mermaid.kayleigh

Of course the target wildlife is always the focus of our expeditions, but while abroad we also love to immerse ourselves in culture, location, community & more. @camgrantphoto took a sunset stroll with a lagoon local & observed how the island cats survive. This cat was sort of a community cat to the local resorts, lovingly named midnight by the staff. 🐱🌅🌴 #islandlife #aitutaki #wildlife #ocean #fishing #cat

Casually picking crabs out of our hair @KaimanaOceanSafari 🦀🦀🦀 The price of being an ocean girly. #gotcrabs #ocean #diving #crabs #snorkeling #hawaii

There is a softer side to sharks that many people dont see & I enjoy showing that to you all! But it would be irresponsible to only show those more gentle moments as these wild animals can be dangerous. Early on in my career, I only wanted to show that softer side of sharks in an effort to save & protect them. But now, I hope people can see they deserve our protection simply for their important role in the ecosystem & that they arent out to get us. Sharks are wild animals & apex predators, but that doesnt mean they are monsters. Having years of experience diving with them allows us to stay safer when interacting with sharks but it in no way implies we have control over a wild animal. Anything can happen when observing a top predator. 🌶️🦈 #tigershark #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #ocean #savesharks

When we spotted these melon headed whales I knew it was the perfect time to compare these two cameras! I prefer the color of the @DJI Osmo over the go pro as the go pro always shows a purple tint underwater. I’m not great at color correcting so I prefer footage that is ready to go right after being shot! Both of these shots are completely unedited & raw. I feel like you can especially see the true to life color of the Osmo Action 5 Pro at the shot of the trash at the end! It’s always important to do our part & pick up trash when we see it! 💙🌊  #DJIOsmoAction5Pro #ActionCamera #melonheadedwhales #blackfish #marinedebris #dolphins

Would you swim with great whites in a cage? Seeing their size & capabilities was absolutely breathtaking! 😳🦈 #greatwhiteshark #greatwhite #savesharks #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #ocean

So like when am I gonna run into an alien out here? 👽✌🏼 #aliensintheocean #thalassaphobia #ocean #deepsea #openocean

In honor of spooky season, I did a blackwater dive with Jacks Diving Locker & Simone Matucci searching for aliens in the deep, dark, open ocean! You never know what will come along on a dive like this! We actually even heard dolphins super loud but they stayed about 50ft away just out of my view! Its crazy to hear wildlife before youre able to see it! What was your favorite part of this video? I would say mine is probably the squid because they are just so strange & interesting!! Would you ever do this? 😳🔦👽 #nightdive #blackwaterdiving #scubadiving #ocean #oceancreatures

This was one of the sadest things ive seen in the ocean. It appears this oceanic white tip shark had it’s fins removed potentially for shark fin soup. Though sharks are protected in hawaii, these laws are not always enforced or it may have occurred outside of state waters. The fact that this shark has survived is a true testament to their resilience. The shark was a very dominant individual which may be due to desperation considering its situation. I hope this shark continues to survive & I am able to cross paths with it again! @KaimanaOceanSafari #oceanicwhitetip #savesharks #sharkfin #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #sharks #whitetipshark

Check out this tiger shark showing off it’s ability as a predator by snapping its jaws. With a light splashing of my hand & the electricity given off by the engines, this shark may perceive that stimulation as prey. Sharks aren’t monsters, but the narrative that they are puppy dogs is also incorrect. They are top predators in the open ocean & that role is vital for the health of our oceans ecosystems keeping everything below them in balance. We need sharks for a healthy ocean.🦈 #tigershark #savesharks #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #ocean #sharks

Oceanic white tip sharks are a very feared shark & its actually for good reason. They are a very intelligent & agile shark species who is very “on it” when it comes to investigating their surroundings. They cruise a blue desert often seeing nothing & not provided with many hunting opportunities. They are stunningly beautiful with their big paddle like fins which look like they have been spray painted at the tips making them a photographers dream. They can be interacted with more safely with proper instruction but that can lack with some shark diving companies. If we behave in a way that communicates to sharks we are prey, we become vulnerable to their capabilities. If you act like a predator youd be surprised at how a shark will treat you as one. 🦈💙 Due to the environment this species hangs out in & overfishing these areas, this species population has declined drastically around the world & is endangered. @KaimanaOceanSafari #oceanicwhitetip #savesharks #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #ocean #sharks

Swimming with whales in 15ft of water felt like a dream. Seeing them in the shallow reef you can truly grasp their size versus seeing them in the deep blue open ocean. 🐋🪸🤍 #humpbackwhales #ocean #whaleswim #swimwithwhales #pacificocean #whales

