Whale Wack!

I was watching the Discovery channel a few days ago and they were airing stories of people who had close or near death encounters with wildlife. Sharks, elephants, the usual. And then I saw something unexpected.

The last story was about a diver who loved to film whales. This man and his partner were filming in an area that restricted the use of scuba tanks because the air bubbles frightened the whales. Since many of the whales (humpback) swam just a few feet below the surface snorkels were used.

After filming a mother and her calf in some amazing footage the man decided to take his final shot. The video he wanted was called "train footage" (I thinkg) where he would remain stationary as the whale passed him by at incredibly close quarters. So it began.

The man had been underwater for one and a half minutes when the perfect shot was in place. Having only a few seconds more the man persisted in getting the shot he was so desperately trying to capture. After eyeing the camera from less than a foot away, the whale swam by when suddenly the man was struck by the tail.

The tail was at the peak of its rhythmic motion when suddenly the whale turned slightly and struck the man across the top of his head. Not knowing if any damage was caused by the sharp barnacles covering the tail, or weather his head was spit open completely by thick tail, the man furiously swam to the surface. After reaching the boat the man had his head inspected and there was a minor scratch. He told Discovery that the tail, 15 feet wide and one inch thick could have easily done much more damage. Had he been directly hit on the side of the head, or neck or even had some ribs broken, the man would have drown. The man closed by saying he holds no grudge against whales and apologized to it for having caused it any fright.

While this episode seems somewhat surreal, a few questions came to mind:

1. Was that shot indeed so critical? Was it worth risking his life for those few seconds?
2. While one can hardly blame nature, would anyone have thought this man was anything other than crazy in the first place had the outcome been any different?

It seems that while this whole event seems somewhat illogical to some, there is a powerful message behind it. Even if it seems a little misdirected, to this man- that shot was everything. His passion, his work all culminated in those few seconds of footage which he decided he could either take at his own risk, or let it pass him by. Not only would no one know if he missed the shot or not, people would understand and instead compliment him on his work thus far.

What I admire in this man is not the situation he placed himself in, but rather the courage he found in facing his own fear for his "greater goal." To him, it wasn't important if others knew he missed that shot- he would know. He would have to live with that missed opportunity which might never again resurface.

It seems as though we are all faced with similar challenges which shape us into two catagories of people: Those that either step aside and wait in the hope of another opportunity to arise which may or may not. And there there are those that find the iron will within themselves to pursue their goals at any cost. The illusion of "challenge" is torn away by the determination these people have in accomplishing what they truly define as "meaning."