I have had the privilege of swimming with sperm whales many times. From the Azores to Sri Lanka, I've encountered these majestic creatures, but always from a distance. What I truly yearned for was to witness a herd of sperm whales up close, to observe their skin and their active interactions.
And finally, that dream came true on the tiny island of Mauritius, Southeast Africa. The experience was nothing short of incredible, as I found myself face-to-face with these giants in their natural habitat, emerging from the ocean abyss.
Witnessing their socialization was one of the most fascinating phenomena. They rubbed, caressed, played, and even sorted things out among themselves. It was intriguing to see the traces of their encounters on their massive heads – pieces of shed skin and deep scratches from their kin's teeth.
Such interactions leave marks on the massive heads of sperm whales - pieces of shed skin and deep scratches from the teeth of their kin.
For me, it's fascinating that you can learn a whale's lifetime story through the imprints on its skin and discover what they have encountered in their life.
For instance, on this particular whale's skin, one can also see marks from the suckers of giant squids - the primary prey of sperm whales, for which they dive into the pitch-black depths of the ocean.
Within groups of whales, I often encountered mothers with their young, though calling them "young" is relative for beings of about 4 meters in size. These young whales displayed their curiosity and energy, but whenever the mothers grew wary, they obediently followed them to safety in the depths.
During one encounter, I was blessed to witness an intimate moment of a calf nursing from its mother. A remarkable feature of this giant's nursing process is that the calf stimulates the mother's nipple with its mouth, causing her to release milk into the water, which the calf can then drink directly.
Yet, the most touching moment of all was when my daughter, Liza, experienced her first underwater encounter with a whale. Seeing her eyes light up was my highlight of the trip – the whales will understand if they aren't the top favorite!
We observed their active socialization for several days, but their behavior suddenly changed. The local fishermen informed us that the dominant male, whom they call «Papa Cachalote» had entered the area. When I saw him underwater, I understood why. Nearly 20 meters long, he was twice the size of any we had seen before. His age showed in the whitish skin adorned with numerous scars, reminding me of the story of "Moby Dick."
On the last day, an unusual incident occurred. We noticed a young sperm whale struggling at the surface. Upon entering the water, we saw a large plastic bag sticking out from under its fin. The whale was frantically moving from side to side, trying to get rid of it - as we thought. We attempted to pull the bag away, but a fellow swimmer, already in the water, stopped us, explaining that the whale had intentionally grabbed the bag floating in the sea and was simply playing with it. The young whale swam away with the bag, and we couldn't determine whether it released the bag or swallowed it, possibly endangering its life. Regardless, it reminded me of the importance of not leaving such objects in the ocean.
The journey to Mauritius Island blessed me with unforgettable encounters. Swimming alongside these giants in their natural habitat was a humbling and awe-inspiring experience that I will cherish forever.