Its crazy how large humpback whales are, yet the ocean is so massive it can make their size seem distorted. In something as ginormous as the ocean, even a whale can seem small. 😳 This whale was so sleepy it moved so slow when surfacing that I had to speed up the video. 🐋💙 #humpbackwhale #ocean #whale #thalassophobia #deepsea #openocean

Nothing quite like enjoying a sunset under water with sharks. I love how the golden light rays shine through the surface. Our happy place. 🌅🦈💛 Video clip of me by @andriana_marine #sunset #sharks #ocean #sharkdiving #tigershark

I hope this video really shows the importance of constantly scanning when diving / swimming with sharks. Even as a trained professional shark diver, I am still a human who can make errors. Luckily, I also have really amazing dive buddies & we constantly watch eachothers backs & have ways of alerting one another to approaching sharks. I’m sharing this also as a reminder to stay humble when diving with sharks as its their home, their ocean & we are simply the visitors. It could be embarrassing to admit that you made mistakes when swimming with sharks or interacting with wildlife, but just remember that they are wild & unpredictable so we will never have control over them or fully be able to predict their every move. Always take every moment spent with them as a learning lesson & try to do better each time youre in their presence. 💙🦈 Featuring @andriana_marine @Eringabrielle #tigershark #savesharks #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #ocean #sharks

This was such an amazing moment that I couldn’t believe was happening & I’ll never forget! I love those moments when you’re in the right place at the right time. It’s so exciting for me because I’ve never seen a whale open its mouth this close to me to get a good look at their baleen. The humpback whales don’t feed in their warmer areas of migration as they are there for mating & birthing their calves. So when they open their mouth it’s more rare & we aren’t sure of the reason. When I replayed the video I thought maybe this baby mistook the bubbles for milk. A friend of mine also mentioned he had seen the baby do this on other occasions just before it was about to go down & nurse with mom. For whatever the reason, it was one of those moments in the ocean I’ll be grateful for forever! Once momma takes baby to Antarctica, she’ll teach her how to feed on krill using her baleen to strain the water out of her mouth. This baby was such a wild one & I hope we cross paths again one day! 🐋 Thank you crazy baby! 🙏🏼💙 DM me your email address if you want me to contact you for next years humpback whale trip offerings! 👀 #humpbackwhale #swimwithwhales #whales #babywhale #pacificocean #ocean #baleen

On a dive like this with several tiger sharks, we are constantly scanning, watching the sharks behavior, & reacting to the animals. Its a very dynamic situation that certainly keeps you on your toes. Being outnumbered by sharks means that you not only have to watch your own back but others diving with you. We point out approaching sharks to one another & use sounds to alert each other of the sharks. Even as someone thats done this for years, I still have sharks sneak up on me so I always appreciate a bit of extra help. Its vital to stay humble when shark diving & realize you’re in their home. Numbers like this are more rare but a good sign that the ocean is healthy. Shark tourism may seem crazy to some people but it literally saves sharks by showing governments that these animals are worth more alive than dead. Its sad that we need to put a price tag on something that is necessary for an ecosystem & that some cant see their natural value. 💙🦈 #savesharks #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #tigershark #ocean #sharks

How amazing is it that we get to live in a world where mantas exist!? I will never tire of seeing these beautiful, alien like creatures swim overhead! I’d like to start a petition for a manta ray emoji! Who’s with me!? 🌊🛸💙 @Nautilus Liveaboards #mantaray #oceanicmanta #oceanicmantaray #giantmanta #ocean #socorro #mexico #scuba #scubadiving

I loved filming the humpbacks on my DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro! I could listen to their hauntingly beautiful songs for hours! We were very blessed to spend hours with these 2 whales & saw a variety of behaviors! Luckily, my @DJI Osmo picked up the sounds & scenes beautifully with the all-new 1/1.3” sensor! The battery life lasted lasted all day so I didn’t need to go on the boat to change it! 📸🐋💙 #DJIOsmoAction5 #actioncamera #humpbackwhales #whalesong #pacificocean #whales

Thalassophobia is the fear of being in deep bodies of water, the vastness of the sea, waves, aquatic animals, & being great distance from land. Do you have this fear? 😳💙 #thalassophobia #deepsea #openocean #sea #ocean #diving

The oceanic white tip sharks fins have always left me mesmerized & in awe. Their long rounded fins with tips that appear to be spray painted on are so unique & beautiful! Sharks play such an important role in the oceans ecosystems by helping keep lower levels of the food chain in balance. Sadly, humans kill over 100 million sharks per year for shark fin soup & as bycatch. Shark fin soup is a delicacy in China & other parts of Asia which is cruel & wasteful. I hope by sharing their beauty, it may inspire people around the world to want to save & protect these stunning & important animals. 💙🦈 @KaimanaOceanSafari #savesharks #oceanicwhitetip #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #sharkfin