There’s been a recent cluster of shark bites in Australia which has been scary for beach goers & tragic for those involved. My heart goes out to any victims first & foremost. It’s always important to look at these events objectively while still feeling sympathy for those affected. Even with this short-term spike, shark attacks are still extremely rare in the context of the number of people who use the ocean every year. Historically, Australia averages about ~20 bites per year with fewer than 3 fatal incidents annually & people are far more likely to suffer injuries from everyday activities than from sharks. Shark bites are usually from something called mistaken identity as they accidentally assume we are a natural food source like a seal or turtle. Sharks don’t look at humans as food which is why they typically bite once then swim away. They are just trying to hunt & survive in the ocean as nature intended. Please don’t demonize sharks for running off their natural instincts while still empathizing with victims & their families. 💙🦈 A few snaps from @elizabethsides 📸
2016 ✨ I’m not sure why we have decided to post photos from 10 years ago but I love it! 2016 was such a transformative & impactful year for me & I doubt I realized it at the time. I met my husband that year, was working swimming with sharks & diving every day, was back in school for the marine options program, traveled to Tonga, & visited Hawaii island where I already knew my future was going to be. 🌋 While on the Big Island we discussed our future & it entailed having a border collie/aussie mix & owning a snorkeling tour company. (👀 @mako_the_aussiecollie & @kaimanaoceansafari)! It’s pretty mind blowing to witness our dreams come true & manifest how they have! I’ve been reflecting a lot on the last 10 years because next month @camgrantphotography & I will travel to the Maldives to celebrate 10 years of knowing & loving each other! It’s amazing what 10 years can do & what you can accomplish. Our faces have more smile lines, our photos are a bit sharper, & our bed time is a bit earlier… but it’s still life beyond our wildest dreams 💫
Whale season is finally in full swing here @kaimanaoceansafari on the big island! It felt like the slowest start & we all had to be so patient but the whales are here & have been friendly! These two mugged several boats the other day & I was able to get these shots dipped over the side of the boat! 🐋 Can’t wait to see what the rest of the season will bring!
A moment of “I can’t believe what I’m witnessing!” 😍🐳 I have always wanted to see the whales vertically sleeping but wasn’t sure I’d ever get the opportunity! On this last trip with @kaimana.expeditions we got to see this behavior many times! It felt amazing that the whales were comfortable with us enough to rest with us! I live for these moments when your heart is bursting out of your chest! 💓 Love these photos by @tarashay_ ✨
It had been some time since I’ve been blessed with a whale shark. Probably over a year. Which is a long time for someone that spends nearly every day on the ocean. This beautiful creature graced us with 2 days of magic! I love this shot @camgrantphotography got of me really showing how they dwarf us in size. ✨ Thank you, thank you, thank you mama ocean! 🌊 @kaimanaoceansafari
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 🙌🏼
Mermaid.Kayleigh
Mermaid.Kayleigh
There’s been a recent cluster of shark bites in Australia which has been scary for beach goers & tragic for those involved. My heart goes out to any victims first & foremost. It’s always important to look at these events objectively while still feeling sympathy for those affected. Even with this short-term spike, shark attacks are still extremely rare in the context of the number of people who use the ocean every year. Historically, Australia averages about ~20 bites per year with fewer than 3 fatal incidents annually & people are far more likely to suffer injuries from everyday activities than from sharks. Shark bites are usually from something called mistaken identity as they accidentally assume we are a natural food source like a seal or turtle. Sharks don’t look at humans as food which is why they typically bite once then swim away. They are just trying to hunt & survive in the ocean as nature intended. Please don’t demonize sharks for running off their natural instincts while still empathizing with victims & their families. 💙🦈 A few snaps from @elizabethsides 📸
#tigershark #savesharks #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #ocean
1 day ago | [YT] | 318
View 9 replies
Mermaid.Kayleigh
2016 ✨ I’m not sure why we have decided to post photos from 10 years ago but I love it! 2016 was such a transformative & impactful year for me & I doubt I realized it at the time. I met my husband that year, was working swimming with sharks & diving every day, was back in school for the marine options program, traveled to Tonga, & visited Hawaii island where I already knew my future was going to be. 🌋 While on the Big Island we discussed our future & it entailed having a border collie/aussie mix & owning a snorkeling tour company. (👀 @mako_the_aussiecollie & @kaimanaoceansafari)! It’s pretty mind blowing to witness our dreams come true & manifest how they have! I’ve been reflecting a lot on the last 10 years because next month @camgrantphotography & I will travel to the Maldives to celebrate 10 years of knowing & loving each other! It’s amazing what 10 years can do & what you can accomplish. Our faces have more smile lines, our photos are a bit sharper, & our bed time is a bit earlier… but it’s still life beyond our wildest dreams 💫
#2016 #memorylane #diving #ocean #throwback
5 days ago | [YT] | 433
View 9 replies
Mermaid.Kayleigh
Whale season is finally in full swing here @kaimanaoceansafari on the big island! It felt like the slowest start & we all had to be so patient but the whales are here & have been friendly! These two mugged several boats the other day & I was able to get these shots dipped over the side of the boat! 🐋 Can’t wait to see what the rest of the season will bring!
#whalewatch #humpbackwhale #kona #hawaii #kailuakona
1 week ago | [YT] | 266
View 3 replies
Mermaid.Kayleigh
A moment of “I can’t believe what I’m witnessing!” 😍🐳 I have always wanted to see the whales vertically sleeping but wasn’t sure I’d ever get the opportunity! On this last trip with @kaimana.expeditions we got to see this behavior many times! It felt amazing that the whales were comfortable with us enough to rest with us! I live for these moments when your heart is bursting out of your chest! 💓 Love these photos by @tarashay_ ✨
#spermwhale #whalewatch #swimwithwhales #dominica #ocean
1 week ago | [YT] | 667
View 17 replies
Mermaid.Kayleigh
It had been some time since I’ve been blessed with a whale shark. Probably over a year. Which is a long time for someone that spends nearly every day on the ocean. This beautiful creature graced us with 2 days of magic! I love this shot @camgrantphotography got of me really showing how they dwarf us in size. ✨ Thank you, thank you, thank you mama ocean! 🌊 @kaimanaoceansafari
#whaleshark #hawaii #savesharks #underwaterphotographer #sharkdiver
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 163
View 1 reply
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
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 198
View 3 replies
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
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 212
View 8 replies
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
1 month ago | [YT] | 162
View 4 replies
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
1 month ago | [YT] | 213
View 2 replies
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
2 months ago | [YT] | 228
View 3 replies
Load more