Goose Bumps?

Eric (Son) is visiting Kvænangen, Norway to swim with the whales. (Water temperature: 42 F.)

Eric shot this unedited video while swimming with Fin Whales, the 2nd largest whales species on Earth. Video shows 2 of 10 Fin Whales that “were cleaning up a bait ball of herring formed by Orcas.”

Fin Whales Key Facts:

  • Weight: 40-80 Tons
  • Length: 75-85 Feet
  • Lifespan: 80-90 years
  • Threats: Climate change, Entanglement in fishing gear, Lack of prey due to overfishing, Ocean noise, Vessel strikes

Find more of Eric Kanigan’s gems here.

42 thoughts on “Goose Bumps?”

  1. WOWWOWWOW!!!! Full stop – or full exclamation point! I swear this is a family full of talent – it’s really extraordinary. What made him choose swimming with whales as an intriguing thing to do on a quiet week? Seriously, please tell him of those of us who were literally awed by his find…

      1. I’m right there with you…a landlubber with no notable talents, save for putting two feet in front of the other. Your son is amazing..

  2. I know they’re baleen whales, but I still wouldn’t want to be accidentally ingested and strained through a whale’s “sieve” (even if it did decide to spit me out). Swimming with whales is not for me, especially when the water is so cold, but I’m sure this is an experience Eric won’t forget in a hurry.

  3. This, of course, leads Paul the geek to do a quick Google of hypothermia. I’m sure your son was playing it very safe, and that’s a darn good thing!

    From Scientific American:
    “Generally, a person can survive in 41-degree F (5-degree C) water for 10, 15 or 20 minutes before the muscles get weak, you lose coordination and strength, which happens because the blood moves away from the extremities and toward the center, or core, of the body.” (and then very bad things happen). I am intrigued that there is such a wide “window of time” (10 to 20 minutes). No doubt many physical factors make that possible.

    Completely ignoring that…
    GOOD FOR HIM!

    (With the few exceptions of adrenaline junkies who climb Mount Everest early in middle age…)

    YOU ARE ONLY THAT YOUNG AND FEARLESS FOR A CERTAIN WINDOW OF TIME IN YOUR LIFE! It’s a good time to (safely) go for it!

    I am no longer thrilled to walk to my mailbox in 40° weather lol.

      1. Re: hockey tape lol. I was banned from #TEAMWALLY once (an accident as I didn’t know where “the line” was)…

        I really love this group of wonderful people and I don’t want to get in trouble!

        So if I get close to “the line” again, please warn me before I screw up! 🙂

      2. RE hockey tape… Laughing…

        PLEASE Dave!!! I was banned from #TEAMWALLY once because (in my defense) I didn’t know I had “crossed a line”. Honestly it made me quite sad, even though the tone was lighthearted.

        I love this blog and these wonderful people! Thanks to your posts, incredibly enjoyable conversations by highly intelligent participants (except me 🙂 often result!

        Please give me advanced warning if I get close to “the line” again! (I suppose that’s hard to do.) I NEVER want to be thrown into “Live & Learn solitary confinement” again! As I said, I love it here, and I love y’all!

        This blog is like a “safe little paradise!”, and I am incredibly grateful for the work you put into it, and for the wonderful conversations that result from that work!

        As for the occasional “snarky remarks” that appear from time to time, that’s just icing on the cake!

        Cheers! –Paul

  4. Wow, how cool is this?! Thrilled that Eric is adding this amazing experience to his repertoire. Isn’t it amazing how effortlessly these enormous creatures glide through the water? Certain that this is a memory that will forever be imprinted on Eric’s mind, video or not (though the video is damn cool…admittedly NOT as cool as the water.Holy goosebumps, Batman!)

  5. SO FREAKING COOL!! I used to do a bit of deepwater ocean swimming when we lived in HI. Heard humpbacks and their clicks and groans – such beautiful and mystical experiences. Thanks for sharing!

      1. I hope you got my other comments to other threads – because this keeps taking me to your site. 🙄 What I said was in essence was i hope not, but am reasonable enough to think you may be right. 😉

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