What an insane ocean year for me! Huge mahalo to everyone that was there to experience these magical moments with me. It feels like my calling & purpose to help people experience the magic of the ocean & facilitate it in a way that’s also respectful to the wildlife we observe. That is a tall order these days with more & more people having an expectation for encounters but we have a responsibility to these animals & I’ll continue to try my best! Looking back on another year in the books it makes me feel a bit sad. These are moments I’ll never get back & they mean so much to me. Hopefully, it just means I’m making room for new special, magical moments to unfold. I never want this life to end. ✨ I hope you’re out there chasing your dreams as fast & hard as you can because as far as we know… we only get one. Happy new year all 💥
On our last expedition day @kaimana.expeditions we were blessed with an amazing couple of hours hanging out with 2 mom & calf pairs as they rested & nursed. 🐳🥰 We slid in the water gently & quietly, not splashing, chasing or diving down, showing mom we are not a threat. She went vertical in the water to rest & allowed baby to nurse right in front of us. To my utter shock another mom & calf pair came to join in this amazing tender moment & began to do the same behavior! It felt so special that they allowed us to witness this special moment between mom & baby. When the calf was ready to nurse, it would snuggle & rub up to mom to let her know. Instead of latching like land mammals, a calf slides its long, narrow lower jaw into a groove near mom’s mammary slit. This helps stimulate milk release while creating a partial seal in the water. Mom’s milk is extremely thick & high-fat, so it doesn’t wash away. As the calf pumps its jaw & tongue the milk flows directly into its mouth. The photo quality isn’t the best as I didn’t want to dive down closer to disrupt the behavior or intrude on their moment but I’m glad I was able to capture something! Super grateful for my new @sonyalpha from @kehcamera I was able to get a decent shot from a distance. I feel so lucky for these moments in the ocean & for having the best guests on my expeditions that always put the animals well being before photos or interactions. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 🙏🏼 (Photos taken under government permit)
Tiger shark spotted at the all you can eat whale blubber buffet. 👀🦈 Scavenging like this helps return vital nutrients back into the ecosystem, fueling life from the surface all the way to the seafloor. I was lucky enough to spend hours with this chunk of blubber & the many sharks that fed on it. It was fascinating to see the chunk get smaller & smaller while their bellies got bigger & bigger. When we first saw the blubber it was larger & floating at the surface but when we left it that evening it was almost devoured & subsurface. The sharks behavior went from in your face feeding to lethargic & slow. Such a blessing to be able to witness nature in its raw forms. Days like this make it all worth it. ⚡️🦈🤯 @kaimanaoceansafari
If you have a dream, I beg you to chase it relentlessly. Because we only get one shot at this wild life.⚡️ Don’t settle. Photos by @camgrantphotography 🙌🏼
A few snaps from the recent Tiger shark feeding event. 🍽️ It always amazes me how polite these predators can be while feeding near one another. Rarely do they feed at the same time, bump into one another, or act aggressively toward each other or us as the observers. They were very happy & full munching on their chunk of whale but every once in a while we would give them a gentle redirection. 🦈 Photos by @divewithdevoni 📸 Kaimana Ocean Safari
Sunday morning shark thoughts.🦈💭Sharks are vital to healthy oceans. They control prey populations, keep ecosystems balanced, & leave us in awe with the ocean’s power & beauty. We should respect them with a healthy, not irrational fear. Photos by @mathiasvanasch of a very special day at sea.⚡️
Mermaid.Kayleigh
Mermaid.Kayleigh
What an insane ocean year for me! Huge mahalo to everyone that was there to experience these magical moments with me. It feels like my calling & purpose to help people experience the magic of the ocean & facilitate it in a way that’s also respectful to the wildlife we observe. That is a tall order these days with more & more people having an expectation for encounters but we have a responsibility to these animals & I’ll continue to try my best! Looking back on another year in the books it makes me feel a bit sad. These are moments I’ll never get back & they mean so much to me. Hopefully, it just means I’m making room for new special, magical moments to unfold. I never want this life to end. ✨ I hope you’re out there chasing your dreams as fast & hard as you can because as far as we know… we only get one. Happy new year all 💥
