mermaid.kayleigh

While on a scuba dive in Belize the weather turned quickly. Our guides decided to descend & continue the dive. There truly is something peaceful about diving in the rain but the lightning was a new element I haven’t experienced underwater! ⚡️ #scuba #scubadiving #lightning #belize #ocean #dive #storm #diving

Another week of picking up trash out of the ocean! The journey of trash in the ocean and how far it can travel is always so fascinating. Sadly, it can harm marine life on this journey so removing every little bit helps! I dream of the day when the ocean is clean. 😌 Mahalo everyone for cleaning up @KaimanaOceanSafari 💙 #marinedebris #kona #hawaii #cleanuptheocean #ocean #singleuseplastic

There is nothing quite like swimming alongside these gentle giant filter feeders. Their patterns are mesmerizing. 😍 Have you ever seen a whale shark? 🦈 @KaimanaOceanSafari #whaleshark #ocean #sharks #sharkdiving #savesharks #sharkdiver #oceansafari

This was the 3rd time I saw orcas on this trip & clearly it never got old! They had been cruising around the area but when we looked back they were right there!! How would you react? ☺️💙 #orca #mexico #whalewatching #orcas #ocean #dolphins #whalewatch

Isn’t this the sweetest thing?! 🥺🦈🤗 Whitetip reef sharks are able to rest on the seafloor & still breathe by buccal pumping to actively move water over their gills. Seeing so many sharks & fish all around was such a beautiful sign of how healthy a protected part of the ocean can be!! It was so cute that they were so unbothered by one another & felt comfortable sharing the valuable real estate of the many ledges on this little isla. 🦈🦈🦈 #savesharks #whitetipreefshark #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #mexico #scubadiving

Woo hoo! 🙌🏼 Today our scientific paper “Novel observations of an oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus) and tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) scavenging event” was just released! This is the first paper I was able to coauthor & I am so grateful to have witnessed this & for the opportunity to contribute to science. On April 9, 2024, off the coast of Kailua-Kona, we observed oceanic whitetip sharks (OCS) & tiger sharks (TIG) peacefully scavenging together on a whale carcass! I spent around 8 hours this day documenting as much of this rare sighting as I could. We observed 9 oceanic white tips & 5 tiger sharks sharing this abundant feast. This rare encounter gives us a glimpse into the social & feeding behaviors of apex predators that don’t usually cross paths. It also shows how scavenging events can bring together different species, revealing how energy moves through the ocean’s food web. I took my hours of footage to Shark Tagger Hi & proposed a paper as this event is almost unheard of. I hope this paper is an inspiration to other underwater photographers, videographers, & guides that our time spent in & on the water observing as citizen scientists is vital for science & documentation! With so much time spent on the water you never know what each day will bring! Mahalo to Shark Tagger Hi for this opportunity & allowing @kaimanaoceansafari to contribute to your ID data base & support science. Mahalo @Olivia Miller, Molly Scott & Devon Stapleton for this skillfully written paper. Mahalo @camgrantphoto & @andrew for additional data & documentation of this captivating event. And huge mahalo to all of the other offshore community who was there observing that day with full respect to the wildlife! 🦈🤙🏼💙 #savesharks #deadwhale #sharks #tigershark #oceanicwhitetip #sharkbehavior #hawaii #tigersharks

Its always a good day when you see a whale shark! Which view do you prefer? They are the largest fish in the world, with some individuals reaching lengths of up to 60 feet (18 meters). Despite their size, whale sharks are filter feeders, mainly consuming plankton, small fish, & other tiny organisms by swimming with their mouths open & filtering out food through their gills. They have distinct white spots & stripes on their bodies, which are like a fingerprint – no two whale sharks have the same pattern! Have you ever seen one & where? @KaimanaOceanSafari #whaleshark #savesharks #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #ocean #hawaii

The day we saw not one but TWO oceanic manta rays!! Did you know oceanic manta rays can grow as wide as a school bus is long?! These gentle giants can reach up to 23 feet (7 meters) across and weigh over 5,000 pounds! Despite their massive size, they’re filter feeders, gliding through the ocean to scoop up tiny plankton. They’re the largest species of ray in the world & seeing one in the wild is truly unforgettable! Video by @camgrantphoto ✨ @KaimanaOceanSafari 💙 #MantaRay #oceanicmanta #kona #kailuakona #hawaii #oceansafari #ocean #bigisland #snorkel

