BigAnimals Global Expeditions CAliforniA s BluE Whale J une 10-16, 2018

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1 BigAnimals Global Expeditions CAliforniA s BluE Whale J une 10-16, 2018 Snorkeling with blue whales You will be overcome with the excitement, anticipation, and joy that are the defining qualities of true exploration, and the experience will deepen your understanding and appreciation of our ocean realm, the lifeblood of our planet.

2 BigAnimals Global Expeditions CAliforniA s BluE Whale June 10-16, 2018 nature at its best. listen to Your heart Pound. Back rolling silently from a kayak into the deep blue water of the Pacific ocean to photograph a blue whale is simply a life altering experience. they are the largest of the rorqual or baleen whales weighing up to 150 tons, averaging a length of 80 feet, and they are far more wonderful in person than words could ever hope to describe. We could talk all day about the countless incredible facts and almost unbelievable statistics that describe blue whales, but no words could ever come close to expressing the way you will feel when you re in the water next to these most amazing of Earth s creatures. We ve taken some of the encounter challenge out of the equation by following the northern blue whale s migration path along the Baja Peninsula from their wintering grounds in the sea of Cortez. our expedition takes place during the peak of their migration season and you are certain to have the best chance of interacting with Blues anywhere in the world. Pre-scouting the trip along with a spotter plane helps us pinpoint their exact location over a distance varying between 15 to 25 miles. this gentle giant adventure involves a technique of stealth, one that i have developed over many years to keep the whales comfortable in our presence while still allowing for the most intimate of encounters. their commanding presence in the water is undeniable and overwhelming and through this BigAnimals experience, you will become one of a select group of people lucky enough to share the sea with these amazing animals in such close quarters. You will be overcome with the excitement, anticipation, and joy that are the defining qualities of true exploration, and the experience will deepen your understanding and appreciation of our ocean realm, the lifeblood of our planet. making eye contact with the largest animal in the world will make you feel at once both insignificant and important. swimming in the presence of an animal incomprehensibly more powerful than yourself will make you feel impossibly tiny, yet at the same time the rare connection you have just made with this intelligent ocean being will show you how critical of a part each one of us plays on this beautiful blue marble we call home. if you re ready to see life in a new light, join us on this BigAnimals Expedition that will enrich your life, make your heart skip a few beats, and take your breath away. the Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) Known as the world s largest animal, the approximately 80-foot blue whale has a long tapering body with a flat, u-shaped head, and a prominent ridge running from it s blowhole to upper lip. Blue whales are rorqual whales, a family of baleen whales with pleated throat grooves that expand when the animal takes in water while feeding. About 800 baleen plates hang from the front of its upper jaw, helping it sieve massive amounts of plankton out of the ocean. Blue whales are an overall blue-gray color, mottled with light gray. Cold-water diatoms adhere to their skin and sometimes give their bellies a yellowish tinge, giving the blue whale its nickname of sulfur bottom. Blues have twin blowholes that spout as high as 30 feet. unlike humpbacks and other baleen whales, blues do not swim in pods and seldom fluke ( tail up ) like the humpback. they are known to cruise at 12 mph (20 km/h), but are capable of short speed bursts of 31 mph (50 km/h) when interacting with other whales. it is difficult to imagine just how huge these whales are until you re in the water with them. their hearts can weight as much as a car, their tongues may exceed the weight of an elephant, and 2,500 gallons of blood circulate constantly to keep this whale alive. they feed almost exclusively on krill and other plankton, and adult blue can consume 8,000 pounds of krill daily in order to power their massive bodies. they can reach record lengths of 100 feet and weights of 180 tons. Even newborn babies are 25 feet long and drink over 100 gallons of their mother s milk every day! Blue whales inhabit the oceans of the world, but our destination is the most productive along the west coast of the united states. on this expedition, we hope to get face to face during the time frame when approximately 2,500 whales, feasting on krill, migrate through mexican waters along the shoreline of san Diego.

