This was my very first swim with our little humpback whale buddy who ended up spending so much time with us. I was so excited I could hardly believe I was actually in the water with him — I even kept talking to him like he could understand every word. He circled back again and again, slowing down each time to check me out. There are several incredible close-ups of his eye as he glides past me, and the whale song is so loud you can feel it vibrating through your chest. One of the most beautiful parts of the encounter was his mom, calmly cruising just below us the entire time, patiently waiting while he finished visiting with me. This is one of those unforgettable ocean moments you carry forever. 🌊💙🐋 #HumpbackWhale #WhaleEncounter #SwimmingWithWhales #WhaleSong #OceanMagic #MinervaReef #MarineLife #WhaleWatching #WildlifeMoments #NatureLovers #SailingLife #UnderwaterAdventure #OceanVibes #ExploreTheOcean

This was one of the most incredible whale encounters we’ve ever experienced. While floating in our dinghy near Minerva Reef, a curious juvenile humpback whale swam right up to us — completely unannounced — giving us the closest pass we’ve ever had from a wild whale. I had my Sony camera ready for breaching shots (without the underwater housing!), so I captured the moment from above while Rich grabbed the GoPro for underwater footage. I combined both angles to create this unforgettable clip — the whale gliding past the dinghy, the powerful tail swish, and the crystal-clear underwater view. What makes this encounter even more amazing is that this is the same young whale we swam with later that day. He followed our boat, hung out at the stern, and waited while we geared up to get in the water one at a time. Two other whales stayed deeper in the background, but this little explorer wanted to interact. Fun fact: Juvenile humpback whales are known for being curious and playful. They often approach boats to investigate and can rotate their massive pectoral fins like wings to maneuver gently around humans. This day was easily the best part of our whole season — a rare, magical connection with a wild animal. If you love whales, marine life, diving, or raw ocean encounters, this video is for you. 💙🐋 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more incredible wildlife moments from the reef! #WhaleCameRIGHTToUs #ClosestWhaleEncounterEver #UnexpectedWhaleVisit #WildWhaleTHISClose #InsaneWhaleInteraction #CuriousHumpbackAtTheDinghy #HeSwamStraightTowardUs #CaughtAboveAndBelow #WhaleFollowedOurBoat #PlayfulWhaleSurprise

These brilliantly colored parrotfish were lighting up one of the healthiest reefs I’ve ever seen. 🌈💙 Watching them glide over the coral feels like slipping into a living watercolor painting. Fun fact: Parrotfish sleep at night inside a mucus bubble to hide their scent from predators — nature’s weirdest (and coolest) sleeping bag! 😴🫧 The ocean never stops blowing my mind. 🌊💫 #Parrotfish #ReefLife #UnderwaterWorld #OceanMagic #ScubaDiving #Freediving #HealthyReef #MarineLife #NatureIsAmazing #OceanLove #BluePlanet #inthemoment

Rich captured this incredible moment with the same juvenile whale we both swam with. Watch how he glides in slow and graceful, rolls his body, and even gives a little wave with his pectoral fin. Then suddenly… BOOM — one powerful tail swipe sends a huge cloud of bubbles over Rich! He had to swim off to the left just to see again. At one point, Rich even dives down deeper — and the whale song becomes loud, haunting, and absolutely beautiful. It’s one of those rare moments you feel in your chest. If you look closely, you’ll spot two more humpback whales cruising in the background, keeping their distance but totally aware of what’s happening. This young whale was playful, curious, and full of personality — encounters like this are once-in-a-lifetime. If you love whales, marine life, diving, or ocean cinematography… don’t forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more underwater wildlife videos! #HumpbackWhale #WhaleEncounter #WhaleSong #UnderwaterFootage #OceanWildlife #NatureVideo #Freediving #MarineLife #WhaleWatching #OceanAdventure

Rich was swimming with the same curious young humpback whale that I swam with. He kept approaching until they were literally eye to eye — an absolutely mesmerizing moment. The whale twirled through the water like a graceful ballerina. Juvenile humpback whales are known for their playful and inquisitive behavior, especially when their mothers are close by. His mom was just below us the whole time, calmly watching over her adventurous calf. Seeing that mother-calf bond and their natural behavior up close was truly magical. 💙 🎥 Watch for: 🐋 Eye-to-eye moments with a humpback calf 🌊 Playful whale behavior and mother-calf interaction 💥 The moment I accidentally got smacked by his fin!

