robinson...

What inspired you to do what you do?

As a kid growing up in North Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef I was under the impression that there was bustling marine life and huge colourful coral under the ocean’s surface everywhere around the world. It wasn’t until I started travelling that I truly realised that what we have in Australia is so special. Knowing this and then hearing that the Great Barrier Reef was at threat made me feel so sad and also powerless to change such a big issue.

So I decided to combine what I knew about film festivals and the power they have to educate and inspire positive change to create the Ocean Film Festival World Tour. It was important to me when creating the festival to not just to preach to the choir. I wanted to reach and engage those who aren’t already committed to protecting our ocean. Jacque Cousteau’s famous words “people will protect what they love. Yet we love only what we know” had a big impact on me. I wanted to use the Ocean Film Festival to help people fall in love with the ocean so they would want to protect it as much as I do. Once they are smitten, we then make it easy for them to take the next step by connecting them with a local ocean conservation organisation in the foyer at our screenings.

What is your must pack item/s when travelling?

Sunscreen – always sunscreen. Growing up in North Queensland my mother was constantly reminding me to wear sunscreen, even on a cloudy day. Her advice (and a few roastings) taught me to always have sunscreen handy. I’ve got it in every pack, handbag, car, bathroom. It goes everywhere with me and I am quite the sunscreen aficionado!!!

With all your travelling how do you contribute to protecting the environment /flora and fauna?

Travelling so much for work has helped me refine my plastic free travel kit. I’ve learned the hard way that coconut oil based toothpaste and deodorant does not travel well in hot climates. My top plastic free travel product tip is toothtablets. So small, no mess and you can pack only as many as you will need.

I also never take the meals on planes – those things are packed with SOOO much single use plastic (and not a lot of nutrients). I always take my own food and travel utensils on board, even for long haul flights. I always feel better at the end of the flight. If only airlines offered a NO MEAL option – something I’ve been emailing them about for years.

What’s next in store for you?

Lots of local adventures and exploring our beautiful backyard for the foreseeable future. Blueys Beach and camping at Treachery and a weekend at Norah Bay Lighthouse are booked in for Summer. When we can travel again top of my list are a visit to Christmas Island and Africa to see the gorillas in the wild. I’d also love to get to Tahiti….

Ok now it’s time for the good the bad and the insane question:

What is one of your Good experiences you can share with us?

So many that it is hard to choose.

Definitely swimming with the Humpback Whales in Tonga!!! Being in the water and witnessing the interaction between mother and calf was mind blowing. I was there with my then 8 year old son and the whales seemed to be fascinated with him and were always more interactive when he was in the water. One calf came up so close to him and seemed to look him directly in the eye. The feeling of excitement and exhilaration stayed with us all long after getting out of the water.

Along the same lines was swimming with a massive pod of dolphins off the coast of Kangaroo Island earlier this year. They are so beautiful and inquisitive, and it was such an exhilarating experience. The day was topped off watching the same pod jump and play on the wake of our boat when we headed back to port.

Watching a Green Sea Turtle dig a whole, lay her eggs, cover them up and then head back to the ocean at dusk on Christmas Eve on a deserted beach in North Queensland. Such an incredibly special moment to witness.

What is one of your Bad experiences you can share with us?

I’ve been lucky and haven’t had too many bad experiences. The one that made my heart sink was jumping in the water on a reef trip in the Maldives only to discover that all the coral was bleached and dead. The close encounter with a Manta Ray soon lifted my spirits but it was definitely very confronting to see such an excessive level of coral bleaching in such a stunning location with my own eyes.

What is one of your most insane experiences you can share with us?

My sister convinced me to visit her on a Thai Island during the monsoon season. We spent a week in a thatched hut with no electricity playing Yahtzee while it poured rain nonstop. When it was time to leave the seas were wild, but the forecast was for the weather to get even worse, so we decided to take our chances and go. That 45 minute boat ride was the most terrifying time of my life. Waves were crashing in through the windows and 97% of the people onboard where throwing up into clear plastic bags, which they then had to hold onto while the boat lurched up and down like a bucking bronco. As you can imagine the smell was enough to make you want to throw up and the floor was awash with a mix of sea water and vomit. We were all very glad to get off that boat. I now read the fine print (and check the weather forecast) every time my sister invites me on a holiday :)

And the final fun question (and don't be shy with this one):

What's your most disgusting habit?

I’ve been known to use my teeth as nail clippers for extended periods of time ��

BUT only on my hands….

Fairytales, myths, legends and fantasy…The Three most Famous Mermaids in History

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 04:44:41 GMT

Sedna, Undines and Atargatis

If you’re anything like me and find the many myths and legends of mermaids to be most intriguing, then you may be interested in reading on to learn more about the three most famous Mermaids recorded in history.

You may choose to believe the legends told (and let’s face it who doesn’t love something magical to believe in) or you may simply enjoy reading the stories told about these mythical half human half fish creatures of the sea. Often known as “Merfolk”

The earliest representations and descriptions of these now well known creatures can be traced back as far as the eighth century BC.

We will focus on three of the most legendary mermaids told about throughout history:

Sedna, Undines and Atargatis

Sedna

There are a many different legends told about Sedna, we will look at just two of the most known throughout history:

The first and most known legend-

Sedna is a the daughter of the creator god Anguta and she is a giant with a great hunger, this hunger causes Sedna to attack her parents. Anguta decides to take his daughter out to sea in his kayak and throws her off the side. Sedna tries to cling to the kayak with her fingers and so Anguta chops off her fingers causing her to sink to the underworld where she becomes the ruler of the monsters residing down in the deep. Her giant fingers then become the seals the walruses and the whales which are hunted by the inuit

Another well known version of Sedna-

Tells the story of her marrying a dog as she is dissatisfied with any of the men her father chooses for her. Her father is so angry with her he throws her into the sea and chops off all of her fingers when she tries to clamber back into the boat. She becomes a sea goddess and her fingers all turn into seals. When she becomes angry the Shaman come to wash and comb her hair for her which then makes her happy, in turn she releases the animals to the hunters.

The many different legends all give varying rationales for Sednas’ death yet each version sees her father taking her to the sea, chopping off her fingers. In each version Sedna sinks to the bottom of the ocean and grows a fish tail. She is then worshipped by hunters who consider Sedna a vengeful goddess of the sea. They must placate, pray or sing to her to release the sea animals from the ocean depths for their hunt and to keep their families fed.

Undines

The story of Undines was a big influence and the main inspiration of Hans Christian Andersen when he wrote the very beautiful ‘Little Mermaid’

In the romantic novel of Friedrich De La Motte Fouqué, which was written in 1811…The story of Udine is set in a forest in Austria where an old fisherman lives with his wife and their foster daughter ‘Undine.’ They adopt Undine who unbeknownst to them is a water fairy (Nymph) after their daughter is lost to them. Innocent and wild Undine becomes a beloved daughter, she has a ‘spirit’ but not really a ‘human soul’. The woods are said to be haunted by spirits who are enemies of mortals that live outside the forest.

A knight called Sir Huldbrand of Ringstetten is riding through the woods when a storm arrives. As he rides through the forest to escape the storm he is tormented by the spirits. Terrified he rides on and stumbles across the fisherman’s cottage. The fisherman gives him shelter, food and protection from the spirits.

It is here he meets the beautiful Undine who he is quickly mesmerised with. Undine asks the knight about his adventures in his forest however her father forbids the stories be told as he believes it unwise to talk about spirits at night. Undine rebellious, untamed and unhappy with her father’s reprimand disappears into the forest. The storm begins to get worse and the fisherman and knight go in search for Undine. Sir Huldbrand finds her hiding safely in the forest, as he returns with her to the cottage he tells her of his adventures with the spirits in the woods.

The storm is raging by the time they reach the cottage all inside are then cut off by the floods. Sir Hulbrand then tells how he came to be in the forest. He had fallen in love with a woman called Bertalda who had insisted that the knight prove his love to her by riding through the haunted woods. During this part of the story Undine became jealous and bit the knights hand. A few days later a priest who is lost in the storm on his small boat and takes refuge in the cottage marries Undine and the knight. The marriage changes Undine. She gains a ‘human soul’ and becomes affectionate, submissive and affectionate.

The floods dissipate and the newly weds move into Castle Ringstetten. Here Undine crosses paths with Bertalda and announces she has a surprise for her. The surprise is that Bertalda is the long lost daughter of the fisherman and his wife. Bertlada asks for proof and is identified by a birthmark on her body. Undine also tells her husband that she really is a water spirit and she can only live on earth until such time as he rejects her love. At which time Kuhleborn who rules the waters will call her back to her underwater home.

Bertalda’s foster parents decide they don’t want her anymore however Bertalda still doesn’t believe that her real parents are her true parents either and she doesn’t want to live with them, Undine pities Bertalda and asks her to join them living at the castle.

Undine, her husband and Bertalda decide to take a boat trip to the Danube Vienna. During their voyage, Kuhleborn (who rules the waters) becomes enraged and creates a huge swell with crashing waves making everyone scared and sick. Bertalda said to Sir Hulbrand “If you had married me, a true woman, you would not have all these problems. Even if my parents truly are that wretched old couple, at least I do not have demons for relatives.”

Sir Hulbrand went to Undines and asked, “Can you not stop this as you were once a water spirit?” Undine tried, she talked to Kuhleborn.” Can you not accept that I am human now? You must leave me and my husband in peace!” But this did not work to lessen Kuhleborns anger and she whipped at the boat turning it upside down. Sir Huldbrand called, “Oh, why did I not marry Bertilda when I had the chance?” This broke Undines heart in two and her body took on a semi-liquid form, half woman - half water, and she slipped over the side of the boat and into the swirling River Danube. Kuhleborn was now appeased and the ocean was calm once again. Bertalda and Sir Hulbrand returned to the castle and married. That night, a watery apparition slid out of the well, and ran up the stairs of the castle. It flowed under the door of the room where Huldbrand slept beside his wife. The drops of water reformed themselves in the shape of a beautiful young woman. She placed her lips on the cheek of the knight as he slept, and she kissed him. In that moment, he was dead.

Here ends her story.

Atargatis

Atargatis is said to be the mermaid who was the original inspiration for all mermaid stories. She was an Assyrian Goddess. She was said to be the goddess of the moon, fertility and water and was worshipped 3000-4000 years ago in ancient Assyria and later all over the Mediterranean.

Atargatis fell in love with a mortal shepherd whose name was Adad and they had a daughter together called Semiramis who later became the queen of Assyria. Atargatis caused the death of her husband by accident and so drowned herself in the lake due to the guilt. She was still beautiful in death and the waters transformed her into a woman with the tail of a fish, she had now become a mermaid.

Atargatis was worshipped in a temple built for her in Israel, it was said the temple was made out of gold and diamonds with a pool filled with living fish. Worshippers had to swim through the pool of fish to reach the alter. Both fish and doves were sacred to Atargatis. Doves symbolised love and fish were a symbol of fertility and bounty.

The story of Atargatis is said to be the first mermaid legend ever to be told. Water is the element of emotions. Atargatis transformed because of a broken heart. All mermaids contain the same elements Atargatis possessed. Healing powers of water, beauty that cannot be hidden and connections to the moon, waves and emotions. Atargatis is goddess of transformation who guides her followers to face their fears and their darkest selves so that they can love and appreciate all that they are.

Maybe you can gain some inspiration from one of the 3 most famous mermaids ~ face your fears and come to love and appreciate who you really are.

*Some parts of the myths above have been loosely referenced from the following sites...

https://www.fairychamber.com/blog/atargatis-the-first-mermaid.html

https://www.storynory.com/undine/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedna_(mythology)

The Good the Bad and the Insane

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 06:21:52 GMT

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Samantha Hillman

This months interview is with 'Ocean Warrior' Samantha Hillman...

What inspired you to do what you do?

I started off doing nippers and surfing from a very young age and my love of the ocean grew from there. Spending majority of my spare time as a kid in the water led me to being fortunate enough to see many different marine species. This made me passionate about the ocean and guided me into a career of marine wildlife, conservation, environmental protection and all things animals.

What is your must pack item/s when travelling?

All my holidays are based around the ocean and where I can see new species of marine and terrestrial wildlife that I haven't seen before. Swimmers, mask, fins and my camera are a must on every adventure I go on.

With all your travelling how do you contribute to protecting the environment /flora and fauna?

When I travel I like to use companies that have low carbon foot prints. A significant portion of my travels have been to assist rescue, rehabilitate and release of wildlife. Whilst the trips require some transport it is important to remember a few key essentials, my bamboo cutlery pack, my keep cup and my metal straw. These items seem small, but to cut out the use of single use plastics on every trip I do and they help maintain a positive note when travelling.

What’s next in store for you?

With the current climate with the virus it has really taught me you never know what's around the corner. My career has and will always be in the field of wildlife, conservation, environmental protection, all things animals.

Ok now it’s time for the good the bad and the insane question:

What is one of your Good experiences you can share with us?

One of my best experiences was when I was sent to Busan in South Korea to help set up a rescue, rehabilitation and release centre for the Narrow-ridged Finless porpoise. This work trip was a dream for me. The work is a major step forward for the species in Korean waters. The first porpoise I worked with was named Owal, she was successfully rehabilitated and released after being rescued from being caught in a fishing net. The work we put in for her had a major effect with me, enough so that I named one of my dogs after her.

What is one of your Bad experiences you can share with us?

I got called to a stranding of a single Risso's Dolphin, which is a highly social deep-sea marine mammal. This dolphin was in a bad way and unfortunately had to be euthanised by a vet. This dolphin had an autopsy and what was found was multiple bits of plastic stuck in it's digestive system. This whole situation really brought to life in me the effects plastic is having on our ocean and its inhabitants.

What is one of your most insane experiences you can share with us?

I was sent down the south coast of NSW to help rescue a lost Dugong in Merimbula Lake in 2016. An enormous effort was put in by a range of teams which led to the dugong being rescued from the cold lake and then travelled via a truck to the local airport where we loaded him up into a RAAF Hercules for a dedicated flight up to the Gold Coast. I helped rehabilitate him over a few weeks and then we released him successfully into Moreton Bay, where he was periodically tracked to ensure he was safe. It was an amazing experience to see the dugong survive such an enormous trip down south and all the way back up via the sky to return home. It was an insane experience for every person involved.

And the final fun question (and don't be shy with this one):

What's your most disgusting habit?

I wash my hair every 2-3 days but I actually haven't brushed my hair in over 10 years for some reason I don't get knots.

