It was three years ago when I embarked on an adventure of a lifetime. I was amongst a group of five people on a boat, journeying to freedive in the deep blue waters off the shore of Lennox Head. As we approached the location, the water appeared beautiful, but the outside temperature was pretty chilly as it was the middle of winter.

We jumped into the water, but the first dive yielded nothing. So, I decided to let myself go deeper into the blue. I felt a sensation of emptiness and freedom at the same time, diving around 20 meters, and still nothing was under the water. But I remained determined, and we decided to venture further to hear the beautiful vocalizations of the whales.

As we swam about 500 meters from the boat, we spent our time freediving and enjoying the blue. Suddenly, after half an hour, we heard the guys from the boat shouting out that a group of whales was headed our way. At that point, we knew we could not leave and had to stay.

As the whales approached us, we could feel our hearts racing with excitement and a hint of fear. The magic happened – a group of five to six whales started to turn around us, like a contemporary underwater ballet. We could not believe if it was true or not. Pods of dolphins were turning around, and majestic whales, with their calves, were playing with us.

These giants could have turned us into a piece of minced meat, but instead, they were the most curious and caring animals we had ever seen. We were in awe of their beauty and gentleness. I managed to take a few shots and record a video of this beautiful experience, which I will always treasure.

This whale encounter was the adventure of a lifetime, an unforgettable experience that reminded me of the magnificence of nature and the importance of preserving it for future generations.