Join us for an epic whale encounter as Rich shares an unforgettable moment with a playful juvenile whale! Watch this curious and energetic whale swim through the water like a graceful ballerina, twisting, rolling, and elegantly waving its pectoral fins. With each roll and tail swish, the beauty of these majestic ocean creatures comes to life. Witness the awe-inspiring power and grace of humpback whales up close in this jaw-dropping footage. #WhaleEncounter #JuvenileWhale #HumpbackWhale #OceanAdventure #WildlifeExperience #WhaleWatching #UnderwaterAdventure #MarineLife

I was swimming with a curious young humpback whale when things got a little too close for comfort! He kept approaching until we were literally eye to eye — an absolutely mesmerizing moment. I was so focused on his gaze that I completely lost track of where his massive pectoral fin was… and then boom! I got smacked! It felt like getting hit by concrete — totally accidental, but a powerful reminder of how strong these gentle giants really are. Juvenile humpback whales are known for their playful and inquisitive behavior, especially when their mothers are close by. His mom was just below us the whole time, calmly watching over her adventurous calf. Seeing that mother-calf bond and their natural behavior up close was truly magical. 💙 🎥 Watch for: 🐋 Eye-to-eye moments with a humpback calf 🌊 Playful whale behavior and mother-calf interaction 💥 The moment I accidentally got smacked by his fin!

I came across an octopus out on the reef. Such fascinating creatures to observe.

We saw so many sharks on this dive that we decided to follow them—and they led us straight to a shark den! Tucked away at 75 feet, it’s an incredible (and slightly eerie) spot teeming with life. Mostly grey reef sharks were cruising around, but a few whitetips were hanging out too. It’s one of those places that gives you chills and a huge grin at the same time—absolutely unforgettable.

We've dived this site several times and always noticed a high number of sharks cruising the area. One day, curiosity got the better of us—we decided to follow the direction they were coming from. That’s when we discovered the Shark Den. Tucked away at 75 feet, it’s a fascinating little spot teeming with life. Mostly grey reef sharks gather there, but we’ve also spotted a few curious white tips hanging around. Each time we've visited, we’ve counted anywhere from 10 to 15 sharks gliding through the water—an incredible and humbling sight.

Our Kiwi friends on Loafer were anchored close to us, and had this Tiger shark visit them. They were cleaning some fish when it showed up. They stuck the GoPro in for some cool footage!

A tiger shark was swimming under Loafers boat while they cleaned fish. The shark was not interested in the fish hanging there, but rather came up and bumped the platform the guy is standing on.

I was able to interact with an octopus. I was hoping she would grab my hand but she didn't. However, she did come and sit right next to me.

Some clips from various dives in 2022.

A compilation of several dives at Rabi, Fiji. On some dives the mantas were feeding and on others they were getting cleaned. It was a magical experience being around them. This was in October 2022

Swimming with 2 juvenile humpback whales.

A humpback whale is enjoying himself rolling around at the surface.

These two curious Humpback whales were singing to me! In this clip only 1 of them is singing. See my other clip to hear them both. It sounded like he was talking to me the entire time. At one oint they swim further away and one of them goes vertical and hangs in the water. I have no idea why but he did it. Another magical encounter.

My encounter with these two Humpback whales lasted about 20 minutes. Rich swam out and joined in the fun. He dove down near them and it is something to see how small he looks next to them.

More video swimming with the 2 chatty Humpback whales! You can hear 2 distinct whale songs in the video. One is a high pitched song and the other sounds like an alien, lower toned clicking.