The Good the Bad and the Insane

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 04:49:42 GMT

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Aneesh Murray

This months interview is with 'Ocean Warrior' Aneesh Murray...

What inspired you to do what you do?

It sounds really cheesy but I genuinely think I was just born to love the ocean. I didn’t grow up by the sea and none of my family were interested in the water but ever since I can remember I was obsessed with the ocean and it’s inhabitants - dolphins in particular. Now, the nature itself inspires me to introduce people to the underwater world through diving and swimming with amazing creatures such as the whales. It’s hard not to care about what is happening when you see a mother humpback with her baby.

What is your must pack item/s when travelling?

Of course my dive gear but in particular my mask - the Cressi Eyes Evolution. It’s my all time favourite but for anyone who is going in the water I would recommend investing in a good mask. Also coconut oil for hair, skin, pretty much everything. Peppermint essential oil for headaches and cleaning sinuses, a life straw so you don’t have to use plastic bottles and of course my Majestic Whale Encounter jewellery. The whales love it.

With all your travelling how do you contribute to protecting the environment /flora and fauna?

This is a tricky one because of course the travel itself is not the best for the environment. I do try to choose flights/companies who are making efforts to reduce emissions. Although I travel a lot once I am in the country I tend to not move around domestically and walk/cycle whenever possible. I use biodegradable/ natural/ reusable products especially with toiletries and cosmetics and buy good quality items so they don’t need to be replaced as often. I think a big one, especially when in the ocean is suncream so I always choose reef safe - such as Sun Bear.

What’s next in store for you?

Hopefully lots but I am not quite sure when that will be! The ultimate dream would be to build and own a resort as it means I can dive and be in the water every day. That is still a way off so at the moment I’m trying to make sure people who may be considering a dive trip are well informed about the right way to do it. I hope the current global situation means that people will commit to a stronger focus on ethically and environmentally sustainable tourism and I fully intend to be an ambassador for that.

I am in the early stages of launching my own business, The Blue Planet Exploration, where I hope to organise diving excursions with a focus on working with ethically and environmentally conscious operators that aim to reinvest in local communities and also with the intention of imparting my knowledge on people looking for that experience and not just a holiday.

Ok now it’s time for the good the bad and the insane question:

What is one of your Good experiences you can share with us?

I’d say 99% of my experiences are good but one of my most special interactions happened last year with a pod of False Killer Whales in Tonga. We were already having an epic day on the water with a pretty much perfect swim in the morning and an incredible interaction from the boat afterwards but as we were about to start unpacking the lunch we spotted some fins in the break wave and went over to check it out. It turned out to be False Killer Whales. We weren’t sure how they would react to us in the water but it couldn’t of been more amazing. They swam very close, then would dart away then come back and swim alongside us again. The ultimate moment was when one caught a fish, then sharing it between themselves and passed it towards us. That has been one of my most special experiences to date.

What is one of your Bad experiences you can share with us?

I actually haven’t had too many but one time I was involved in a boat crash. Everyone was still strapped into their equipment and sitting with their tanks in the holders which I think was our saving grace. Our small speed boat went into the side of a steel hull yacht. The yacht’s inflatable dingy cushioned the impact and no one was hurt which was extremely lucky. It made me realise how lucky I am to have the life I do and always be grateful as anything could happen.

What is one of your most insane experiences you can share with us?

This was insane in a good and a (mostly) bad way. We were out doing a whale swim, weather wasn’t great it was very misty and windy but the swell was down so we decided to go. We found some very interactive adult whales who were keen to hang around so were enjoying our encounter. One of the guests was tired so I waved for the boat to pick us up. I quickly realised due to the lack of response that something must be wrong so had to swim my guests back to the boat. The whales too had gone off but I could see them in the distance slowly swimming back towards us. That was when I realised Grant was in the water towing the boat by the drift line towards us and the whales were swimming alongside him. Whether it was out of curiosity or a show of support they stayed next to him the whole time and hung around the boat while we drifted, the engine unable to start. We drifted for about 5 hours before help came and it taught me to always take extra snacks.

And the final fun question (and don't be shy with this one):

What's your most disgusting habit?

It’s definitely a common one but peeing in my wetsuit! The minute I even step foot on the boat I need to pee which is why I wear a shortie when possible! So if you are ever swimming behind me watch out!

Will Dolphins ever rule the world?

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 23:24:02 GMT

Dolphins could've become the planet's dominant species if they had hands.

Dolphins could've become the planet's dominant species if they had hands. A new study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution which suggests that dolphins share almost every trait necessary to rule the planet with humans……

Dolphins are highly sociable, sentinel, intelligent beings.
Like humans they have complex relationships,
They help raise children that aren’t their own
Dolphins even take care of their elderly.
They have vocalisations that include regional dialects
They can recognise each other by names
They have complex hierarchies
They form complex relationships
Work together to solve problems
They also share similar brain evolution to humans

“But” says evolutionary biologist Susanne Shultz “We're safe for now, because dolphins don't have hands.” Shultz says the mammals can't create their own cities or technologies because they didn't evolve opposable thumbs.

Schulz is an author on a study finding that dolphins’ social behaviour is basically an aquatic version of human society.

For the study, researchers set out to explore the relationship between social behaviours and brain size in cetaceans, a group that includes dolphins, whales and porpoises. The study found that an interesting process, known as encephalization, is known to have occurred in humans also occurs in Dolphins. Dolphins brains have grown larger over thousands of years in order to accommodate the increasingly complex demands of their societies… as have human brains!

“That means the apparent co-evolution of brains, social structure, and behavioural richness of marine mammals provides a unique and striking parallel to the large brains and hyper-sociality of humans and other primates on land." Shultz says in a statement.

These findings show that dolphins and other cetaceans, despite having different brain structures from humans, may have similar cognitive and social skills, said Kieran Fox, a neuroscientist at Stanford University.

You can read more on the study and report here :

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-017-0336-y.epdf?author_access_token=29uVi6Jv1aHXsBG8kOoFcNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0PFPg957vWsl-Wgc3ox--Og9ez9uTGF0vs0vYUklYC1EQ4sOQgn1r__4O4A2F90uSIODylUPU8RgDvj7kwDHlbOoH80cNdNuv39sPOyf3Edlw%3D%3D

So is it true? If dolphins had hands would they have the ability to rule the world, or are they too happy in their underwater wonderland playing, eating and having wild dolphin sex to be worried about such things as world domination!

Narwhals – Myths, legends and facts

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 05:36:06 GMT

Monodon Monoceros, which means “One-Toothed Unicorn”

If you are anything like me and find yourself intrigued with the unicorns of the sea, “The Narwhal” then you will want to read on to find out some more interesting facts.

Often dubbed the Unicorns of the Sea, narwhals are intriguing creatures with large tusks that protrude from the top of their heads. The spiralled tusk can grow as long as 10 feet. They weigh up to 1.5 tonnes and can grow up to 18feet long. It is estimated there are around 170,000 Narwhals worldwide, putting them in the near threatened category and they are found in the Arctic Sea and can live up to approximately 50 years. Their meals mostly consist of arctic cod and greenland halibut. Other fish such as polar cod, cuttlefish, shrimp and armhook squid make up the rest of their diet. Each year, they migrate from bays into the ocean as summer comes. In the winter, the male narwhals occasionally dive up to 1,500 m (4,920 ft) in depth, with dives lasting up to 25 minutes. Narwhals, like most toothed whales, communicate with "clicks", "whistles", and "knocks".

The Narwhals Tusk once sold as a “unicorn horn” for exorbitant amounts of money is actually a tooth that has grown through the top of the skull. This is mainly a male feature although has been seen in some females. There are also some “double tuskers” where the males will have two tusks instead of the one, for reasons still unknown. The only teeth Narwhals have are their tusks, inside their mouths they have no teeth at all! The tusk has sensory nerve endings, it is soft on the outside, and gradually gets hard and dense on the inside and has the ability to sense changes in the salinity of the water.

So what is the tusk used for?

All sorts of ideas have come forward for the purpose of a Narwhals tusk. It could be used as a temperature regulator, a breathing organ, it may be used to detect sound like an acoustic probe. It could also be used as a weapon in battles, or to fend off predators. Other ideas are a digging, ice breaking tool or a way to attract females.. the bigger and more impressive the tusk the more attractive they might be to the opposite sex?

Not a lot of study has been done on Narwhals due to their elusive and shy nature. Cartoons sometimes suggest that narwhals are fierce creatures, perhaps duelling with their tusks. However this is not what’s been observed in a recent study led by a team that included marine and developmental biologists, comparative zoologists, dentists, and orthopedic surgeons in 2014. It was perhaps the most detailed and high-tech analysis of the tusk ever attempted and concluded that the tusk is a highly sensitive organ. On encounters with the Narwhals they were described as beautiful and quite graceful.

“Narwhals were also seen to be shy and skittish. Which is not particularly surprising, as humans have hunted them for centuries. Today, the inuit hunt them under carefully-managed quotas, a practice that "is important culturally and from a dietary perspective," says Westdal – a biologist specialising in Arctic Marine Mammals.

The hunting is not a threat to the species, but noise might be. As the arctic sea ice retreats due to global warming, ever more shipping is passing through the arctic, and that means it is getting noisier. That could be a problem for narwhals, being whales, they communicate using sound: specifically, buzzy clicks, squeaks like a creaking door and strange whistles. They also use sonar to navigate. It is possible that all the extra noise will force them out of important habitats. Alternatively, they might shrug it off. "We don't know the answers to this at all," says Westdal. Preferring not to wait, conservationists are already trying to protect critical areas like Lancaster Sound, which most of the world's narwhals pass through every year.

lesley evans ogden bbc.com/earth/story

Here are some truths about Narwhals :

The common name narwhal literally means “corpse whale,” in reference to its pale body colour, which shades from a light grey on the lower flanks and underside to a dark and dappled grey on its back.

The narwhal is most closely related to the Beluga Whale. Together, these two species comprise the only extant members of the family Monodontidae, sometimes referred to as the "white whales".

Even though the Narwhal is closely related to the Beluga there is some evidence that they may, very rarely, interbreed to create a narwhal-beluga hybrid.

At times, a bull narwhal may rub its tusk with another bull, a display known as "tusking” to maintain social dominance hierarchies
Narwhals belong to the group of animals known as toothed whales (even though they don’t have any teeth in their mouth! Only their tusk).

Narwhals can dive up to 1500m and stay under water for at least 25mins per dive. They may dive up to 15 times a day at a depth of at least 800m.

Narwhals are affected and threatened by climate change.

Narwhals are affected by noise pollution which is highly disturbing to their communications.

Narwhals can be lethally entrapped by rapidly forming fast ice. About 1000 narwhals died in an ice entrapment in Canada in 2008 and about 100 in two entrapments in Northwest Greenland in 2009–10.

Narwhals can be threatened by seismic testing and more studies are urgently needed.

Inuit-indigenous people of the Arctic have long hunted Narwhals for food and for the ivory of their tusks.

Other causes of death, specifically among young whales, are starvation and predation by Orcas and Polar Bears.

Narwhal Legends

Narwhals have intrigued many explorers, sailors and scientists for many hundreds of years. They are mysterious elusive animals and have been the beginnings of legends about mythical unicorns of the arctic seas. A lot of people still don’t realise that Narwhals are a real living animal. This is due to the fact they are often spoken of as a mythical creature and so much is still unknown about them. Folklore surrounding the narwhal is rooted in cultural and natural history. For instance, among the Inuit in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the narwhal was once a woman with long hair that she had twisted and plaited to resemble a tusk. The woman is the blind boy’s stepmother. Though the woman herself has “plenty of meat, she kept the blind boy starving.” However, his kind sister “would sometimes hide a piece of meat under her sleeve, and give it to her brother when her mother was absent.”

The transformation of the woman to narwhal begins when a pod of white whales swims nearby. The mother intends to harvest the whales, but the son (who by this time has regained his sight) pretended to help his mother hold the line, but gradually he pushed her on to the edge of the floe, and the whale pulled her under water….. when the whale came up again, she lay on her back, she took her hair in her hands and twisted it into the form of a horn, she cried, ‘o stepson! why do you throw me into the water? Don’t you remember that I cleaned you when you were a child?’ She was transformed into a narwhal. Then the white whale and the narwhal swam away.

The Inuit people have always hunted the narwhal sustainably using every part of the animal. Its meat, skin, blubber and ivory tusk for a variety of purposes. The myth of the narwhal explains why it is different from other whales in the arctic, and why the narwhal is so special to the Inuit people, as a former human being living in the arctic.

Some medieval Europeans believed narwhal tusks to be the horns from the legendary unicorn.[65][66] As these horns were considered to have magic powers, such as neutralising poison and curing melancholia, Vikings and other northern traders were able to sell them for many times their weight in gold.[67] The tusks were used to make cups that were thought to negate any poison that may have been slipped into the drink. A narwhal tusk exhibited at Warwick Castle is according to legend the rib of the mythical Dun Cow.[68] In 1555, Olaus Magnus published a drawing of a fish-like creature with a horn on its forehead, correctly identifying it as a "Narwal".[65]

During the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I received a carved and bejewelled narwhal tusk worth 10,000 pounds sterling—the 16th-century equivalent cost of a castle (approximately £1.5–2.5 million in 2007, using the retail price index[67])– Sir Humphrey Gilbert, who proposed the tusk was from a "sea-unicorn". The tusks were staples of the cabinet of curiosities.[65] European knowledge of the tusk's origin developed gradually during the Age of Exploration, as explorers and naturalists began to visit Arctic regions themselves.

The narwhal was one of two possible explanations of the giant sea phenomenon written by Jules Verne in his 1870 novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Verne thought that it would be unlikely that there was such a gigantic narwhal in existence. The size of the narwhal, or "unicorn of the sea", as found by Verne, would have been 18.3 m (60 ft). For the narwhal to have caused the phenomenon, Verne stated that its size and strength would have to increase by five or ten times.[

~Wikipedia

It is our hope that the numbers of these near threatened sea creatures will grow more in numbers and we can continue to learn more about the unicorn of the sea.

Myth busting swimming with orcas in Norway

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 22:49:56 GMT

I feel like I had been waiting for this moment all my life, and it did not disappoint.

Jumping into the ice cold water, adrenaline pumped through my body. Never have I felt so small… the breathtaking Fjords of Norway surrounded me as I bob up and down in the water. The pink and orange water coloured sky filled with soaring birds and as I plunged my head under the water, I saw them. The king of the ocean, the panda of the sea, a synchronised dance of the magnificent orcas had me hypnotised. I feel like I had been waiting for this moment all my life, and it did not disappoint.

Swimming with orcas in Norway is something that not a lot of people have on their bucket list. Firstly, not a lot of people are aware that this type of adventure exists, but there are other reasons why some think it’s not for them, and today I’m here to change your mind.

Reason number 1… “Are you crazy? I am not getting in the water with a predator that eats seals…

when I wear my cosy wetsuit, I tend to look a lot like a juicy seal!”

Ah yes so this is the most common misunderstanding (and totally understandably too). When we watch animal documentaries, we are taught that orcas hunt and kill whales, seals and other creatures which is true, but did you know that there are different types of orcas? The ones that reside in Norway are called ‘residents’ which means that their diet does not consist of mammals but of herring. We would never claim that any ocean adventure is 100% safe, even when you go to your local beach you have to be aware of your surroundings and act with caution but rest assured that when you go swimming with orcas in Norway, you are not on the menu.

Reason number 2…. “This kind of adventure is only for dare devils”

Let me tell you that you can do this! You do not need to dive, you just need to be able to snorkel and have a decent fitness level. Just because you are an accountant from Michigan, an artist from Paris or a chiropractor from Sydney that does not mean that you cannot be an absolute boss and have an adventure that you will remember for your lifetime. If swimming with the orcas isn’t your thing, you can absolutely watch the show from the boat (and it is one hell of a show, even topside) and if that is not reason enough, let me just leave you with these words….. husky sledding, northern lights, hot tub, reindeer, snow, fjords, magical wonderland, epic guides, trip of a LIFETIME!

Reason number 3… “I care about the orcas well being and don’t want to harm them”

Guys!! … Us Too!! We are conservationists and absolute animal lovers. That’s why we got into this career in the first place. Animal safety is our top priority and we always adhere to guidelines in every place we visit and every whale we swim with. If given a choice of harassing an animal to get an encounter or missing out… we will always choose to miss out and try again next time. This is why we always have plenty of days out on the water to maximise chances and to be honest if this doesn’t sit well with you, it is probably the wrong tour for you. When you connect with an animal in its natural environment you hold that in your heart forever and chances are you will become like us and do everything in your power to try and protect them.

Reason number 4… “Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr”

Haha ok well this one is fair enough. Yes it is cold cold cold! But…. The boat is heated and when you are in the water you will be given a drysuit to wear which insulates the water coming in. Your hands and face tend to be the coldest but trust me it is honestly the last thing you are thinking about when you are in that water. Take it from me as someone who wears ten layers of clothes when the weather gets slightly chilly, please don’t make this the reason you don’t go to this truly magnificent piece of paradise. You just need to be prepared with the correct clothing, and whenever you are inside everywhere nice and warm.

Well there it is, all the myths busted about swimming with orcas in Norway. If you are up for the adventure of a lifetime in the most magical place on earth, click on this link for more info.

https://www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au/norway

A Three Day Hike in Thongs!

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:03:39 GMT

If an Aussie gal can’t hike 40km in flip flops then
she can’t consider herself to be a true Aussie.”

My friend Tiff thought it would be a great idea to go on a hike for her birthday. What better way to celebrate her 40th birthday than going on a super fun hike in the beautiful mystical Blue Mountains. No kids just two gals, a tent, some tunes and a bottle of vodka! You don’t need to ask me twice, I was all in. We found a hike that looked good……

“A challenging 46km, 3 day hike. An exhilarating adventure that will give your mind and body a hard yet exhilarating workout. The dynamic Six Foot track packs it all into a three-day hike for enthusiastic bushwalkers. Winding through state forests and Blue Mountains National Park, this historic track takes in heritage sites, heath, woodlands, and rainforest, with several opportunities for excellent overnight camping.”

Wow, sounded amazing and just what we were after. 3 days seemed a little excessive, surely we could condense this into two days. We walk all the time along the beach and run after the kids at home. That keeps us fit… fit enough for a walk through the Blue Mountains so two days it is. We had no hiking gear what so ever, so I rushed out to Anaconda that night to grab some hiking boots, drink bottles and a backpack. Tiff shot over to Kmart our favourite place, to shop for the smallest cheapest pink tent we could find and a yoga matt each to sleep on.

Up at 4am the next day we jumped in the car and were off on our girls adventure into the wilderness. We arrived at 5am to Leura Police station as our husbands (who thought turning 40 may have turned us a little mad) made us promise we would notify police we were going into the National Park and grab a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). We informed the skeptical Police woman at the front desk that we were doing the 6 foot track and that we would be returning in 2 days.

“Oh” she said looking us up and down and seeming surprised “you know the 6 foot track is done in 3 days, not two right?”

“Oh yep” we replied with a confident nod. “We figured we’d do it in two days, three just seems too long for only 46kms. It will be fine, we’re fit, we’re mums! “

“Suit yourself” she replied as she handed us our PLB. “As long as you’re aware that the 46km is almost all up hill? “

“Of course, we have done our homework” I retorted as I looked at my friend with one eyebrow raised.

We parked the car at the start as I tied up my sparkly brand new hiking boots. I was very happy with my purchase, they were half price and seemed to fit me perfectly, Winning! I figured I’d pack an old pair of thongs too incase of any swimming we wanted to do along the way in one of the many rocky creeks. Our backpacks were a little heavier than we had anticipated for only one nights camping but we figured it’s better to pack more rather than less – and anyway the bottle of vodka would weigh nothing by tomorrow, this would help lighten the load.

So off we went on our adventure, to celebrate freedom for a night and turning another year older. We were surprised to find that the track was downhill, I’m not sure what that police woman was on about, obviously she had never done the track herself.

3km down and only 43 to go we were doing well. Sure our bags were heavy and my boots were becoming a little tight around the ankles but they will soften, they were new and were breaking themselves in. I considered myself a backyard hike expert and this was something I had foreseen…..as I went further into the hike they would stretch and become comfortable right? I think you can probably see where this is going.

Ahead there was a creek and of course we decided to walk through it and some water leaked into my ‘Waterproof’ boots. “I’m sure it will dry quickly” I thought.

A little further on and I ask if we can sit for a bit, I just need to put a second pair of socks on. There was a small red rub mark on my ankle. “I’ll pop one of the bandaids on that our husbands insisted on us bringing…..hmm no maybe three or four for extra cushioning.

A few more steps “Oh ouch..holy crap that’s stinging, each step is like my ankles have been bitten by fire ants.” I thought. I pull the wet boots off and the bandaids fall off to reveal a big chunk of skin missing on both ankles, red raw. Tiff suggests taking the boots off before they become even worse (if that’s even possible). “Maybe we should call it a day” She said with despair. “you can’t go on with those blisters and new unbroken boots!“

“Pffft, there is no way we’re going home, no we’ll continue and we’ll enjoy ourselves damn it.” I huffed. “Good thing I still have a pair of thongs” I hold up my thin worn through Havianas. “If an Aussie gal can’t hike 40km in flip flops then she can’t consider herself a true Aussie.”

So I tie the hiking boots to my back pack increasing the weight a little more but feel relieved to be putting on my trusty old thongs and continue on our merry way up the steep winding mountain trail. 5 hours of continuous uphill hiking and climbing through rugged mountain rocks and ravines, trudging through gullies and rapid water creek crossings, our back packs feeling like a bag of bricks and we finally rock up at a campsite. “Yes! We made it” I scream running to the beautiful soft patch of green grass by the most inviting pebbly creek. I throw off my heavy bags, strip down to my underwear and jump in to cool down. What an accomplishment, we did it, we survived the first day hiking and survived it in thongs. Who said we can’t do this in 2 days? I lay on my back floating down stream as I dream of what a wonderful night’s sleep we will have tonight as we relax in front of the campfire with marshmallows singing campfire songs like kum ba yah.

However, as I look up to the grassy bank my friend is sitting down on a rock looking confused as she turns the map this way and that scratching her head.

“What is it?” I say as I reach for my towel and plonk down beside her ready for a little sun baking. “Um I think this is the campsite we stay at if we were doing the walk in three days, you may want to put your thongs back on as we still have another 12kms to hike!

5 long hours later in the pitch black darkness of night, in the freezing cold wilderness, we half stumble, half crawl to the top of a summit and wearily look down to see a clearing in a valley below.. “guess that’s us “ I manage to croak as a wild dog howls somewhere in the dense bush behind us.

We manage to pitch the hot pink tent and somehow start a fire with the few wet twigs we collect. “That will last us all of an hour” said Tiff as she opens the 1L bottle of Vodka. We won’t have time to cook all the food we brought before the fire goes out so quick drink up, get warm and get some sleep!” We lay there in our sleeping bags shivering as the Vodka started to warm us up again listening to the sounds of the bush surrounding us. “ Ahhhh at least we can listen to nature and have a lovely relaxing sleep, ready for a ripper of a day tomorrow.”

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrr…Orr Orrr Grrrrrrrrr” OMG whats that?” I shriek as I unzip the pink tent and hold my phone light up to see shadows and moving trees.. Grrrrrrrr …There it goes again woah what are these sounds” I say totally freaking out “I thought there was supposed to be serenity out here in the bush at night.” I grabbed a small axe we had from outside the tent and brought it in with me zipping everything up tight we huddled in the corner of our tent and thought of all the things that could sneak up and murder two women sleeping in a pink tent in the middle of the night 24 km in the middle of no where. Every little noise, every movement of the tent in the wind we thought there was no chance in hell we would ever see morning (let alone our families) ever again!

Still wearing thongs we made the start on the second part of the 47km hike towards the infamous Jenolan caves and the mythical Blue Lake an incredible site that was going to make this whole traumatic experience worthwhile! A light at the end of the endless tunnel. So onwards and upwards for us and our weary and exhausted bodies. Once again we made our way uphill, hiking and climbing through rugged mountain rocks and ravines trudging through gullies and rapid water creek crossings we completed 21 more kms, we had reached the top of the ridge, only 2 kms of downhill to reach our end destination, the track opened up a fraction wider as we crossed a dirt road when a four wheeled drive pulls up to alongside us coming to a halting screeching stop in front of us. A man leaps out of the vehicle and all I can think of is Wolf Creek and the inevitable fact that we were about to be bundled into this maniacs truck to be buried alive in the hidden valley of the Blue Mountains never to be seen or heard from ever again!

I start to let out a high pitched scream of desperation when the man strides up to my friend “Hi Hunny, I was so worried about you, I couldn’t get a hold of you on the phone, are you OK? I was about to send a search party out as you PLB signal said you were still in the half way campsite. I was worried the wild dogs may have gotten to you?”

“Oh whoops! We must have left the PLB behind!” she replied half laughing, half crying!

“Jump in the car” he says. “You only have 2 km to go but you can call it a day, just say you’ve done it and I’ll drive you to get some food.” That’s ridiculous, how could we get in the car? We only had 2km of a downhill stroll and we would be there, we would see the caves and swim in the magical blue lake. Of course we will complete what we started and be able to say to everyone we did it.

We looked towards the track heading down to the caves, we looked at the car, we looked at each other and we knew what we had to do. “Where’s the nearest Mc Donalds, we’re bloody starving! My friends husband literally lifted our aching bodies into the four wheeled drive as the lactic acid build up in our bodies turned us to jelly and off we went to cheeseburgers, fries and contemplate the fact I would always be proud of my new legendary status of the girl who walked the 6 foot track in the Blue Mountains in Havianas!

Ocean Care with Majestic Whale Encounters

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:56:30 GMT

It's important to appreciate how breathtaking
nature can be if we took care of it...

Many of us would have seen how the Earth slowly began to recover when we were in lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Exotic animals began to appear, air pollution disappeared leaving blue skies and the Earth took a much-needed break form being pushed to its limits. The beautiful oceans of Sri Lanka, often suffocated by plastic, motor fuel and other pollutants were also much cleaner in the absence of activity.

As lockdown begins to ease, it is important to appreciate how breathtaking nature can be if we took care of it while using it for our own gain. A simple act of responsibility can go a long way.

Click the link below and read the complete story...

http://unconditionalcompassion.org/ocean-care-with-majestic-whale-encounters/

Have you wondered what the whales are thinking at the moment?

Fri, 29 May 2020 05:31:51 GMT

There is an entire generation of whales that have never known silence...

In the midst of a pandemic where the world has come to a complete stand still I wonder “what do the whales think”?

Surely with no ocean noise from man made mechanics such as boats, ships, and other watercraft the ocean would be in almost absolute silence. There is an entire generation of whales that have never known silence, what are they thinking right now?

Will this increase the whales communications? Would they now hear songs and join conversations from whales much further away and will this change the patterns whales take with migration with no (or very little) shipping lanes to contend with?

The sad truth is that in just a matter of months the noise of the ocean will return and it may return even louder than it ever was as we rush around to make up for lost time and money. This may be the only time we will ever have the one small window to really study the effects noise has had on the ocean’s inhabitants. Maybe, just maybe we can find a way we can be the voice of the whales and other marine life and somehow make the ocean a quieter place. We could take this as our responsibility to start living a greener more sustainable life?

Fournet, a scientist who studies humpback whales in Southeast Alaska, where cruise ships have polluted the underwater soundscape for decades says..

“In all likelihood, the benefits to the natural environment will be short-lived. But the “snapshot” being produced right now is just that: a chance to hear how the pre-industrial world sounded. “It’s not going to be the saving grace of nature,” she says. “What’s going to be the saving grace of nature is when we take that snapshot and we blow it up to poster size and we share it with the world, and people realise what kind of an impact we have.”

What would the whales thinking?

I believe the whales would be thinking please listen to us, listen to the ocean, listen to sounds of the sea….

Dwarf Minke Whales

Thu, 28 May 2020 06:54:22 GMT

The rarest animal encounters happen right here in Australia...

Did you know one of the rarest animal encounters happens right here in Australia? The stunning dwarf minke makes a trip to the Great Barrier Reef and for about 6 weeks of the year there is a small window in which you can swim with them. In fact it is the only place in the world where you can swim with these beautiful creatures, how amazing is that?

I have an absolutely incredible memory of a trip to swim with these beauties, thanks to Thomas from Wild Earth who let me tag along on one of his tours. The first thing that I remember was how hot it is up there in the winter. The season for Dwarf minkes is June-July which in NSW is definitely ugg boot weather, but up there I was wearing tees and thongs (any of our international followers, I mean of the shoe variety before you start imagining inappropriate outfits). The trip was 6 nights on board a live a board boat and I could have stayed on there for 10, it was that incredible. Some of the guests were divers, and some of us were snorkelers. Each day we would go to a new location on the Ribbon Reef and as well as the Minkes, there were so many other things to see. Beautiful bombies filled with colourful fish, huge potato cod which can weigh up to a whopping 110kg, turtles, sea snakes were just a few of the things I saw.

