By Mike Madsen
Walking down the inclined road from our shuttle vehicle, I saw a group of trainers ambling toward us, all young, fresh-faced and competent looking young women. A blonde trainer addressed us in a sharp, cockney accent.
“‘’Ello there! ‘Ow are you today?” the trainer we would subsequently be introduced to as Emily barked humorously.
We all chuckled at this initial greeting from the young ladies we would come to know and admire over the next hour. They proceeded to guide us to the buildings where we would put on our wetsuits for our encounter with the gentle giants known as Beluga Whales. After shimmying into our wetsuits, we received instructions on how we would proceed with the encounter. We learned how to approach, when to touch, and when not to touch the Beluga, which are all rules designed to keep ourselves and the Beluga safe.
Anticipation was palpable when we were finally allowed to enter the aquatic facility. Soon enough we were in the water, trainers guiding us and experiencing the wonder of getting up close and personal with these incredible beings from the North. They are such gentle, intelligent creatures, and actually swimming with the Beluga was magical. We fed the whales and the trainers showed us what hand signals and training maneuvers would prompt the whales to complete tasks around the tank, calling upon the relationships they’ve established over time.
Overall our Beluga encounter was a surreal and wonderful experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone, young and old, who would want to see and feel the wonder of swimming with Beluga whales. You will be humbled. You will learn a copious amount about the whales themselves and their natural habitat in the cold, dark waters of the Arctic. It’s no surprise that we came away with a great sense of wonder at the lives of these fascinating, affable beings.