14 DAY TRIAL // While exploring South America's eastern coast, an undersea specialist appearing in American documentary television series National Geographic Explorer got to come face to face with a mother whale and its calf.
The encounter occurred in the waters off the coast of Argentina's Valdes Peninsula, a region that is currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Luckily for us, this brush between man and marine wildlife was caught on camera.
Footage of the breathtaking moment Justin Hofman got to swim around with the mother whale and its recently born calf was shared with the public this past July 29, and is available below.
In an interview, fragments of which are also included in the video, the undersea specialist explained that, at first, he was a bit scared that the mother whale would not take lightly to his being so close to its offspring.
However, the marine mammal did not show any signs of aggression towards the peculiar two-legged creature invading its territory. In fact, the mother whale was so relaxed all throughout the dive that, at one point, it closed its eyes.
Since the waters off Argentina's Valdes Peninsula constitute a World Heritage site, Justin Hofman had to ask for special permission before diving with whales inhabiting these marine ecosystems.