Now let’s talk about the actual dwarf minke whale encounter. I’ve done a few different swimming encounters with many different whales and they are all different because there are rules in place to protect the animals and of course to keep the guests as safe as possible too. With these guys there are two long lines of rope in the water attached to the boat. Guests are to quietly slip into the water and find a piece of rope to hold onto - having a meter or two between each swimmer. Dwarf minke whales like predictability and they like to come to you, so if you stay as still as possible, they will start swimming closer and closer, often making circles around the boat. The great thing about this encounter is that you can stay in the water for as long as the dwarf minkes decide to stick around. In my experience, we had one or two hour long experiences, sometimes more, so people were able to get out of the water and come back in again.

The dwarf minke may not be the biggest whale at up to 8 meters long, but they are in fact one of the fastest whales, travelling at speeds up to 30km per hour, which is really fast for a whale. I got to learn a great deal about them from professor Alastair Birtles -who is actually known as professor minke for his dedication to dwarf minke whales - who was on board giving us wonderful lectures and involving us in his research.

If you are wanting to try something really unique and memorable, I can definitely recommend a trip swimming with these whales. With only a few companies that hold a license to actually swim with them, it really is the trip of a lifetime that only few get to experience.

Diary of a Whale - Part 2

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 04:17:41 GMT

Swimming with Hoomans

Well….

Here I am, my mum and I have been swimming non stop for 3 months and have finally reached the tropical water. It was getting so cold down there in the Antarctic and I had put on so much blubber I thought I looked more like a walrus than a whale!

We have finally arrived back in the islands of Tonga where I was born, I can remember this time last year being in this exact spot. I came whooshing out of my mum and into the big blue for the first time in that shallow reef over there!

She had a friend with her we call Eddy Escort - he kept an eye out for my mum and I so we didn’t come across any trouble from other whales or anything that may be a danger to us. My mum was too busy to watch for danger as she was teaching me cool stuff like hitting the water real hard with my tail and arms and also doing some gymnastics where I leap out of the water and come down with a huge Splash!! She says it’s called a breach but I call it the whammer!

She also taught me hide and seek which she calls a spy hop. It’s where we bob up and down in the water to look around at all the cool things above water, I started getting too dizzy though so I’ll need to practice more.

Now that I’m back I’m gonna try and learn some more whaley stuff. My mum says she’s in the market for a new boyfriend and so I’m not to embarrass her. That’s ok, I’ll be busy on the look out for the Hoomans. My main focus of course is to do some hooman watching and swimming….. oh I hope I find a good one. The best ones are the ones that want to dance and spin and play charades.

I really like charades. Once my friend Wally and I played charades and I swam at him on my side with my arm up in the air till he guessed I was a shark… so much fun!

Ok I gotta go, someone said they can hear all the beautiful singing from the hooman churches, apparently it’s out of this world!

Diary of a Whale

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 21:37:42 GMT

Part 1 - An exciting journey ahead

I am so excited! I cannot wait for the trip I’m about to make. I’m about to head north on an 8500km journey!

I’m going to cruise past New Zealand, seriously guys, I am such a big fan of Lord of the Rings, I wonder if I will be able to see Hobbitsville from the water!! I have been feeding like crazy down here, I’ve eaten over a tonne of krill and I am feeling ready to make this trip. I will be on the search for a special lady whale, but I have something else really exciting that I am looking forward too!

My mate Malcolm told me that on his last trip up to Tonga, he was lucky enough to swim with hoomans! Can you believe it? It’s every whale’s dream, and such a rare and memorable experience. Of course you have to follow the RHS (responsible human swimming) rules. They have to try and keep a safe distance from us, only up to 4 whales at a time and of course no touching! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so I am going to take in every minute. I’ve been doing some practise with my dancing and keen to show off some of my ballet moves.

I’ve been researching these hoomans lately, and they are a very unique creature. We all know that they are land animals, and their main mode of transport is walking over swimming, but something really interesting I found out is that they stay with their young for years, not just one year like us. The babies have to have constant supervision and the mummas drink some very special medicine called wine and coffee to help them through the day and night. They live in these boxes called houses and don’t even need to be in the water to be able to live! I have been doing so much research and I truly find them to be fascinating.

There are some whales that say that hoomans are polluting the oceans and are a threat to our existence, but I have also heard that there are many of them who are fighting hard to save our beautiful oceans!

If you want to follow me on my journey, stay tuned for my next entry.

The Story of Majestic

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 06:17:50 GMT

How did Majestic Whale Encounters come about

I have always had a major curiosity about whales and dolphins and from a very young age had constant dreams of swimming in their underwater fantasy world. (I still do to this day!)

I grew up on the beautiful beaches of Cronulla (south of Sydney - Gods country as we called it!) and did everything I could do to be a part of it, I learnt to scuba dive at a young age, I read as many whale and dolphin books as I could find fill my mind with and spent as much time in the ocean and around the ocean as possible. I had found an entire new universe that I never knew existed. This had opened up a new understanding and respect of this new exciting world.

After high school I managed to grab some work in a small wildlife park and with this work I felt a need to get close to animals to be near them and understand them more. This then lead to Zoo Keeping and work at one of Australia's most prestigious zoos, Taronga's Western Plains Zoo. A wonderful Zoo that specialises in education, breeding programs and protection of a variety of species both very large and small.

I always kept my passion of the underwater world though- in particular the large mammals that inhabited it: Whales, Orcas, Dolphins, Seals were all of great interest to me and I felt compelled to always have a connection with these animals and a strong sense to want to Protect them from the many threats that they faced ( which as you would likely know is sadly due to human intervention) Over my years in the Zoo I had always struggled with the captive industry versus the animals free and wild. My concern seemed to be focused on the large highly intelligent marine animals that are taken from their tightly knit highly structured family units in the wild and forced to perform unnatural tricks in order for them to eat, purely for the entertainment of humans and for the purpose of making money. I started to question how this was ethical and can you really use the excuse “ we are doing this to educate the public” If this is the case why are these animals performing tricks that they wouldn’t do in the wild? why is there loud blaring music that must be deafening to the animals highly acute hearing and echolocation? why are they obviously depressed and self harming themselves in their small circular pools with little to no stimulation? I just found it devastatingly sad and wished people could see them as I had in the wild happy with their family units, searching for food and performing their interesting daily behaviours while travelling for many kms at very high speeds! I was lucky enough to eventually experience a Whale swim. It was a moment that is etched in my memory forever! In 2008 I had been presented with the incredible opportunity to volunteer onboard a Whale swim boat in Vava’u Tonga which was slowly becoming a popular place to swim with humpbacks. I had no money whatsoever but managed to scrounge up just enough for an airfare, I wasn’t about to knock back the opportunity.

So that was it! I had totally made up my mind that this would be the right direction for me. I did have a few hurdles and challenges to face and to consider. I had a one and a half year old and also a newborn at home and embarking on a new business with a brand new family was not going to be easy. But then I thought about the life experience this could bring us as a family and how much we could all learn and experience as well as travel to wonderful places around the world. I also was lucky enough to have a fabulous husband who always gives me 110% of his support with family and work and so with that there was no stopping me! You only have one life right!

I had stumbled across a small island called Ha’apai that sits about a half an hour flight from the mainland of Tonga on a short trip with my husband Matt and our first thoughts were that "paradise actually does exist” , that "paradise had whales in it!" and "in paradise we could swim and interact with these whales”! I literally pinched myself as I sat on the pure white sandy beach in front of my Authentic Tongan Bungalow staring out at the crystal clear warm turquoise waters of the South Pacific Ocean. We drank champagne from an ice bucket (made of an over sized vegemite container from the resorts kitchen) as we watched the South Pacific Humpbacks frolic only 50 meters out from land at the edge of the brightly coloured coral reef.

I was now “ Living the dream”

Well it was pretty evident pretty quickly that many other people saw the same views as I did and the whale swimming business seemed like something that could actually really work. As the bookings started to come in and dreams were becoming a reality, the next step was to think about bringing in a business partner. One that had the same amount of passion and drive and also someone who was good at all other aspects of the business and to compliment the areas that I struggled with. I also wanted a partner who was keen to keep my core business values and to grow the business in a healthy direction that was going to benefit the whales, the ocean , the environment and our clients. Lastly I wanted to try and keep this a family run business.

Many have claimed that swimming with whales has changed their lives and it is a privilege to be part of that. My passion for MWE has grown each year, when I started we were taking about 20 guests to Tonga and now we take around 150 guests to 3 different countries and have plans to keep growing. It has not always been an easy journey and as many mothers would agree, trying to raise our beautiful kids while also giving as much time as we can to grow and nurture the business has been challenging but I always remind myself how incredibly lucky I am to be doing something I love so much"

What sets us apart from other Whale Swim Tours?

We have a genuine love and respect of the ocean, the marine life, and for the longevity of our environment. We are committed to offering all of our guests a personalised service which includes immediate communication, help from start to finish and a guide that stays with you for the duration of each tour. We have a love of people and like to include our guests as part of our extended Majestic Family.

Lastly we have a diversity of different Big Animal Tours and encounters to offer our guests as once you have travelled with us to swim with the south pacific whales you will most certainly want more. You will also make like minded friends for life. Often an entire group will want to meet up as a group on future adventures as they have been tied and bonded through an incredible experience that they have been lucky enough to share together, we have always thought that once you have a close animal encounter and share a special personal moment and connection with that animal, then you will feel the need to want to protect them. We believe this has been one of the best ways that we at Majestic Whale Encounters show others how they can respect and learn about the threats and plight of these sentient beings.

~Love .Protect . Connect

Sri Lanka Travel Tips

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 01:32:15 GMT

Discover why it's an up and coming destination you need to explore...

When thinking of Sri Lanka what images come to mind? For many Australians and English it's cricket! But did you know Sri Lanka is home to endless beaches, ancient ruins, amazing wildlife, amazing travel and our favourite the majestic BLUE WHALE.

In this blog we will explore Sri Lanka, the best places to go, the food, the wildlife and why its an up and coming destination you need to explore. Whether you love eco travel, adventure travel of whale swimming we have you covered with these tips.

Mermaid Myths & Legends

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 13:25:51 GMT

Here we will explore mermaid myths, legends and modern day stories.

Many of us have grown up with mermaids in books, movies and even as toys. We marvel at their beauty, how they can explore the wonders of the ocean and make us feel magical. But where did mermaids come from? How long ago were children and adults alike talking about these majestic creatures? Is the truth about mermaids a lot darker than we know?

Here we will explore mermaid myths, legends and modern day stories. Where they came from and what they looked like for different cultures. The word mermaid is a compound of the Old English mere (sea), and maid (a girl or young woman).

MWE Diversifies into Rwandan Gorilla Trekking

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 05:29:41 GMT

Eco-travel company, Majestic Whale Encounters, has announced the launch of a Rwanda Gorilla trekking experience in November 2020, diversifying the company’s wildlife experiences.

Founder of Majestic Whale Encounters, Carmen Ellis, says, the company’s expansion into land based animal encounters is a logical step for the business for several reasons.

“Our core goal is to educate and raise awareness of the animals that we interact with, and their plight.

“Whilst the ocean and whales in particular are at the heart of the business, the need to further expand understanding of other animal populations that are at risk is driving us to diversify our offering. We are committed to educating travellers about the impact that we have on our environment, and the best way to do that is to bring people face to face with what it is we stand to lose. There is nothing quite like a face to face encounter with an incredible animal in their own habitat to really make people understand what is at stake. Nothing can prepare you for the emotion and exhilaration that you feel when you encounter a gorilla in the African jungle, and nothing can make you want to preserve them more.”

The African adventure will focus on small group experiences, with just six people at a time able to take the trek through the Rwandan jungle for face-to-face encounters with gorillas in the wild. Unlike any other wildlife encounter, the Rwanda gorilla experience includes a jungle canopy walk, chimp trek, and two gorilla treks across a period of 7 days, taking in the Nyungwe Forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park.

Guests will be accommodated at One & Only Nyungwe House and Bisate Lodge.

To find out more, contact Majestic Whale Encounters on 02 4385 5454 or 0405 594 253

Story Courtesy of Travel Monitor

Meet the Woman Paving the Way in Eco-Tourism

Fri, 19 Jul 2019 05:54:22 GMT

Carmen Ellis Eco-Tourism Interview

Aside from being a working mother of three children, a wife, and entrepreneur, Carmen Ellis is a continual voice in the fight to protect marine mammals and their environment. The founder of the eco-travel company Majestic Whale Encounters , this busy working mother is the definition of girl-boss.

From a young age, Carmen's passion and love for all animals was evident. Dedicating her career to working with animals, her childhood dream of swimming with the most intelligent and graceful animals on earth became a reality on a holiday in 2013, which led to the launch of Majestic Whale Encounters.

Building Majestic Whale Encounters from the ground up, Carmen was committed to providing travel experiences that not only fulfil lifelong dreams, but that also educate and leave a minimal environmental footprint.

Now hosting expeditions to Tonga, Tahiti and Norway to swim with humpbacks and orcas, Carmen has not only established a company that allow her guests to swim alongside these truly magnificent creatures with minimal impact to the environment, but that also provides education to all guests surrounding biology, behaviour and general whale information.

Carmen is a source of inspiration for us all that following your dreams - quite literally - can make positive change that impacts a greater cause.

Interview with Carmen Ellis, Founder of Majestic Whale Encounters

Question: Can you tell us about the expeditions of Majestic Whale Encounters?

Carmen Ellis: Majestic Whale Encounters offer expeditions to three of the most incredible locations in the world. In Tonga, guests have the opportunity to swim alongside humpback whales; here guests will have the chance to additionally snorkel the beautiful reefs, kayak and paddle board. Our Tahiti humpback expedition offers guests the chance to explore the stunning island of Moorea with the option to also swim with dolphins, stingrays and sharks. Our Norway expedition is an opportunity for guests to swim with one of the world's most powerful and intelligent creatures - the orca. Guests are also able to experience the Northern lights, a reindeer experience, and a husky safari. We treat each tour as a chance to educate guests and allow them to experience everything these incredible destinations have to offer.

Question: How does Majestic Whale Encounters offer these experiences with minimal impact to the environment?

Carmen Ellis: Our tours are structured to leave a minimal footprint on the destinations we visit, and we run the entire business in as environmentally friendly a way as possible from being paperless to using energy efficient equipment and fittings.

