VIDEO: Divers swim with whale off Norway
Richard Orange - [email protected]
Published: 15 Aug, 2013 CET.
Updated: Thu 15 Aug 2013 10:16 CET
Two intrepid Norwegian free divers swum for two hours underwater next to the whale which strayed into a bay near Bergen last week, shooting some amazing video footage.
"It was absolutely insane, a massive experience. I'm sort of humble and filled with awe," Frode Nilsen told TV2. The two men drove out to the site on Monday, a day before the whale was herded back to the open sea, and slipped into the water wearing wetsuits, flippers and goggles. One of the divers, Anders Ropeid, 36, had past experience of swimming with whales, and knew how to avoid alarming the animal by diving with oxygen tank and being extremely calm. "We took it very quietly and made little sound," says Nilsen, 32. "He came close to us several times, but as he approached he slowed down." The two divers swum around the whale for two hours. At one point there were only a few metres separating them from the massive beast.
Freediving with Whale from FRIDYKKERLOSJEN on Vimeo.
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"It was absolutely insane, a massive experience. I'm sort of humble and filled with awe," Frode Nilsen told TV2.
The two men drove out to the site on Monday, a day before the whale was herded back to the open sea, and slipped into the water wearing wetsuits, flippers and goggles.
One of the divers, Anders Ropeid, 36, had past experience of swimming with whales, and knew how to avoid alarming the animal by diving with oxygen tank and being extremely calm.
"We took it very quietly and made little sound," says Nilsen, 32. "He came close to us several times, but as he approached he slowed down."
The two divers swum around the whale for two hours. At one point there were only a few metres separating them from the massive beast.
Freediving with Whale from FRIDYKKERLOSJEN on Vimeo.
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