By oceana 
This article can be read in about 5 minutes.
I would like to meet whales in the sea someday.
There must be many divers who would like to meet whales in the ocean someday.
I am one of them. I recently watched “Avatar” and have been thinking about whales. Just the other day, I received an image of a whale. It was a never-before-seen image of a humpback whale swimming slowly around a group of divers, holding its breath many times before returning. It was taken by a diver who had encountered a humpback whale while diving in Kerama. The whale stayed there for about 10 minutes without running away.
We were able to ask Chikako Hara, a guide at the diving store Naha Sea Marine, and Makoto Nakamura, the captain of Naha Sea Marine’s Ariel, who were operating the boat, about what happened during the filming, and would like to report the whole story.
When we called, it appeared!
Replying to the whale’s cry
suika: When and where did you encounter the humpback whales?
Mr. Hara.: It was the end of the first dive on the morning of February 13, so it was about 8:40am. The location is a point called “Uchizan Reef” in Kerama.
suika: Could you tell us more about how you met?
Mr Nakamura: There were two guests that day, so the three of us were in the water with Mr. Hara as our guide.
Mr Hara: We entered, looked at the main root, played around where manta rays might appear, and were heading for the offshore root when I heard a whale’s cry “wow”. So, I’m a little embarrassed to tell you this, but I was also returning that call with a “wow”.
suika: You were replying (laughs).
Mr. Hara: Yes (laughs). I was replying the whole time I was moving from root to root, and after about a minute I couldn’t hear it anymore, so I was waiting near the root to see the spiny moray eel, and I heard a scream from a guest who didn’t have a camera.
Humpback whales swimming close to divers for 10 minutes
Mr. Hara: Then I looked at the guests and saw a 5-meter humpback whale lined up around the root with them. They suddenly started swimming, circling, coming back to the surface, and stopping for neutral buoyancy. Sometimes they approached us from the front and stopped, sometimes they came as close as 1 meter away.
suika: I didn’t know that was possible..! How long did you stay there?
Mr. Hara: He stayed there for about 10 minutes. I thought he was going to leave, but then he came back. I had enough time to try to take a selfie with the whale (laughs).
suika: I envy you. How did you feel at that time, Mr. Hara?
Mr. Hara: It was a dream world. I was so close that I could clearly see my eyes, facial muscles, and even the barnacles on my body. One of the guests said, “It was like an avatar. I felt as if the whales were staring at us too.
suika: Have you ever encountered humpback whales while diving before?
Mr. Hara: I have been diving for about 25 years, but this was the first time.
suika: Humpback whales come to the Kerama area this time of year, but have there been many sightings while diving?
Mr. Nakamura: Recently, I heard that some people saw humpback whales while diving at Uchizan Reef last year and about three years ago. However, they were passing by in the distance, so it is difficult to hear that they came as close as they did this time.
suika: I thought it might be a little dangerous, but what should I do if I meet a whale while diving?
Mr. Hara: Yes, I think so. Actually, I thought it would be safer not to do anything, so I stopped still near the root and watched. I was also careful not to bump into them so that they wouldn’t kick me, but I just watched them.
suika: Maybe the whales knew that the divers were not doing anything and swam around them. If you don’t mind, could you give a few words to those who are going to dive in Okinawa in the future?
Mr. Nakamura: There are other ways to see whales, such as whale swimming and watching, but I hear that every year one or two people see whales while diving. If you go back many times during this season, you may be able to see such a dreamlike moment.
Mr. Hara: I have been diving around Kerama for about 25 years, and I have seen manta rays, whale sharks, and dolphins. You never know what you will see in Kerama, so I think it is a sea of real possibilities. Please come visit us.
suika: Thank you very much.
You can never predict at all what you will encounter in the sea. The Kerama area, one of the most popular areas in Okinawa, has the fun of not knowing what kind of creatures you will encounter. Among them, humpback whales come to breed in this winter season, so perhaps you can have such a dreamlike experience.Interview supported by Naha Sea Marine