Majestic also give every guest that comes on tour an eco travel pack, which includes a bamboo cutlery with chopsticks and bamboo reusable straw. Each guest also receives an eco-insulated bottle for the boat!

We abide by rules and regulations that ensure we are actively contributing to the care and conservation of the environments that we visit, as well as parameters and standards set by industry bodies such as the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA). Both of these organisations aim to protect, conserve and promote sustainable practices to ensure longevity of whales and dolphins and their environments.

We are active members of Whale Watch International and always ensure that responsible whale watching is at the forefront of what we do.

Question: How can we ensure we're protecting the environment when at home?

Carmen Ellis: There are so many great ways to implement eco-friendly practices into your home and life. Small steps like utilising natural light over turning lights on, recycling, using a keep cup, composting at home, and reducing the time spent in the shower are all small changes that add up to make a big difference. It's so important to educate the next generation about the impact that our decisions have on the planet, and the future of it.

Question: How have you created a work-life balance as a working mother?

Carmen Ellis: In the beginning I found this probably the most challenging part of running a small business (I write this as I have a three year old with her arms around my neck in a choke hold). I have created balance through involving my children and husband in certain aspects of the business. Whenever possible the entire family will travel with me. My very social, fun loving husband has been given the role of " social co-ordinator " Which means he basically spend time with the guests and make sure their having a great time. Additionally, my children have learnt a lot about people and how to be around them. My kids have also tuned into walking atlas's for marine mammals and are also excellent at picking up languages. A lot quicker than I have ever been able to do. Bringing my family with me allows me to spend as much time as possible with them and share what I really love to do with them at the same time, It's a win-win.

Another way I have created work life balance has been through daily exercise, particularly running my local national park coastal track- where I can get out into nature and see the whales migrate up and down my home coast line. Without this escape I'd be one stressed out mum and wife.

Question: What's a typical day like, for you?

Carmen Ellis: A typical day working from home:

My day starts with getting my two older kids off to school and then heading off to my local gym with my toddler. I'm lucky enough that the kids club there will take the kids for three hours giving me two hours to do my work at the café and an hour at the gym (for stress relief).

A normal workday will include scouting out new tours and places to go, working on marketing, itineraries, trip bulletins, flight information and bookings for our guests. I might also work on a blog and research Eco Tourism and ways we can improve our business module. A lot of time is also spent in networking with other similar companies in the tour operator industry.

Then it's home for an afternoon of emails and posting out any merchandise orders with toddler in hand, after school sports, dinner and the bedtime routine.

A typical day while on tour for example Tahiti Whale Encounter Tour:

A typical day would mean waking up on a beautiful 52 ft. catamaran in the whale nursery in Moorea. Breakfast with our guests before hopping on-board the whale swimming boat for an exciting day with the Whales, dolphins, sharks, rays and array of fish and corals.

For the afternoon it will mean lunch with the guests and while they head over to explore Moorea a little more I take the opportunity to put photos together and work on anything needed for other tours (bookings, itineraries, marketing etc) Then its dinner with the guests and attending to anything at all they might need, a whale talk or slideshow before falling off to a restful night's sleep - hopefully to the sound of whale song.

Question: What's next for you and Majestic Whale Encounters?

Carmen Ellis: Aside from continually providing all guests the most incredible experience and being at the forefront of eco-tourism, we would eventually like to diversify and become 'Majestic Encounters'. This means providing guests the option to encounter large animals on land as well as the in the ocean. Additionally, we would also like to run some charity tours where 100% of the profits go back to helping both the counties we visit and the animals that inhabit it.

Interview by Brooke Hunter - Female.com.au

How Eco Tourism Benefits Wildlife Conservation

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 02:51:56 GMT

Seeing wild animals in their own natural habitat

Seeing wild animals in their own natural habitat is on top of many people's bucket-lists this is why Eco Tourism and Sustainable Travel is the way to help the environment whilst seeing your favourite animals.

Here we will give examples of how Eco Tourism and Sustainable Travel can in fact benefit wildlife conservation. We love to travel and are always taking note on better ways to do it sustainably and make a positive impact in any country we find ourselves. Wildlife conservation is one of our greatest passions alongside travel, to get the best of both worlds is a bonus. Tourism can bring great opportunities to different cultures and communities but what is less known is how impactful tourism can be for wildlife in the area you are visiting. Check out our top benefits Eco Tourism has brought for wildlife conservation and for your next trip you may consider the benefits or impact it may have on wildlife...

Nam Et-Phou Louey, a national protected area (NPA) in Laos

An experiment was performed in Laos to study the effects of Eco Tourism on the locals and wildlife in the area. Home to tigers and five other species of wild cats. Unfortunately, the area has a lot of hunting, too, primarily by villagers living near the NPA. The Nam Nern River that flows through the NPA provides a great opportunity for observing wildlife, including otters, Sambar deer, barking deer, golden cat, civets, slow loris, and pythons. In 2009, they created an eco-tour called the “Nam Nern Night Safari” for tourists to spot wildlife, with the help of the local government and protected area managers. They created a fund to share the eco tourism income with people from all nine villages nearby, not just with the tour guides, so that everyone would have a reason to protect wildlife. They asked every family (859 families in total) to sign a contract, which stated how much they would earn for each wildlife sighting by tourists and how much they would lose if they poached or sold wildlife illegally.

The contract created the following rules:

The more and the rarer the animals the tourists saw, the more money each villager and family would receive. If a villager were caught hunting or selling wildlife illegally, the entire village where the hunter came from would receive less money. Villagers working as cooks, guides, boat drivers, handicraft producers and cleaners would lose their job if they or any member of their family violated the hunting and wildlife trade regulations. Tourists reported animal sightings at the end of each tour. To monitor for contract violations, NPA rangers patrolled the protected area daily and checked for signs of hunting, such as illegal camps and people inside the park. During the first four years of the project (2010- 2013), a total of 367 tourists visited the Nam Nern Night Safari. The villagers’ income from eco tourism increased, while the number of hunting incidents decreased over the four years. Hunting in the areas of the park without eco tourism increased, while hunting in the area around the eco tourism site remained constant. The average number of rare animals tourists saw during the tour increased by 63% by the fourth year.

Read the full article and detailed results here: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/uploads/5/4/2/8/54289603/ecotourism-article.pdf

Madagascar

In Madagascar it can be argued that it is solely eco tourism that has led to the protection of the island’s last remaining forests. With only 15% of its original forest cover remaining, Madagascar was in danger of losing all of it before tourism began there around 30 years ago. Now there is a network of parks and reserves which seek to protect the hugely appealing lemurs and other unusual, endemic species which depend of the remaining arboreal habitats: rainforest, dry deciduous forest and spiny forest.

The parks are guarded and the creatures within them protected, all down to the income derived from the tourists who are visiting. Madagascar also supplies examples of private initiatives which have resulted in newly protected areas. Anjajavy Lodge, near Majunga on the west coast, started out with a thousand acres of private reserve reaching inland from the main operation. Recently that acreage has expanded ten-fold, paid for by visitor income, and now there is a vast protected area of endangered dry tropical deciduous forest inhabited by many rare birds, the fosa and lemurs such as Coquerel’s sifaka and the mysterious, nocturnal aye-aye. If the tourists had not come, the forest would not have been saved. Source: https://reefandrainforest.co.uk/

Rwanda

In Rwanda, Eco Tourism has been of great benefit to the mountain gorillas! They’ve just raised the mountain gorilla trekking permits to USD $1,500 per person. Amazingly, this only gives you one hour with gorillas making this a very expensive but life changing experience. The small numbers of tourists means that disturbance to the animals is kept to a minimum and the income raised from this has widely been credited with saving this unique and vulnerable animal from extinction. It’s not only the animals that benefit, it also helps local people with jobs and other improvements to their lives. Many locals have become employed as guides, rangers and hotel staff. In addition private lodges and governments reinvest tourist income into local infrastructure. Visitors to Volcanoes National Park have increased by 82 percent in the last decade, and revenues almost doubled between 2008 and 2016. In fact, Rwanda’s travel and tourism industry is among the top five fastest-growing on the continent. In the last two years, it has contributed over $400 million to the national economy — 10 percent of which is returned to communities. Rwanda’s revenue-share program is the most generous of any African country.

Source: www.awf.org

Kenya

Eco Tourism in Kenya is saving elephants as well as giving people homes and empowering women. Looking to blend eco tourism with community enrichment and wildlife conservation, two organisations "Sarara Camp and Reteti" hand the reins to the native Samburu people to be the stewards of their land, ultimately controlling their own futures. “Reteti created a big change for women here,” says Dorothy Lowuekuduk, the sanctuary’s first ever female supervisor. Her first duties included searching for orphaned elephants by tracking their dung in the desert landscape. Sarara Camp offered the economic benefits of tourism to the Samburu community in exchange for their role in protecting wildlife. The partnership has seen over 4,000 elephants return to the area. These elephant herds are thriving, thanks to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, the first community-owned and managed elephant orphanage in Africa. Launched by the Samburu tribe less than an hour's drive from Sarara. Source: www.nationalgeographic.com

Borneo

Eco tourism development is an important element of the Heart of Borneo initiative, led by the WWF which aims to simultaneously promote conservation and sustainable development by linking protected areas with low-impact use zones in a variety of eco system types. Eco tourism in the Heart of Borneo offers a pathway to a more sustainable future for local communities. It provides an alternative way to generate income for communities while protecting the natural environment. Visit the Sebangau National Park, where the biggest habitat for Borneo Orangutan and the gate to the depth of the Heart of Borneo area. Many eco tour companies donate their proceedings to protecting the Orangutans and also their habitats by purchasing land and helping spread education through the local community about the impact of deforestation. Source: wwf.panda.org/

New Zealand

The New Zealand sea lion has made a conservation comeback. When Maori tribes arrived from Polynesia 1000 years ago and settled around the country, subsisting on various plants and animals. Over time all of the Sea Lions were decimated for food and fur– first by the Maori and later by European settlers. By the 1800s, the Sea Lion was extinct in New Zealand. One of the rarest species of sea lion in the world are only found in New Zealand. They are found mainly on beaches in Otago and Southland in the South Island, and in New Zealand’s sub antarctic islands. World renowned environmentalist Sir David Bellamy has described the Otago Peninsula as “the finest example of eco-tourism in the world”. For the New Zealand Sea Lion, eco tourism compounds the impacts of intensive fisheries, by increasing pup mortality. Each pup born on the South Island is very precious, particularly to the New Zealand Sea Lion Trust and the Department of Conservation. These organisations keep a close watch on the New Zealand Sea Lion population, both on the mainland and the islands. Funding by eco tourist companies in the areas help support the growth of Sea Lions in the area . Source: greenglobaltravel.com

A study by Griffith University has concluded that eco tourism makes the critical difference between survival and extinction for some species!

“We converted all ecotourism effects — positive and negative — to ecological parameters and found that for seven of the species involved, eco tourism provides net conservation gains through factors such as private reserves, habitat restoration, reduction in habitat damage, removal of feral predators, anti-poaching measures or captive breeding and food supplementation,” said Professor Buckley.

We hope you have enjoyed this blog and always remember...

Love . Protect. Connect

The Top 10 Whale/Animal and Ocean Documentaries

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 06:37:38 GMT

I dont know about you but any chance I can get Im outside running, walking, looking for whales and enjoying nature….

BUT when it rains I love nothing more than making a steaming hot chocolate, putting on the trackie daks and plonking myself in front of Netflix for an afternoon of Whales, Big Animals and Ocean Documentaries!

It's the lazy nerd in me and I'm proud of it. I just cant cram enough into my tiny brain when it comes to learning more about subjects that I'm passionate about. I might not care about what I look like in my trackies and Uggs, no makeup, hair a birds nest curled up in my lounge room that's in desperate need of a cleaning but I DO care about the world and how we can keep it. I care about giving back to the world that gives us so much.

So here it is my top 10 nerdy Animal and Ocean documentaries for you to sit back, enjoy and hopefully gain some inspiration from...

10. A Plastic Ocean

A PLASTIC OCEAN begins when journalist Craig Leeson, searching for the elusive blue whale, discovers plastic waste in what should be pristine ocean. In this adventure documentary, Craig teams up with free diver Tanya Streeter and an international team of scientists and researchers, and they travel to twenty locations around the world over the next four years to explore the fragile state of our oceans, uncover alarming truths about plastic pollution, and reveal working solutions that can be put into immediate effect.

IMBD

9. Chasing Coral

Coral reefs are the nursery for all life in the oceans, a remarkable ecosystem that sustains us. Yet with carbon emissions warming the seas, a phenomenon called “coral bleaching”—a sign of mass coral death—has been accelerating around the world, and the public has no idea of the scale or implication of the catastrophe silently raging underwater.

[Sundance]

8. Secrets in the Mist - Dian Fossey

After Dian Fossey's favourite gorilla, Digit, is slaughtered and her health begins to fail, Sir David Attenborough travels to Rwanda to film the gorillas. The result is one of television's most treasured experiences with animals in the wild. However, due to battles with the Rwandan government, Fossey is forced to return to the United States. During this period Fossey writes "Gorillas in the Mist" and becomes a global celebrity.

IMBD

7. Sonic Sea

Sonic Sea is a 60-minute documentary about the devastating impact of industrial and military ocean noise on whales and other marine life. The film begins with a mystery: the unexplained stranding and mass mortality of several species of whales in the Bahamas in March 2000. As the mystery unfolds, the film explores the critical role of sound in the sea, and the sudden, dramatic changes human activity is inflicting on the ocean's delicate acoustic habitat -- changes that threaten the ability of whales and other marine animals to prosper, to function, and ultimately, to survive.

Sonic Sea features several charismatic scientists, including Ken Balcomb, the former Navy pilot and acoustics expert who proved to the world that naval sonar is killing whales, as well as the musician and environmental activist, Sting, whose moving interview connects the sonic world of marine life with our sonic world on land. The film offers solutions (and, by extension, hope) for a quieter ocean, and underscores that the ocean's destiny is inextricably bound with our own.

IMBD

6. Blue Planet II

Nearly a generation after the acclaimed Blue Planet documentary was released, David Attenborough returns to narrate this groundbreaking sequel/reboot. Blue Planet ll focuses more heavily on mankind's influence on the world's oceans through both global pollution and climate change.

This series features a variety of revolutionary segments never before seen in a video documentary, including: cuttlefish that hypnotise crabs to stun them, giant trevally that leap out of the water to catch low flying birds, and newly discovered dancing yeti crabs.

