telegraph.co.uk
Whaleman Duncan Murrell paddles his kayak close to humpback whales.
Duncan, 56, originally from Paignton, Devon, said: "I could not have chosen a more demanding and challenging subject to photograph than the whales. They are submerged for the majority of the time so I can never be sure where they will surface next, so it became a game of intuition and instinct, and the objective was to somehow conserve my energy as I tracked them back and forth" .
"Over the years I developed a strong connection with the whales and my paddling stamina increased in keeping with my hunger for more encounters so that I was paddling as many as 30 miles a day to keep up with them" .
"When they surface I can feel a surge of energy as if I am being drawn into their wake and being imbued with their benign power,"he said.
"Their habit of leaping out of the water without warning, and feeding technique called bubblenetting provides the ultimate adrenaline rush. One of the whales releases a stream of bubbles whilst swimming around the prey thus creating an impenetrable net. After detecting the bubbles on the surface I try to make sure that I’m on the right side of the net..." .
"...Then the feeding group rushes to the surface and explodes into view with gigantic jaws agape and a halo of gulls. I have only a split second to decide whether I should either have my camera in my hands or my paddle to take evasive action" .
Duncan first flew to the USA in 1978 to photograph insects, reptiles and amphibians in the Amazon Rainforest, but took a detour to British Columbia and was then magnetised by the magical allure of the great Alaskan wilderness .
"I bought a small wooden yacht and began exploring the dramatic waterways of the extensive archipelago of islands in Southeast Alaska. It was then that a humpback whale approached our boat and dived beneath us whilst releasing a trail of bubbles, much to the alarm of my partner but to my open-mouthed amazement" .
It was the beginning of an infatuation that led to the purchase of an old folding kayak to enable me to accompany the whales at close quarters without disturbing them," he said. "Eventually all of the local fisherman got familiar with me as the crazy Englishman who could be seen every summer accompanying the whales on their seasonal search for food" .
Picture: DUNCAN MURRELL / STEVE BLOOM IMAGES / BARCROFT MEDIA
Whaleman Duncan Murrell paddles his kayak close to humpback whales.
Duncan, 56, originally from Paignton, Devon, said: "I could not have chosen a more demanding and challenging subject to photograph than the whales. They are submerged for the majority of the time so I can never be sure where they will surface next, so it became a game of intuition and instinct, and the objective was to somehow conserve my energy as I tracked them back and forth" .
"Over the years I developed a strong connection with the whales and my paddling stamina increased in keeping with my hunger for more encounters so that I was paddling as many as 30 miles a day to keep up with them" .
"When they surface I can feel a surge of energy as if I am being drawn into their wake and being imbued with their benign power,"he said.
"Their habit of leaping out of the water without warning, and feeding technique called bubblenetting provides the ultimate adrenaline rush. One of the whales releases a stream of bubbles whilst swimming around the prey thus creating an impenetrable net. After detecting the bubbles on the surface I try to make sure that I’m on the right side of the net..." .
"...Then the feeding group rushes to the surface and explodes into view with gigantic jaws agape and a halo of gulls. I have only a split second to decide whether I should either have my camera in my hands or my paddle to take evasive action" .
Duncan first flew to the USA in 1978 to photograph insects, reptiles and amphibians in the Amazon Rainforest, but took a detour to British Columbia and was then magnetised by the magical allure of the great Alaskan wilderness .
"I bought a small wooden yacht and began exploring the dramatic waterways of the extensive archipelago of islands in Southeast Alaska. It was then that a humpback whale approached our boat and dived beneath us whilst releasing a trail of bubbles, much to the alarm of my partner but to my open-mouthed amazement" .
It was the beginning of an infatuation that led to the purchase of an old folding kayak to enable me to accompany the whales at close quarters without disturbing them," he said. "Eventually all of the local fisherman got familiar with me as the crazy Englishman who could be seen every summer accompanying the whales on their seasonal search for food" .
Picture: DUNCAN MURRELL / STEVE BLOOM IMAGES / BARCROFT MEDIA
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