Wild Encounters for Marine Wildlife Lovers
You’re swimming just off the shore of Hawaii. All around you are myriad tropical fish weaving their way amongst the coral. Suddenly, the creature you have been waiting to see passes right by you: a giant manta ray, its 5m-wide body gliding effortlessly through the water. It may be a member of the shark family, but this beautiful creature is gentle and your spine tingles out of awe rather than fear. The ray is equally unconcerned by your presence and languidly continues on its way…
If you’re anything like me, you love to exercise your sea legs once in a while. And I don’t mean dipping a toe in before flopping back on the sunlounger. I mean proper diving and getting up close and personal with the world’s most incredible marine life. So grab your wetsuit, fix yourself up with a rugged underwater camera and experience these wild encounters.
Manta Rays in Hawaii
Whether it’s their sheer size or immense grace, manta rays are one of the ocean’s most remarkable inhabitants. If you’re dead set on a close encounter, travel to Garden Eel Cove in Hawaii. When darkness falls, a strong light box is lowered into the water from a boat – the light attracts plankton up from the depths, and dozens of rays (which feed primarily on plankton) are then lured in. They’re not shy, so they’ll be feeding within inches of you!
Killer Whales in Norway
They may always be the villains of wildlife documentaries, but don’t let that stop you from swimming with killer whales. Take a deep breath and plunge into the cold Norwegian sea. Instantly you spot that unmissable splash of white on black; you breathe hard from the shock of the water and being so close to these giants – you are truly a small fish in a big pond. As for the killer whales, they continue hunting herring, in full knowledge that they are the kings of the ocean.
Green Anacondas in Brazil
I imagine 50% of you reading this are going to skip the following paragraph. That’s fair enough, it’s hard not to have a strong opinion on snakes. But for the rest of you, how does the idea of swimming with a green anaconda sound? The wetlands of the Bonito region in Brazil are home to these enormous serpents, which can grow up to 20ft long and lurk in the muddy river bottom waiting for their next meal. The closer you get the more you’ll appreciate the size of these monsters. How close do you dare to go?
Wolf Eels in British Columbia
They may look slightly comical at first sight – like a grumpy old man perhaps – but Wolf Eels are not to be messed with. Your fingers could easily be mistaken for a fish, and their front teeth are exceptionally sharp. Keep your distance though and when they’re accustomed to your presence they may leave their den to come say hello. Once you’re rubbing noses with each other it’s hard not to fall in love with these weird but wonderful 10-foot critters.
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