Jakob E. Ferguson

5. Born to be Wild

Morgan Freeman narrates this documentary about two dedicated animal preservationists. Daphne Sheldrick has created an elephant sanctuary in Kenya, while Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas has set up an orphanage for orangutans in Borneo. In both cases, the young animals have been left alone after their parents were killed, by either poachers or similar human incursions into their natural habitats. Viewers get to see the animals nurtured with love and care before they are introduced back into the wild.

IMBD

4. Blue

BLUE is the story our generation need to hear. The industrialisation that has occurred in the oceans over the last century, mirrors the events that triggered mass extinctions on land. Industrial scale fishing, habitat destruction, species loss and pollution have placed the ocean in peril. The very nature of the sea is being irretrievably altered. BLUE is a provocative journey into the ocean realm, witnessing this critical moment in time when the marine world is on a precipice.

https://bluethefilm.org

3. Born to Be Free

BORN TO BE FREE is a revelatory investigative film made by three intrepid, free-diving journalists Gaya, Tanya and Julia, about the global trade in wild sea mammals. Their journey takes us to the most remote corners of Russia and witnesses, for the very first time, the shocking treatment that whales, dolphins and walruses are subjected to as we discover the corruption at the heart of this cruel international business. A sad and a scandalous story of eighteen belugas - white bowhead whales - languishing in tanks in the hot Black Sea coast. A story that has brought us - free divers who always communicate and dive with free dolphins and whales in their native element, behind the scenes of many dolphinariums and helped to reveal a number of ugly secrets and hidden facts.

IMBD

2. The Cove

Richard O'Barry was the man who captured and trained the dolphins for the television show Flipper (1964). O'Barry's view of cetaceans in captivity changed from that experience when as the last straw he saw that one of the dolphins playing Flipper - her name being Kathy - basically committed suicide in his arms because of the stress of being in captivity. Since that time, he has become one of the leading advocates against cetaceans in captivity and for the preservation of cetaceans in the wild. O'Barry and filmmaker 'Louie Psihoyos (I)' go about trying to expose one of what they see as the most cruel acts against wild dolphins in the world in Taiji, Japan, where dolphins are routinely corralled, either to be sold alive to aquariums and marine parks, or slaughtered for meat. The primary secluded cove where this activity is taking place is heavily guarded. O'Barry and Psihoyos are well known as enemies by the authorities in Taiji, the authorities who will use whatever tactic to expel them.

Written by Huggo

1. Blackfish

Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity. . .

The February 24, 2010 death of SeaWorld Orlando orca trainer Dawn Brancheau by the facility's male orca Tilikum serves as a jumping off point in the discussion not only of putting captive orcas at such facilities on show akin to circus animals, but whether cetaceans, especially orcas, should be held in captivity at all. Trainers at facilities like SeaWorld are much like dog trainers in knowing how to train behaviour but do not have the scientific knowledge of the animals themselves. Many former SeaWorld trainers interviewed state that seeing orcas up close and personal at such facilities led them into wanting this job as their career. As more and more knowledge is gained about the general nature of orcas - virtually nothing known at the time orcas were captured for captivity to perform in such shows beginning in the 1970s - the more that the evidence points to the practice being inhumane and can potentially lead to such incidents that happened between Tilikum and Brancheau.

While this evidence points to such captivity leading to possible psychosis in the orcas, especially the males of the largely matriarchal species who are often beaten by the females, any of the trainer/orca incidents, including Brancheau's death - she the third such trainer killed by a facility orca worldwide - have been spun by the facility in question as human error in their continuation to live on their bread and butter of these orca shows and breeding orcas to keep in captivity to continue the cycle.

Huggo

I know that watching certain Documentaries can be devastating and soul destroying but my honest opinion is that we need to try not to be ignorant of whats happening before us, we need to open our eyes. Only then can we really see what needs to be done and come to protect what we love.

Love . Protect. Connect

Whale Myths and Legends

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 00:39:27 GMT

Does our connection to whales run deeper than we thought?

Does our connection to whales run deeper than we thought? Centuries of history and a Cambridge study will reveal just that...

Over the course of history whales have been viewed as legends, gods and deities in many Tribes, cultures and mythology. Here we will explore who viewed them as gods, some myths behind famous whales and where in the world these stories come from. As far back as the bible to whales skeletons found in EGYPT to todays findings about whales and consciousness.

1. Whales in Hawaiian Culture

“Hanau ka palaoa noho i kai” (Born is the whale living in the ocean). A traditional Hawaiian chant teaches that whales are part of both darkness and light, divine and physical. The beaches where whales bodies often washed up were held especially sacred and guarded by alii (chiefs) and kahuna (priests). The whale is believed to be a kinolau (animal form) of the Hawaiian ocean god Kanaloa.

2. Jonah and The Whale

In bibliography a story of Jonah and the whale depicts a tale of Jonah, a man who chose not to heed gods warning and decided to do the opposite of what god told him to do. By travelling across the ocean to a place called Ninevah to preach to these "wicked men and women" after god told him to give them guidance. God saw Jonah on the ship and sent a great whale to swallow him. As a lesson Jonah went through stormy times as he thought of himself and not the people of Ninevah. Gods lesson was all beings are treasured in the eyes of God whether they see him or not.

3. Whales in Maori Tribes

In Maori cosmology, whales are the descendants of Tangaroa, the god of the oceans. They were thought of in awe, as supernatural beings, and often deemed sacred. Whales appear in the migration legends of many tribes. In some, whales were a sign indicating to a tribe that it should settle in a particular place. Oral histories recall interactions between people and whales in tribal stories, carvings, specialised language and place names.

4. Whales in Egypt

Whales, or great fishes, are sometimes mentioned by the Prophets. Pharaoh the king of Egypt (by whom is represented human wisdom or intelligence), was known as a great whale. Wadi Al-Hitan also know as "Whale Valley" in Egypt contains the incredible collection of fossilised whale skeletons. Names the basilosaurus this gigantic whale was said to roam the now deserts of Egypt over 40 million years ago. You can visit some of the whale skeletons at Wadi Al-Hitan tours run from Cairo.

5. Orcas in Native American Culture

The Native Orca Symbol or Killer Whales symbolises family, romance, longevity, harmony, travel, community and protection. He is said to protect those who travel away from home, and lead them back when the time comes. Known as the “Lord of the Ocean” the Killer whale is said to be the guardian of the ocean, with seals as his slaves and dolphins as his warriors.

6. Whales and Aboriginal people

Aboriginal people who resided along the coasts of Australia have a long association with whales. Rock engravings, stories and totems tell us grand stories of whales in Australia. The whale is the totem of the Darkinjung People of the Central Coast of NSW. Beached whales would provide meat and tools for the Aboriginal people. Baiyami, and Gyian the Whale is a Dreamtime story of the Darkinjung, Gamilaroi Nations, Australia.

7. Whales and Dolphins are conscious beings

A group of scientists including neurophysiologists, neuroanatomists and computational neuroscientists gathered at The University of Cambridge to reassess the neurobiological substrates of conscious experience and related behaviours in human and non-human animals. They concluded that “Convergent evidence indicates that non-human animals have the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neurophysiological substrates of conscious states along with the capacity to exhibit intentional behaviors. Consequently, the weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Nonhuman animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.” WDCS argues that not only are whales and dolphins conscious, but that they often live in complex communities, that they are capable of experiencing a range of emotions and that they are sentient and sapient beings. Our connection to the ocean and these species runs deep #loveconnectprotect Source; "The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness"

Rurutu

Sun, 17 Feb 2019 23:08:01 GMT

A hidden gem in French Polynesia

Life is busy… demanding jobs, growing families and the responsibilities of day to day life. For many the allure of travel is very tempting and getting offline and away from crowds can be just what the doctor ordered. When we discovered there was a hidden gem in French Polynesia called Rurutu that not only is a pristine and untouched island but is also a nursery and breeding ground for the majestic humpback whale we knew we had to go.

After our 3 hour flight from Papeete, the first thing we noticed was the natural and raw beauty of the rugged coastline, and on our drive to our accommodation we spotted several whales on the way, which made us so excited for our whale swimming in the morning.

Rurutu is perfect for swimming with humpback whales, as the whales hug the reef meaning you don’t have to go more than 1km out from the fringing reef. We were shown a tree called the erythina, or atae is known as the whale tree, because it blossoms from July onwards signalling the arrival of these majestic sea mammals. There are only two operators on the island, and we met up with one of them in morning ready to go searching for the whales. It didn’t take long at all to find them and when the guides felt the timing was right, we got in the water. We have swam with many whales around the world, but never have we seen water clarity like this. Rurutu has 50-60 meters of crystal clear visibility and it was just a magical experience. We watched on as two adult humpbacks danced and glided around us. While the guides English was a bit limited, we found that they were on top of safety and had a great respect for the whales.

The island of Rurutu is a raised coral atoll, which is formed when a coral reef grows on an underwater volcanic peak which is then raised above sea level, how cool is that! It’s known for its limestone caves made of ancient corals, once used as shelters and homes by the local people. The caves are all different, and one of the largest ones named Ano a’eo is filled with stalagmites and has a hole in the top which the locals would talk to their gods for guidance. When we visited these caves in the early afternoon, it was so beautiful to see the sunlight beaming through the stalagmites. We ended the day with a lovely horse ride through the mountains and visiting local villages followed by a delicious seafood dinner.

Something else we noticed about this island is that Rurutans are all very patriotic and proud of their small untouched paradise, all houses and gardens are kept neat and tidy and there is not a lot of rubbish to be found. If you are looking for glitz, glamour and 5 star resorts, this may not be the island for you, but if you like the idea of a secluded island full of natural beauty and culture then you should visit Rurutu before the rest of the world finds out about the best kept secret of French Polynesia.

Where to go Whale watching and swim with Whales

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 00:27:58 GMT

A comprehensive guide on where to see them!

As whales migrate all over the world we thought it would be a great idea to give you a comprehensive guide on where to see them, which types you may see and the season to do it!

We will also tell you where you can go whale watching and which other species you may encounter at the destinations. Whale swimming adventures are growing rapidly and we live by our motto to Love Connect and Protect when in the ocean surrounded by marine life and coral reefs. Choose an eco-friendly, sustainable company for your whale encounters and it will be the life changing moment you have always wished for.

Swim with Sperm Whales in Dominica

Where: Dominica
When: March to July
What: Sperm Whales and Dolphins

Swim with Sperm Whales off the coast of Dominica, home to these gentle giants. More than 20 families of sperm whales are said to reside in these waters. You can also swim with dolphins in Dominica, there is a 90% chance you will see both whales and dolphins on your ocean adventure.

Swim with Orcas (Killer Whales) in Norway

Where: Lofoten, Northern Norway
When: October to January
What: Killer whales, Minke whales,

Humpbacks and Finn whales. Norway boasts an array of marine life to view from the comfort of a boat or for the more adventurous, below the surface. Orcas are attracted to these winter waters for the abundance of fish feasting on plankton allowing them whales to get strong for their next journey to the Carribean. As an added bonus you may see the northern lights on your journey to swim with whales.

Swim with Humpback Whales in Tahiti

Where: Moorea, Tahiti
When: October - November
What: Humpback Whales, dolphins, stingrays and sharks

The paradise islands of Tahiti are an ocean lovers dream when it comes to swimming with marine life. From Humpback whales and their calves to stingrays and dolphins. These islands won't disappoint. Ever wanted to swim with reef sharks? You will see more than a few in Tahiti!

Swim with Humpback Whales in Tonga

Where: Ha’apai, Tonga
When: July - October
What: Humpback Whales

Tonga may be the most famous and sought-after destination for swimming with humpback whales. Here you can get up close and personal with the whales or take a kayak or paddle board out if you prefer to stay above the water. We know Tonga can get overpopulated with tourists so we know a little secret island where the whale swimming experience is your own!

Bucket list ideas for 2019!

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 23:54:54 GMT

It's time to start thinking of those New Years Resolutions

Nearing the end of 2018 its time to start thinking of those New Years Resolutions and what 2019 may hold for you. Have you ever thought of creating a Bucket list? It's a great way to write down what you really want to do and work towards in the future.

Bucket list experiences are life-changing for some whether it's learning to play that musical instrument you always wanted, skydiving in New Zealand or finally going on that whale swim adventure. We have compiled a list of peoples TOP bucket list experiences to inspire you to take that opportunity and dive right in...

1. Visit a world heritage site

UNESCO has comprised a list of every listed site in the world from the Great Pyramids in Egypt to the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America. Feel inspired by these cultural wonders in your own country or others. Did you know Australia has 19 heritage listed sites?

See more at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/

2. Swimming with Whales

We are lucky enough to be part of many peoples bucket list. Taking groups on a whale swim adventure where they can swim with whales, swim with dolphins, swim with sharks, swim with stingrays, the list goes on! Underwater adventures are life changing and we live by the motto love protect connect. If swimming with whales is on your bucket list pick a company who is passionate about the ocean and meet these majestic creatures in a loving protective manner.

See which countries are perfect for a whale swimming adventure: CLICK HERE

3. Climb a volcano

For all of the adrenaline junkies out there this is on top of their list. Especially if climbing an active volcano is a thrill. The picturesque Mount Fuji in Japan is best to climb July to mid-September, famous for its view from the ground but why not try that selfie from the summit! What about seeing lava flow? Try Kilauea in Hawaii only 120 metres high and open year round just make sure you check volcano activity before climbing.

4. Inspire another person

People are often inspired when other people are following their passion or doing something they have always wanted to do. Why not create a bucket list with a friend or family member and inspire them to achieve a goal or bucket list item? Inspire someone to try a new food with you, go to an art class, take that initiative and book the holiday they have always wanted. Together you can achieve more.

5. Do something unique

Everyone is unique with different tastes and passions, why not delve into something that sparks an interest you have never thought about before? Wonderful and unique, here are some ideas to get you started; navigate a personal underwater submarine, make your own skincare, attend a poetry reading, be an extra in a movie, fly on a trapeze, learn a line dance, dye your hair a crazy colour for a day or create your own cocktail!

6. Solo Travel

We all know travel expands the mind and gives you priceless experiences. What about going solo? Whether it's travelling across Europe on your own or booking that retreat you've been talking about. Going solo is a way to gain confidence and meet lifetime friends along the way, plus when you come back home you can share your stories and inspire another to try solo travel.

7. Help a charity

This year why not help a charity or a company you are passionate about. Helping a charity doesn't necessarily mean donating money, you could buy a product they sell or even volunteer your time. RSPCA Queensland have a team of over 500 volunteers, whatever your skill is (photography, admin, design) you can contribute to a charitable company. At Majestic Whale Encounters, we pride ourselves on collaborating with charities we feel are doing great things like Take 3 for the sea and Coral Gardeners. Whom will you collaborate with this year?