3 the experience While the scout plane lifts off from montgomery field to locate the exact location of the whales, we depart from Catalina Island on the Counter Shade dive boat. Designed for divers, it has an overall length of 40 feet with a 14-foot beam. Employing the use of a scouting plane has proved time and again to be the best way to locate Blues, and is the method we used when filming for both BBC and national Geographic. We have the very best pilot who has been working with us for the last seven years, and he knows exactly what to look for when scouting for blue whales. Despite their huge size, they are easy for an inexperienced eye to miss, but our skilled pilot spots them every time. he looks for red algae, a popular food for blue whales, as well as their characteristic breathing blows. our five snorkelers, each with their own dedicated kayak and master paddler, plus the expedition leader, will have plenty of space on a boat designed to carry 12 passengers. While the Counter Shade top speed is 24 mph, we cruise a bit under that around a speedy 20 miles per hour. the boat s amenities include a head plus a hot water shower. We ll have hot soup, a tasty lunch, and snacks on board. You ll want a swim jacket for that out of water warmth. typically we encounter the shy blue whales as they migrate north by Channel islands and all the San Miguel island At a distance of approximately 1000 yards, the Counter Shade turns off her engine so as not to frighten the whales. Blue whales may be the largest animals in the world, but they are also one of the shyest. they are extremely docile and become startled easily, so we need to take the utmost care not to scare them with our boat noise. As soon as we have deter-mined that the whale is swimming straight and not feeling threatened, we advance in sit on top double kayaks. snorkelers are prepared to enter the water with wetsuits on (66 to 72 f water temp, air at 70 + f), fins, mask and snorkel ready, and camera in hand. Each is paddled and maneuvered into position by expert master kayakers. We wait topside in the warm air and inviting west coast sunshine for just the right moment to quietly slip into the cool, blue water. this perfect combination of temperatures is a taste of the equally perfect blue whale encounter you are about to have in this most ultimate of wildlife photography opportunities. As the whale approaches, your heart will be pounding, your camera clicking, and you will have the experience of a lifetime. We primarily snorkel with the Blues, but if you are a skilled free diver, this is a valid option as well. With less than 5m (15ft) of water separating you from these graceful and gigantic denizens of the sea, you are sure to come away from the expedition with a deeper understanding of and connection to these amazing animals we are lucky enough to share our water planet with. our scouting pilot is fantastic, there is absolutely no better service to be had, and the superb caliber of this Big Animals expedition will be obvious in the quality of your encounters and images. here is an account of what you have to look forward to. All five of us had been sitting in our kayaks on top of a flat sea for at least two hours and the whales were all around us. We were all spread out about a mile apart from each other observing the show of blows. the plane hovered around us as the pilot was seeing the whales from above; the skipper was yelling to the left or to the right, but we kept just missing them. We were getting warmer and warmer in our wetsuits. i slid into the cool water every so often just to refresh myself. in the meantime, i took a few catnaps on the Kayak and my paddler had to wake me up few times. the sun started to go down as 4pm approached and visibility in the water began to diminish, but the number of blows in close proximity to the kayak started rising. nick my kayaker counted four, five, and then six! he started paddling towards one, but i asked him to stop. Just stay here, i told him. the less motion we make the better. Another few minutes passed and nick started slowly paddling. Again, i told him to stop, and before i could finish my words i saw the tip of the head of a Blue just two feet under the surface only a few feet in front of the Kayak bow. to jump or not to jump it was not a question. it was too late to enter the water, but instead i lowered my camera with a wide angle lens to my left side just one foot underwater, aiming the heavy camera as best i could to face this incoming giant of the sea. And i got it. one of the rarest images of a blue whale, a frontal view from the tip of its jaw back to its dreamy eye. these are the kinds of precious wilderness moments we provide. it is critical to remember during any BigAnimals expedition that this is not sea World. the show is not at 10am or 2pm. this is the wilderness. We are doing our best to inform you and share our research and past years of experiences with you. our previous encounters are an example of what has happened before, but are in no way a guarantee for what you can expect to see now. You are signing on for an adventure and to truly enjoy it, you have to fully respect mother nature for her own unpredictable behavior.