#ocean #travel #underwaterphotograhy #diver #diving
11 hours ago | [YT] | 73
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
On our last expedition day @kaimana.expeditions we were blessed with an amazing couple of hours hanging out with 2 mom & calf pairs as they rested & nursed. 🐳🥰 We slid in the water gently & quietly, not splashing, chasing or diving down, showing mom we are not a threat. She went vertical in the water to rest & allowed baby to nurse right in front of us. To my utter shock another mom & calf pair came to join in this amazing tender moment & began to do the same behavior! It felt so special that they allowed us to witness this special moment between mom & baby. When the calf was ready to nurse, it would snuggle & rub up to mom to let her know. Instead of latching like land mammals, a calf slides its long, narrow lower jaw into a groove near mom’s mammary slit. This helps stimulate milk release while creating a partial seal in the water. Mom’s milk is extremely thick & high-fat, so it doesn’t wash away. As the calf pumps its jaw & tongue the milk flows directly into its mouth. The photo quality isn’t the best as I didn’t want to dive down closer to disrupt the behavior or intrude on their moment but I’m glad I was able to capture something! Super grateful for my new @sonyalpha from @kehcamera I was able to get a decent shot from a distance. I feel so lucky for these moments in the ocean & for having the best guests on my expeditions that always put the animals well being before photos or interactions. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 🙏🏼 (Photos taken under government permit)
#swimwithwhales #ocean #snorkeling #underwaterphotgraphy #whalewatching
1 week ago | [YT] | 211
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
Join me for a trip of a lifetime in Norway January 2027!! DM me for details! Hope to see you there!! 🖤🤍
#norway #liveaboard #orca #whales #ocean #arctic
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 162
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
Tiger shark spotted at the all you can eat whale blubber buffet. 👀🦈 Scavenging like this helps return vital nutrients back into the ecosystem, fueling life from the surface all the way to the seafloor. I was lucky enough to spend hours with this chunk of blubber & the many sharks that fed on it. It was fascinating to see the chunk get smaller & smaller while their bellies got bigger & bigger. When we first saw the blubber it was larger & floating at the surface but when we left it that evening it was almost devoured & subsurface. The sharks behavior went from in your face feeding to lethargic & slow. Such a blessing to be able to witness nature in its raw forms. Days like this make it all worth it. ⚡️🦈🤯 @kaimanaoceansafari
#tigershark #whale #hawaii #kona #ocean #underwaterphotgraphy
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 213
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
If you have a dream, I beg you to chase it relentlessly. Because we only get one shot at this wild life.⚡️ Don’t settle. Photos by @camgrantphotography 🙌🏼
#underwaterphotgraphy #whales #sharks #dolphins #ocean #diving
1 month ago | [YT] | 228
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
A few snaps from the recent Tiger shark feeding event. 🍽️ It always amazes me how polite these predators can be while feeding near one another. Rarely do they feed at the same time, bump into one another, or act aggressively toward each other or us as the observers. They were very happy & full munching on their chunk of whale but every once in a while we would give them a gentle redirection. 🦈 Photos by @divewithdevoni 📸 Kaimana Ocean Safari
#tigersharks #sharkdiver #savesharks #sharks #ocean
1 month ago | [YT] | 125
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
New chapter loading …. ✨
Photos by @tarashay_ 📸
#southpacific #tonga #portrait #ocean #life
1 month ago | [YT] | 65
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
Don’t wake me up 😴🐋💭✨
@camgrantphotography @kaimana.expeditions
#whales #humpbackwhale #swimwithwhales #southpacific #frenchpolynesia
2 months ago | [YT] | 135
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
Sunday morning shark thoughts.🦈💭Sharks are vital to healthy oceans. They control prey populations, keep ecosystems balanced, & leave us in awe with the ocean’s power & beauty. We should respect them with a healthy, not irrational fear. Photos by @mathiasvanasch of a very special day at sea.⚡️
#tigershark #savesharks #ocean #hawaii #sharkdiving #sharkdiver
2 months ago | [YT] | 163
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Mermaid.Kayleigh
Be with someone who makes your heart inflate 🐡💋🐡 Photo by @camgrantphotography
#Porcupinefish #pufferfish #ocean #kiss #underwaterphotography
3 months ago | [YT] | 120
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