Top 10 things to do in Tahiti

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 12:00:13 GMT

The islands of Tahiti are a geographical marvel.

The islands of Tahiti are a geographical marvel. Believed to have formed from a series of underwater volcanic eruptions, they emerged millions of years ago from the depths of the ocean. Seemingly untouched by time, the islands today are still as beautiful as ever. Tahiti is the largest island in French Polynesia with black-sand beaches, lagoons, waterfalls and 2 extinct volcanoes, it's a popular vacation destination. Here we will explore the top 10 things to do in Tahiti.

1. Swim with Humpback Whales

Between July and October humpback whales visit the islands of Tahiti, swimming in the protected waters of French Polynesia. Here is your chance to swim with these majestic creatures in a peaceful protective way. It's the perfect chance to see females with their young calves. With crystal clear waters the views will be outstanding.

2. Learn to Surf

Tahiti is known for some of the largest waves in the world but if you're ready to dip your toe in the water there are plenty of spots around the island with beach breaks. Take up surfing lessons with the locals or if you're not ready to do that just yet. Why not watch the best as every year in May or August the world best surfers congregate for Billabongs surfing contest.

3. Stay in an Overwater Bungalow.

You have all seen the adverts pointing you to an island paradise, always featured is a beautiful water bungalow. Well, Tahiti is the place to stay in one! Your own private sanctuary above the water, dive into the crystal blue ocean and surround yourself with islands vast marine life. Watch the sunset or sip on a cocktail, this really is worth the hype in Tahiti.

4. Visit the Lagoonarium

A protected environment of coral reef and an abundance of marine life. A perfect place to take the children and educate them on the diversity of Tahiti's coral reef. Watch the beach boys feed the fish at 9am and 3pm. View from the decks or take a boat ride out to get a closer look.

5. Climb Mount Aorai

Feel like a 1 day or 4-day hike? Mount Aorai can cater for both the third highest mountain in Tahiti, with stunning views this climb is one to thrill and invigorate. A moderate to hard hike it is best to undertake with a guide who can show you the best spots for a photograph of the breathtaking valleys and ocean views.

6. Watch a Tahitian Dance

Tahitian Dance is called "Ori Tahiti" in Tahitian Language it means the Dance of Tahiti. With roots in ancient Polynesian culture, this dance is an artistic expression you won't want to miss. The beautiful dancers represent the movement and life of the Tahiti civilisation. Many hotels and resort around the islands showcase these dancers, want to take it a step further you can even do a dance class with the performers!

7. Swim with Sharks and Stingrays

What more could you want in Tahiti than having the chance to see humpback whales, sharks and stingrays in the one trip? Tick it off your bucket list as this dream come true is possible in the islands of Tahiti. Grab your flippers and underwater camera to marvel at this chance of a lifetime.

8. Visit Papeete Market

Want to try traditional Polynesian food and view an array of locally handmade goods? Papeete Market is not to be missed. The rainbow of colours will entice you along with the cosmopolitan feel. The Sunday market visit is one of the oldest attractions in Tahiti. Bring home some textiles or goodies for your family.

9. Visit the Arohoho Blowhole

See mother nature at its most powerful with this must-see Tahiti attraction! Coastal erosion is the cause of these blow holes. Can you get close enough for a selfie?

10. Luxury Tahitian Holiday

Take the pressure off planning your Tahitian adventure and let us take you on a trip of a lifetime with our luxury inclusive tour. You get to swim with humpback whales, sharks and stingrays, stay in a deluxe resort and meet likeminded ocean lovers.

See more here: https://www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au/tahiti

Majestic Whale Encounters In Tonga

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 21:50:24 GMT

One of the most life changing experiences you can have!

Swimming with humpback whales in Tonga would have to be one of the most life changing experiences you can have.

There are few wildlife encounters that allow you to get this up close and personal, while maintaining a respect for the animal and their environment, but in Tonga, they have found a way to peacefully interact with the whales with minimum impact.

Tonga is one of only a few countries in the world where you can actually swim with humpback whales. Swimming with the whales is done so with sensible tourism guidelines and experienced guides to ensure minimal impact on the whales and their environment.

Australian eco-tour operator, Majestic Whale Encounters, specialise in swimming with whales and leave travellers with a greater appreciation for these magnificent animals.

In 2018, the company launched its new ‘Whale Swimming and Yoga Retreat’ package, an eight-day itinerary where nature and yoga lovers spend a memorable week at a secluded sanctuary in Tonga flanked by white, palm-lined beaches. A highlight of this tour is four days spent swimming with the gentle and playful humpbacks in Tonga’s warm, tropical lagoons.

Each year from mid-July to mid-October, Tonga’s serene islands become the resting place for the majestic humpback whales. North of Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu are the islands of Ha’apai, a safe haven for the migrating humpback whales from the Antarctic. These calm warm waters of Ha’apai offer refuge for the whales to breed, birth and socialise.

Majestic Whale Encounters tour takes you to Seachange Eco Retreat, who provide unique luxury beach front accommodation with the lightest possible footprint. Located on Uoleva Island, part of the Ha’apai Island group, Seachange also operates Ha’apai Whale and Sail, the longest running whale watching/swimming encounter business in Ha’apai.

Depending on the weather, mornings at Seachange begin with a healthy breakfast before heading out on the boat in search of whales. Joined by experienced and knowledgeable guides, swimmers are briefed about the importance of respecting the whales in their space to ensure a safe interaction for both whales and swimmers.

If you want to learn more about swimming with humpback whales in Tonga with Majestic Whale Encounters, you can visit their website at www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au or contact Carmen Ellis on carmen@majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

Tips for eco friendly travel

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 11:16:23 GMT

Are you into travel and also trying to save the planet? Us too! We have put together some tips for your travel to help reduce the impact on our environment.

1. Before you leave home, unplug unused appliances and adjust the thermostat to make sure your house isn’t an energy drain. Conserve paper by pausing your newspaper service.

2. Many popular travel destinations have serious shortages of clean water. Make an effort to take short showers, and hang up your bathroom towels instead of having them washed everyday.

3. Give feedback. Wherever you travel, suggest green options to management. If your hotel doesn’t recycle, ask them why. The more people that ask, the more likely they’ll make the right decisions in the future.

4. Leave nothing behind. If you’re hiking or camping, make a point of leaving everything you come across exactly as it was when you arrived. You may have heard the saying ‘Take only memories, leave only footprints’

5. Pack things you can wear more than once without washing. This will help save space in the suitcase, and also avoid wasting water on washing clothes while on vacation.

6. Not every place you visit will have a conveniently located recycle bin. You may have to ask someone, walk an extra block, or save it for your return trip home.

7. Consider purchasing carbon offsets.

8. Bring reusable water bottles and coffee cups. Also ditch your plastic ‘one use’ bags for a more durable eco bag.

We hope you enjoy these tips for travelling with an eco friendly approach. Safe travels friends!

OLD TOM and THE LAW OF THE TONGUE!

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 12:39:30 GMT

This is the story of an orca named Old Tom, who during the early 20th century spent almost four decades helping fishermen catch baleen whales off the coast of Australia. In return, Old Tom and his pod feasted on the lips and tongues of the whalers’ haul.

Two Fold Bay in the Australian coastal town of Eden NSW is where each year as autumn gave way to winter, a population of orcas would migrate from Antarctic waters in search of food. Initially the Orcas were written off as a nuisance, always getting in the way of their catch, but attitudes changed when it was learnt the indigenous inhabitants of Eden had been hunting baleen whales in the bay for at least 10,000 years prior to European settlement, and in that time had developed a unique relationship with the orcas.

The way it worked is the orcas would track down baleen whales congregating around the mouth of Twofold Bay, and herd them closer to the coast. While the pod trapped the whales in the bay, one of the males would position himself outside the whaling station, and breach and thrash his tail on the water until he’d attracted the whalers' attention.

Once the baleen whales were harpooned and hauled up to the whaling station the Orcas were rewarded for their part in the catch and rewarded with the tongue of the whale which became known as the “Law of the Tongue”

It’s also rumoured that the crew would help orcas trapped in nets in the bay and the orcas would drive sharks away from the whalers’ small, open rowboats.

Old Tom was said to be the leader of the Two Folds Bay Orca pod and there are many amazing stories told about his interaction with the whalers of Eden and the mutual respect of human and animal.

Old Tom eventually lost his teeth and can to his demise starving to death, His body washed up on the shore in 1930, and one of the whalers financed the construction of the Eden Killer Whale Museum , which still holds the bones of Old Tom to this day.

A Scaredy Cat’s Tale

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 05:04:51 GMT

My experience of Swimming with Orcas

You know those people who are pretty much afraid of everything? Well yes, that’s me. When I got the phone call to go over and swim with Orcas in Norway to check out our next tour location with two weeks notice, it ticked a lot of the worry boxes…

Flying - no matter how many times I fly, the fear never goes away. My palms produce enough sweat to sink the titanic – too much info? Sorry!
Swimming in the Arctic Ocean in winter, do I need to explain this one!
Swimming with the ‘killer whale’, the biggest predator of the ocean, eats seals like cough drops, ok so obviously these particular orcas actually eat nothing but herring, but come on! Can’t blame a girl for being a bit nervous on this point... and
Finally the biggy for me was leaving my 8 month old bub for the first time, in the loving care of his father and grandparents, but being a 30 hour flight away for 10 days was a little daunting to say the least.

Those two weeks went very fast, and before I knew it, it was time to go. As I handed my son over to my mother in law, I gave my best ugly cry face while he smiled happily without a care in the world. After delayed flights and lost luggage, we finally made it to the stunningly beautiful town of Tromso, Norway. It was like Sydney harbour, on steroids and I was completely smitten. Because our luggage had been lost, we arrived like true Aussies in zero degree temps with jeans and thongs (flip flops for the non aussie readers- and jandles for our Kiwi friends). Our bags didn’t arrive until the next afternoon but luckily I had thought ahead and had some hire gear waiting at the hotel.

After a day of incredible husky sledding in the snow it was time to board MS Stronstad and make our way out to find the orcas! I remember standing on the deck watching the breath taking scenery, and with my 50 layers of clothes, I couldn’t help but wonder how the hell am I going to get into that water! Every single other person on the boat was full of excitement and probably would have just dived off the side of the boat the moment an orca was spotted if they were allowed, my business partner Carmen included. I went into full worry mode that night while I was trying to get to sleep. I thought of every excuse under the sun of how I could get out of it. ‘Sorry I have a cold’ , ‘I can’t remember how to swim’ , ‘I’m part herring’. As it turns out, the next day, I really didn’t have enough time to think about it as orcas were spotted and everyone was told to put their dry suits on. Putting on a dry suit was another challenge in itself. Have you ever seen a seal being born, well neither have I, but I imagine it’s exactly the same. Make sure you have your fellow whale swimmers videoing your valiant effort. So once we were all suited up, it was straight into the zodiacs for us, and we did not have to go far to reach the orcas... and OH MY GOODNESS what a sight. Close your eyes and just imagine this… the sky is a watercolour painting of purples and oranges, the backdrop is snow capped mountains, eagles soaring through the skies and there they are, the magnificent orcas! There was close to 30 of them swimming around the herring bait ball. We didn’t have a camera with us, but that is a sight that will never leave my thoughts, it was absolute bliss and my fears were all put aside as I took in every second. Even before I touched the water, this was already a perfect moment for me.

We watched for a little while longer and then when we were given the go ahead, it was time to jump in the water. Yes it was cold, but the dry suit did a fantastic job of keeping the water out and it was definitely not as cold as I had hyped up in my mind. I looked down into the water and I could see a quick glimpse of the orcas, it was amazing! I did it, I had jumped into the Arctic and swam with orcas! But this was just the beginning. It was time to heave myself back into the boat (you use up a lot of energy in the cold water, so I’m going to stick to the seal theme and say I felt like a lazy walrus as our poor guide had to pull me in). The next time we went in, we had a great encounter with a huge male, he started swimming towards us, and then turned to show us his stunning profile. After our first day, I knew I was hooked. The next day, as I heard the call to ‘suit up’ I still had some little butterflies in my stomach, but the excitement took over, I couldn’t wait to get back in the ocean. This time around there were many, many more orcas and we had the best experience. They were around us, under us, you could see them from above and below the water, what a sight. For the rest of the trip, I felt pretty invincible. I relaxed and just took in every second, from the northern lights three nights in a row to feeding reindeer and listening to Sami cultural stories by the fire.

I just wanted to share this story with you, as I think there are a lot of people out there that like me, that have fears of many things. There is an awesome quote that goes something like this…. ‘courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it’ and if you can face your fears every now and then, you can create some unforgettable memories.

I’d love to hear from you about times that you didn’t let your fear get the better of you ….

7 ways in which swimming with Whale's changed a traveller’s life

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 12:16:01 GMT

A True life tale from a Majestic Whale Encounters customer who swam with wild whales in Tonga in October, 2016

Swimming with wild whales can be life-changing – just ask Melbourne man, Matt, 33, who frolicked with the giant but gentle humpbacks in Tonga with Australian eco operator, Majestic Whale Encounters, in October 2016. Matt, a former firefighter and soldier, shares his moving story...

1. It really was life-changing

“I have been a professional firefighter for the past 10 years and before that I was a soldier with the Australian Army for seven years, serving in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor. Since returning from Tonga in October, 2016, I have resigned from my firefighting job and turned my life on its head. Giving up a career most boys dream of and most men want, was no easy task. What swimming with the whales did for me can only be best described as finding peace within myself. As a suffer of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses, finding this peace was the empowerment that I needed to regain control of my life and start a new chapter that isn’t at odds with my own inner self. I am now on leave and planning a new career in charity by rescuing homeless dogs and partnering them with army veterans and emergency service personnel suffering mental issues.”

2. New Perspective

“Being a westerner and born into entitlement, swimming with the whales grounded me more than any other of the vast experiences I have had. Not only did their sheer size bring such perspective, it was also their gentle nature and care towards humans who have persecuted them for so long. They possess a quality that trumps revenge versus forgiveness - something we as humans desperately require.”

3. A Spiritual Experience

“An Anglican by bloodline and an atheist by choice, something much greater than my own consciousness was present when encountering the humpbacks. Something that felt very old but not foreign. Something best described as an energy I had long forgotten, running deeply in the DNA of us all - all species great and small.”

4. Adventure

“Swimming with the humpbacks was a real and raw adventure with mother nature - a healthy hit of adrenaline.”