If you have followed me for a while you know I always try to provide some natural protection for our little fish friends with the top of the pineapple we always serve on tours @KaimanaOceanSafari. 🍍🐟 Sadly, this little guy freaked out & took off before we could offer him a home. It always makes me a little sad to see such a small fish in a big open ocean but there is a circle of life that happens out here in the vast blue desert. 💙 Good luck little guy. #fish #smallfishinabigpond #ocean #hawaii #snorkeling #openocean

Every moment with them is a blessing. 🖤 At the end of the day, it’s the experiences, people, & moments that fill you with passion & gratitude that makes your life rich. Moments like this I’ll cherish forever. #richlife #orca #mexico #ocean #WhaleWatching #orcas #whalewatch

Do you have thalassaphobia? 😳 It’s the intense fear of deep bodies of water. 🌊 #ocean #thalassophobia #deepsea #openocean #snorkeling #diving

Every time I’m in one of those moments when an animal is just as curious about us as we are of them, I’m reminded why I spend my life in the ocean. These gray whales in San Ignacio were a huge reminder that we are a part of nature and not separate from it. That whales can adore us as we do them. Hearing the excited yells in everyone on the boat in the background is the icing on the cake. 🥹🐋✨ #greywhales #mexico #sanignacio #graywhales #ocean #whalewatching #whalewatch

Episode 21 at Kīlauea was mind blowing with lava fountains spewing over 500ft in the air! What an amazing display of new earth being created! So grateful we made it in time to see this! 🌋 Mahalo pele 🙏🏼 #hawaii #kiluea #kilueaaeruption #bigisland #volcano #lava

I love how blue sharks move through the water. They are such a curious species of shark that needs to thoroughly investigate their surroundings as they live in deeper water where they can go longer times without finding food. It’s hard not to think this species is cute when you see those big googly eyes but always keep in mind they are still very capable predators. I’m reminded of their abilities when I see them latch onto the fish head. They are a fairly easy shark species to learn how to redirect if you’re comfortable around sharks. I love getting to introduce people to them where they can get more up close experience with sharks! Would you ever swim with blue sharks? 💙🦈 #blueshark #savesharks #sharkdiving #snorkeling #sharkdiver #ocean #mexico

It was amazing to travel to this place in the middle of the ocean that’s protected & far from man kind & see the potential of the ocean. This dive site is call Roca Partida & is a part of the Socorro Islands off of Mexico. It’s a site that is protected from fishing but also very regulated in how many boats for diving can be in this area at one time. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site & Marine reserve which is monitored by the government at all times. It takes 24 hours to get there by boat. There is also a chance to see large animals as well as incredibly abundant fish life! Being this far away from civilization allowed me to truly see what a healthy ocean looks like. Though it made me happy it also made me a bit sad to know most of the ocean will never look like this. If you have the chance, visit wild places that are also protected areas to show you support this type of ecotourism. @Nautilus Liveaboards 🐟 #ocean #scubadiving #ecotourism #fish #diving #sharks #mexico #scuba

It’s always an incredible feeling to have an animal get curious about you or your boat. Despite the name “killer whale” orcas are actually dolphins & it’s common for dolphins to want to interact with a boat by riding the bow or surfing the wake. But to have this individual come over to us while we were in neutral was truly mind blowing. Do you think our reaction was appropriate? 😂 #screamqueens #orca #dolphin #mexico #orcas #ocean #whalewatching #whalewatch

Truly one of my favorite moments in the ocean! It’s impossible not to be left in awe having these powerful predators pass by you. The male at the end was HUGE. We also witnessed them harassing some gray whales in the area & I can’t wait to show you more of that interaction! Video by @camgrantphoto 💙🐼 #orca #ocean #snorkeling #whalewatch #orcas #mexico

There are very few ocean encounters that can compare to the intensity of being in the water with marlin hunting bait balls. Would you ever try this? 🤺🐟🐟🐟 Diving with @Nautilus Liveaboards #marlin #baitballs #ocean #mexcio #strippedmarlin