4 the Destination following your arrival and hotel check-in, we will discuss camera gear and settings, logistics and whale viewing strategy during the evening briefing and dinner. the next five days we will operate out of mission Bay. Weather permitting (there is an occasional wait for the marine layer to lift) the spotter plane will leave as early as possible in the morning. our pilot will scan a radius of 15 to 25 miles between san Diego and mexico searching for blue whales for up to four hours. Already headed in the same direction as the scout plane, the humboldt will stop if we site any bait balls, mola molas, whales, sharks, sea lions, or other marine animals. the Blues are of course the main attraction, but we often have the opportunity to get in the water and photograph a variety of other amazing sea creatures. there is also the option for you to spend a day flying in the scout plane. in constant communication with the pilot, our boat skipper is an additional observer. having enjoyed six days in san Diego enthralled with the most incredible blue whale experience, it will be time to exchange s and say goodbye until Amos next adventure. our evenings on land together in san Diego, one of southern California s most beautiful cities, will be as entertaining as our days spent in the Pacific. While accommodations are your responsibility, this BigAnimal Expedition operates at the height of Catalina Island tourist season. We suggest that as soon as you sign on to this trip, your book your airline and hotel reservations. Here are three hotels suggestions: 1 - Aurora - 4 stars 2 - Pavilion Hotel - 3 stars 3 - Hotel Metropole - 3 stars What to Bring Catalina Island is a trendy and bustling city, but clothing attire is casual. in the water, a 5mm wetsuit and a 3mm hooded vest is recommended. Water temps range from 66 to 70f (or 18 to 21C). You will also need to bring mask, fins and snorkel. it is always advisable to bring an extra mask, strap and fins. While we are aboard the boat and following each dive, wearing a windbreaker or fleece jacket will provide warmth. You might also consider bringing lightweight gloves and a wool hat, sun block, polarized sunglasses, a towel, and dry (waterproof) camera bag. if you carry multiple cameras you may want to bring a small hard-shell Pelican case for the boat plus a soft dry bag for use in the kayak.

5 California s Blue June 10-16, 2018 BluE WhAlE ExPEriEnCE: 14 years WhErE: Catalina Island DAtEs: June 10-16, 2018 DurAtion: 7 days max no. of GuEsts: 5 PriCinG: $9,800 per person nick lebeouf Expedition leader With over a decade of experience leading California & Baja expeditions, nick lebeouf specializes in safely getting you close to the world s biggest animals. nick has worked with the BBC, Discovery Channel, outside magazine, max, national newspapers, and founded a scuba company in san Diego where he holds 20 specialty diver certifications. BigAnimals unique services raising the bar of services in every adventure we operate around the world is our policy. We lead by example with immaculate safety record. Each wildlife expedition is carefully scouted before offered to the public and we schedule departures only during peak animal presence and behavior displays, led by nick lebeouf and based on Amos nachoum s 35 years of diving and photographing ocean Giants. our California Blue Whale Expedition is strictly limited to only 5 privileged guests. this is with consideration of the shark s welfare and behavior, your safety and provides you with room to move freely, ample space in which to photograph and film, with personalized attention and advice. registration: Deposit of $3,300 VEssEl: Counter Shade ACtiVitiEs: free Diving & snorkeling temperature: Water f (19-22 C) Air 70 + f (21+ C) trip PriCE includes: five days of blue whale free diving aboard the Counter Shade only five guests per trip spotter plane assistance for 5 days, up to 4 hours per day five two-person Kayaks each with an expert Kayaker to take us quickly and quietly out to the whales lunch and snacks on board nick lebeouf Expedition leader trip PriCE ExCluDEs: 6 nights hotel meals which aren t specified above, soft drinks or alcohol Cab fare, car rental Activities outside of the itinerary items of a personal nature (phone calls, tips, drinks) scuba gear (this is a snorkeling expedition only) overweight luggage items not specifically mentioned under tour Price includes insurance it is mandatory you buy your own travel, health, and diving insurance Additional costs incurred due to independent travel arrangements Gratuities Airfare to and from Los Angeles

