Whale Attacks Snorkler

[gomi_otaku]

I think most countries have regulation of these activities, and most prohibit the use of scuba gear during whale encounters. I think the rational is that a snorkeler cannot pursue an animal underwater. (they must not know about freediving)
gomi_

I think a swimmer on the surface snorkelling has much less control of his position in the water than a scuba diver who can avoid surface wave action and swells to a much larger extent. A diver could approach in relatively calm water at a depth of 15 or 20 feet to observe from a distance comfortable for the whale.

Watching this closely is probably just not a safe snorkelling activity.

 

[Diver Dad]

You know what they say, Sometimes stupid hurts!!! Why were they not charged? isn't that illegal? I think there's a name for it, "molesting wildlife" I think

 

[haha49]

ive seen dumber people going up to take pictures of wild animals walking between the mother grizzlsey and its cub.. and man you do that your a dead man.. ive seen people do it with elk deer big horn sheep buffalo.. and ive even seen a person in a car looking straight at the buffalo and the buffalo just fliped his car likes its nothing the key is dont touch dont get too close keep your distanste from all wild animals.. they will hurt you if they feel threatend and expecally if young is inovlded it just makes them more cazy

 

[Gombessa]

Luckily this was a whale, and not in the US. If this were in Yellowstone and it was a bear, or an Elk, the animal would have been shot for being "aggressive"
gomi_

That's not a fair assessment. Maybe if the coast guard shot the whale for repeatedly entering a harbor and breaking into moored yachts to carry off picnic coolers.

But I doubt a grizzly bear family would have to worry about park rangers capping them because some errant hiker broke into their wilderness cave while they were sleeping and touched the cubs.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

1 simple rule I tell my students, "If it's really pretty, really big, or really ugly, it WILL HURT YOU!"

That tends to keep them away from stingrays, lionfish and Scorpionfish. But sometimes you just can't fix stupid!

Maybe the whale was just trying to flush the gene pool...

Cheers

Mike

 

[SparticleBrane]

Too bad I can't invest in Stupid...it appears to be on the rise. I'd probably be a billionaire by now.

 

[drbill]

No time to read the entire thread, but I hope it has been said already... no one should approach a mother with young of any species so closely. This is not a whale "attack," this is a mother protecting her young. I saw the snorkeler involved on a Today Show Interview or news story and he acknowledged he was too close from what I heard.

We always give briefings about staying a respectful distance when I work boats involving snorkelers or divers in the water with whales.

 

[Cacia]

We always give briefings about staying a respectful distance

he he...well, I was on the ascent line at about 60 ft, and a 45 ft whale approached me and hung with me, breeching and splashing and got about 12 ft from me. I waited and waited and burned thought 1000 psi. Finally I had to make my way to the surface to get back on the boat. The displacement of the water as he leaped all around me was tremendous, I will never forget it. The soulful eye never left me, and I was starting to worry he thought I was whale.

 

[bigmak]

Video Clip
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Science/story?id=2942052&page=1

 

[SparticleBrane]

The soulful eye never left me, and I was starting to worry he thought I was whale.

Was he giving you..."The look"?!
It goes something like this: