How to Approach Whales: Creating the Conditions for Magic

There’s a quiet art to approaching whales. One that begins not with movement, but with restraint. With patience. With the understanding that what unfolds in these waters isn’t something you take—it’s something the animal gives.

And when it does, it’s unforgettable.

Let Them Approach You

The best encounters are not the ones we chase; they are the ones we’re invited into. That’s why the foundation of any respectful whale interaction is this: let the animal come to you. If you swim after them, especially quickly or from underneath, you’re sending the wrong signal. To the whale, this isn’t curiosity, it’s pursuit. And pursuit looks a lot like predation.

Even though a whale may recognize that we’re not dangerous, its nervous system can still react as if we are. The instinct to flee or avoid is deeply hardwired. We’re not just animals to them; we’re unfamiliar animals. And that matters.

A curious Southern Right Whales gets up close to the photographer

Think Like a Whale

Imagine walking alone at night and seeing someone approaching. You know, logically, they’re probably just going home like you. But your body still tenses. Your breath shortens. Your brain runs through scenarios. You don’t want to feel on edge, but you do. That’s your own primal instinct kicking in.

It’s likely that whales experience something similar. Even if they’ve seen humans before, when someone suddenly dives beneath them or swims in erratic ways, they can’t help but respond. Their physiology kicks into alert. Curiosity turns into caution. Connection becomes avoidance.

Your Guide Sets the Tone

This is why your guide matters more than any camera setting or freediving skill. The guide is the one who reads the moment, who knows when to move and when to hold still. Who understands how to position the group so the whale has the best possible chance of feeling safe enough to come closer on its own terms.

After a decade of doing this, I can guarantee one thing: we don’t control what the animal will give us. What we control is how much of that moment we’re ready to receive. And that readiness begins with how we behave in the water.

When whales are relaxed, when their body language says, “I’m curious,” we must not answer with noise, splashes, or freediving. Instead, we bunch up calmly. We minimize movement. We quiet our fins and our breath. We create a stillness that whales recognize as safe. And in that stillness, something amazing can happen.

They might choose to come close. To circle. To stay.

They might decide on their terms to give you a moment that stays with you for life.

A client placed in perfect position by our guides, maximizing both the whales trust, and the potential to get the shot

You Can't Demand a Moment—You Can Only Receive It

There’s a temptation to try and engineer these encounters. To get closer. To do more. But wild animals don’t work that way. Trust is earned, not forced. You’ll never take more from a whale than it wants to give.

We approach every interaction with a first-principles mindset: What can I do to maximize what this animal might want to offer me? What creates the best chance for curiosity, for connection, for wonder?

 Instagram might tell us otherwise, where animals and freedivers seem to be sharing space effortlessly. But, we don’t see the aftermath!  And that’s where the rubber meets the road. We’ve seen it time and time again in the field: inexperienced guides with a flair for social media get their one perfect shot… and scare the animals away.

​​Was that the final shot anyone got that day? Who knows. But my money’s on: probably.

Sometimes, the answer is simple. Less is more. We’re not interested in one good moment at the expense of the whole day—or the whole week.

We’re not interested in one good moment at the expense of the whole day—or the whole week. We’re here to stack the odds in favor of real, meaningful moments.

Let your guide lead. Let the whale decide. 

And you’ll never forget it.