5. Inspiring

“I was truly inspired by my experience with the whales and I realized I had a responsibility to do more and educate others. On my first swim, I found myself in the bluest of blue waters with a baby humpback swimming straight towards me. No words can describe how I felt. It was overwhelming. However, my immediate thoughts where that I had to do more to help them and educate fellow humans on the importance of protecting them.”

6. Connection

“Regardless of your faith, you cannot deny or ignore the immediate sense of connection between the whale and yourself. It’s this interaction that left me feeling so completely grounded, humbled and connected to Earth.”

7. Friends for Life

“Before embarking on my holiday to Tonga, I envisaged my fellow holiday goers to be tree-hugging, bearded hipsters with a taste for left wing politics and soy macchiatos. I couldn’t have been more wrong. There was the doctor, the administrator, the medium, the self-made businessman, the CEO, the actor, the interior designer and the fireman - a diverse group of people from all walks of life. However, they all walked away with a shared and newfound love for the humpback and the earth we walk and swim upon! It is this bond that will forever foster our future friendships together.”

Majestic Whale Encounters

Majestic Whale Encounters are fully booked for this season in Tonga however they are offering ten eight-day whale swimming tours in the peak humpback season months of August and September, 2019. The unique, life-changing tours allow Australians to swim with the graceful humpbacks and their playful calves in the turquoise waters of Tonga off the idyllic, tropical island of Ha’apai, a short flight north from the capital, Nuku’alofa.

Majestic Whale Encounters Tonga Tours include all accommodation, main meals and local, inter-island flights in its packages as well as a free first night near Nuku’alofa on arrival from Australia. Majestic staff also remain with guests throughout the eight-day experience, assisting with the whale swims and sharing their knowledge of and love for the humpbacks.

Guests have the opportunity to snorkel on coral reefs, laze in hammocks on white sandy beaches and get a taste of Tongan culture. Bush walking, kayaking, fishing, scuba diving and cycling are also available during leisure days. As an environmentally conscious company passionate about whale preservation, Majestic Whale Encounters is an active member of The World Cetacean Alliance, promoting responsible whale watching worldwide.

Each of Majestic’s ten tours in August and September, 2019, costs A$4650 per person, twin-share.

Flights to Tonga from Australia (five hours direct) with Virgin Australia or via New Zealand are extra.

For bookings or information, call Majestic Whale Encounters on 0405 594 253 or visit www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

** Majestic Whale Encounters also now offer tours to the Beautiful Great Barrier Reef to Swim with the Unique and Curious Dwarf Minke Whales and exploring the Daintree Rainforest, they have only 4 spaces remaining for their 2019 Tour, see www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au for more details and to make a booking.

No WAY!…

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 12:45:50 GMT

Have you heard that you can swim with the most elusive and mysterious whales on the planet in the most beautiful natural wonders of the world, The Great Barrier Reef!!!

Have you heard that you can swim with one of the most elusive and mysterious Whales on the planet? The Minkes that visit the Great Barrier Reef during winter were only discovered in the 1980s and are believed to be an undescribed subspecies of the Northern Hemisphere Minke’, commonly referred to as the “Dwarf Minke Whale”

At Majestic Whale Encounters we can take you on an incredible journey to swim withe these very inquisitive and curious whales in one of the seven natural wonders of the world : Australia's Great Barrier Reef!

https://www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au/june-july-barrier-reef-tour-2019

What is a “Dwarf Minke Whale”(DMW) and where can I find them?

Dwarf Minkes grow to approximately 8m long, the females are said to be slightly larger than the males. It is on record that DMWs are the second smallest type of Baleen Whale after the Pygmy right whale. They tend to reach sexual maturity at around 6-8 years

Distinctive Characteristics

The DMWs have fins that are white at the base with a dark tip, a white shoulder patch where the flipper joins the body and dark patches extending in front of the flippers onto the throat.

Different species of Minkes

The two species of minke whales are the common (or northern) minke whale and the Antarctic (or Southern) minke. We now know that we can categories the common minke into two or three subspecies! the North Atlantic minke whale, the North Pacific minke whale and dwarf minke whale. All minke whales are part of the rorquals, a family that includes the HumpbackWhale, the Fin Whale, the Bryde's Whale, the Sei Whale and the Blue Whale.

Distribution and Population

There is VERY little known about the Dwarf Minke Whale.

We don’t know their population size other than studies done on the ‘interacting’ population on the Great Barrier Reef ( whales that interact with humans which is said to represent an ‘open population’ subject to immigrations and emigrations through each season of a minimum of 700 individuals.

Their migration is unknown! Pretty incredible hey especially in our modern world with every kind of technology available, so very elusive are these whales!

Here is a map of where we do know they visit in mostly in the Coral Sea - Ribbon Reefs where we swim with them!

Feeding

The DMWs food consists of schooling oceanic fish and krill, They are not known to actually feed during their time in the Great Barrier Reef waters but may feed opportunistically in the Coral Sea. Only a few whale poos have been observed in Great Barrier Reef Waters!

Lifespan and Life History

Once again family little is known as to exactly how long these guy live But other Minkes may love for 60+ years. Calves are most likely weaned at around 6mths. They are 2m when born and no one actually knows where they are born or of there is a specific breeding ground where they may go to mate and give birth (like Humpback whales for example) Newly born calves have been observed near Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island and in the Great Barrier Reef!

Behaviour

Active, highly manoeuvrable whales which can swim at >20 knots for at least short bursts and may dive to at least 140 metres. Most sightings are of a single or pair of animals, but groups of 20+ whales may occur around a boat during a single encounter. Occasional breaches (a whale propelling its body rapidly out of the water) have been observerd in the northern Great Barrier Reef. Regularly approach stationary or drifting vessels and may remain with the vessel and swimmers for several hours. They usually surface once for a breath and dive for periods from half a minute to up to twelve minutes. [Minkewhaleproject]

Bubble Release

One spectacular but rare behaviour is when a whale exhales and releases air when still submerged. This could be either:

a bubble trickle , when the whale releases a small trickle of bubbles from its blowholes.
a bubble trail , when the whale releases a trail of bubbles while moving forward. In this case the bubbles may look like a screen or a curtain when passing upwards through the water column.
a bubble blast , when the whale abruptly releases a large amount of air forming a cloud of bubbles. The whale stays submerged and the behaviour is not immediately followed by breathing.

Whales may also occasionally exhale immediately prior to breaking the surface to breathe (a subsurface exhalation ). The released air may form a stream or a cloud of bubbles, depending how fast the whale travels and how rapidly the air is released.[minkewhaleproject]

Jaw gape, gulp, jaw clap

These are rare and very spectacular behaviours.

During a jaw gape , a whale opens its jaws exposing its baleen plates and oral cavity. This behaviour can be displayed on the surface (e.g in combination with a spyhop/headrise) or underwater and can range from the whale flashing its baleen to fully opening its mouth.

A gulp occurs when a whale opens jaws and partly or fully inflates its throat pouch. The whale appears in total control of how much water is entering its oral cavity and to what degree the throat pouch is extended (see Arnold et al. 2005).

A jaw clap occurs when a whale opens its mouth above the surface and its jaws are brought together with a loud crack.[Minkewhaleproject]

Sounds

Grunts, moans and belches which can be heard by snorkelers. Also a distinctive sound with 3 short pulses followed by a slight upsweep. The low frequency sounds can travel great distances underwater and may allow scattered groups of whales to maintain contact over kilometres or tens of kilometres. Minke whales are not known to echolocate but their sounds could be used to detect large objects (e.g. reefs) The vocalisation from Dwarf Minkes is often referred to as “Star wars “ for obvious reasons, listen to this audio below:

Threats to The Dwarf Minke Whale

Because of the DMWs small size they were rarely taken by commercial whalers. Japan wishes to resume hunting the larger Antarctic Minke Whale in in the Southern Oceans. If such whaling were to resume it is likely that Dwarf Minkes would then be at risk also.

The highest threat DMWs face at present is entanglement in fishing, congestion of marine debris/plastics and the ever changing climate change

Swimming with Dwarf Minkes:

We are blessed to be able to take a limited number of guests between a very small window in June and July to swim with these incredibly curious and mysterious whales:

https://www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au/june-july-barrier-reef-tour-2019

These whales are highly inquisitive and often approach snorkelers to within close distances, sometimes interacting for extended periods for many hours on end! Close approaches (3m or less) occur occasionally and are more likely to happen when snorkelers are stationary in the water, holding onto a rope, remaining relatively still and calm.

Very close approaches of 1m or less are rare, but have occurred in longer encounters where the whales’ confidence appeared to have increased, possibly due to the predictability of swimmers' movements.

To learn more about these amazing animals or have the chance to get up close and personal
contact us at www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

You want to take me swimming with Orcas?! Wont they EAT me?!!

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 13:32:04 GMT

Killer whales are not just one species but rather four or more, with each hunting different prey, living in their own kinds of groups, prowling their own unique ranges and speaking in distinct ways, according to new genetic research.

FACT: Orcas are actually not whales at all, but the largest of all dolphins.

The North Pacific have three types of Orca listed below:

Resident orcas eat mostly fish and sometimes squid. They live in large complex groups dubbed pods. Their dorsal fins are rounded at the tip and curved and tapering. Residents are extraordinarily vocal, with patterns complex enough for different dialects between pods.

Transient orcas almost exclusively eat marine mammals, such as seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales, employing highly coordinated tactics to hunt their prey. They generally travel in smaller groups of fewer than 10 killer whales whose bonds are not as permanent as those seen with residents. Their dorsal fins tend to be straighter at the tip. Transients roam widely along the Pacific coast. Transient vocal patterns are less complex and less variable than those of residents.

Offshore orcas are thought to feed primarily on schooling fish, although they might also eat sharks. They live in groups of dozens of animals. They appear physically smaller than residents or transients, and their fins appear more rounded at the tip with multiple nicks on the trailing edge. They travel far from shore. Little is known about their vocal patterns, but they seem to be completely different from those of residents or transients.

In the Oceans surrounding Antartica there are also three different types :

The type-A looks like a typical killer whale, and lives in the open water, feeding mostly on minke whales.

The type-B "pack ice killer whale" is smaller than type-A and dines on seals it knocks off the ice. They have very big oval-shaped eye patches.

The type-C "Ross Sea killer whale," a dwarf species and the smallest of the three known Antarctic types, eats fish found primarily under the ice pack. They have very small eye spots that are more like broad lines instead of ovals.

Swimming with Orcas In Norway:

Luckily for us crazy peeps wanting to swim with Orcas in the freezing Arctic water in the Fjords of Norway... there is good news!

We swim with the very placid and curious Resident Orcas, these Orca eat only Herring and have no interest in adding human to their menu. When you are in the water with the largest of the dolphin family you feel VERY safe. These guys only have eyes for the plentiful herring that gather in these large bait balls throughout the Norwegian Fjords and being in the water with these Majestic Mammals is certainly a privilege to top all bucket lists that you will want to experience again and again.

If you are interested in joining us on the trip of a lifetime to Swim with Orcas, go Dog sledding with Huskies in the back country of Norway, Enjoy a close up cuddle on a Sami Reindeer experience or lay your eyes on the beautiful Northern Lights in Norway then follow this link for more information.

https://www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au/norway

You want to take me swimming with Orcas?! Wont they EAT me?!!

Swimming & Embracing Nature With Whales

10 Orca Facts

Facts you may not have known about Orcas

Top 4 threats to Whales

Plastic, Noise, Climate and Over Fishing

French Fire Cracker Laura Jourdan

The Good the Bad and the Insane...

The Good the Bad and the Insane

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Mads Odgaard

The Blue Whale

What is it about the blue whale that we find so very intriguing?

Majestic Whale Encounters

Founded in 2013 by two sisters Carmen and Sarah...

Terrigal Ocean Tours

Meet our friends at Terrigal Ocean Tours

Live your dreams whatever they may be...

A moving, meaningful soulful experience that will last in your memory forever.

The Good the Bad and the Insane

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Jemima Robinson

Fairytales, myths, legends and fantasy…The Three most Famous Mermaids in History

Sedna, Undines and Atargatis

The Good the Bad and the Insane

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Samantha Hillman

The Good the Bad and the Insane

An interview with 'Ocean Warrior' Aneesh Murray

Will Dolphins ever rule the world?

Dolphins could've become the planet's dominant species if they had hands.

Narwhals – Myths, legends and facts

Monodon Monoceros, which means “One-Toothed Unicorn”

Myth busting swimming with orcas in Norway

I feel like I had been waiting for this moment all my life, and it did not disappoint.

A Three Day Hike in Thongs!

If an Aussie gal can’t hike 40km in flip flops then she can’t consider herself to be a true Aussie.”

Ocean Care with Majestic Whale Encounters

It's important to appreciate how breathtaking nature can be if we took care of it...

Have you wondered what the whales are thinking at the moment?

There is an entire generation of whales that have never known silence...

Dwarf Minke Whales

The rarest animal encounters happen right here in Australia...

Diary of a Whale - Part 2

Swimming with Hoomans

Diary of a Whale

Part 1 - An exciting journey ahead

The Story of Majestic

How did Majestic Whale Encounters come about

Sri Lanka Travel Tips

Discover why it's an up and coming destination you need to explore...

Mermaid Myths & Legends

Here we will explore mermaid myths, legends and modern day stories.

MWE Diversifies into Rwandan Gorilla Trekking

Meet the Woman Paving the Way in Eco-Tourism

Carmen Ellis Eco-Tourism Interview

Interview with Carmen Ellis, Founder of Majestic Whale Encounters

How Eco Tourism Benefits Wildlife Conservation

Seeing wild animals in their own natural habitat

The Top 10 Whale/Animal and Ocean Documentaries

10. A Plastic Ocean

9. Chasing Coral

8. Secrets in the Mist - Dian Fossey

7. Sonic Sea

6. Blue Planet II

5. Born to be Wild

4. Blue

3. Born to Be Free

2. The Cove

1. Blackfish

Whale Myths and Legends

Does our connection to whales run deeper than we thought?

1. Whales in Hawaiian Culture

2. Jonah and The Whale

3. Whales in Maori Tribes

4. Whales in Egypt

5. Orcas in Native American Culture

6. Whales and Aboriginal people

7. Whales and Dolphins are conscious beings

Rurutu

A hidden gem in French Polynesia

Where to go Whale watching and swim with Whales

A comprehensive guide on where to see them!

If an Aussie gal can’t hike 40km in flip flops then
she can’t consider herself to be a true Aussie.”

It's important to appreciate how breathtaking
nature can be if we took care of it...