6 California S blue whales itinerary > June 10-16, 2018 day 1 - June 10 ArriVE Los Angeles. Take the Shuttle bus to Santa Barbra, Ferry to Catalina Island. Check into your hotel and let us know which hotel you are booked in. We will inform you on meeting place for briefing day June We operate out of Catalina and for the next five days we ll be engaged in blue whale spotting. We plan to leave early in the morning, weather permitting. The marine layer can sometimes make it difficult for the pilot to safely search for whales. The pilot searches for the whales in an area 15 to 25 miles offshore between San Diego and Mexico. We leave by boat each morning towards the area being scouted. While waiting for the scouting report, if we come across an encounter with other marine life along the way, we will free dive in the lovely blue Pacific. (There are many diffrent marine animals arriving in Southern California waters at this time of year to feed and breed.) What makes this expedition so unique is that, in addition to having a scout plane with us every day, we also employ five master kayakers to paddle you as quietly as possible to the shy blue whales. Each sea kayak has two seats. The quest seat is at the front of the kayak, where you ll have mask, fins and camera ready to go at any time. The kayaker sits in the back to paddle you as fast as humanly possible to the approximate location of the incoming blue whales. Since we are in constant communication with the pilot, and the skipper can observe from the dive boat, The kaykayak will be able to reach your whale quickly and silently. All five kayaks go out at one time all guests go out on the kayaks to the open sea and remain at sea for as long as there s opportunity for blue whale free diving. In the event we have good contact with the blue whales we will stay out until evening. At the end of the day we return to shore. These are the hotel we recommend you make your reservation... I - Aurora - 4 stars, II - Pavilion Hotel - 3 stars, III - Hotel Metropole - 3 stars day 7 - June 16 Depart Catalina by the Ferry to Santa Barbara and by shuttle bus to Los Angeles airport. Use travel time to plan your next BigAnimals Global Expedition. PAYmEnt PoliCY AnD DEPosit: When we receive your deposit, we will send you a comprehensive and detailed trip Preparation Bulletin about the experience and the destination. All trip costs are subject to change without prior notice until your reservation is confirmed. A deposit of 33% of the total trip price is required to secure space on the trip. full payment is due no later than 90 days before departure. We reserve the right to sell any space that is not paid in full by 60 days before departure. CAnCEllAtion PoliCY -must be made in writing. -more than 90 days before trip: Deposit will be refunded in full. -90 days or less before trip: Deposit will be refunded if space is sold, less unrecoverable costs of sales, and administration fee. -no refund is made for unused part of the itinerary. the following are subject to change: -Cost of services which are not included in the expedition price -flight time and schedule -Weather, water temperature, and animal behavior Dates and prices are subject to change without prior notice.

7 ApplicAtion Form Expedition snorkeling with Blue Whales Expeditions Dates: June 10-16, 2018 PErsonAl information first name last name Date of Birth Gender: female male Address City state Zip Work Phone home Phone Citizen of Passport # Place issued & Date trip price $9,800 per person. Deposit of 1/3 of trip price is required to secure space = $3,300 non-refundable. final payment due 90 days before departure. Please make your check payment to BigAnimals Expeditions, 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA overseas payment can be done via bank wire, instructions will be sent to you upon receipt of this application. travel insurance: yes no Provider Policy # travel insurance is prerequisite and mandatory on BigAnimals adventures. We need to have your policy number.the activity on this expedition is free diving/snorkeling. no scuba Diving Experience required and no scuba diving is offered. Do you carry diving insurance? yes no Provider Policy # Diving Experience/years in Diving Where & When last 3 Dive Experiences? how do you rate your Diving skills? Beginner inter Advanced Expert how do you rate your Photography and/or Video skills? no interest Beginner inter Advanced Expert BigAnimals.com info@biganimals.com 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA Phone Amos nachoum PhotoGrAPhy