Exploring the wonders of the sea is a dream many people hope to fulfill, with some even pursuing a career in that field just to make it happen. One can almost expect to witness something magical once we’re underwater, which makes it all the more enticing—even for experienced ocean experts like Nan Hauser.
As a marine biologist, Hauser’s used to spending much of her time out on the beach snorkeling. Yet, on this particular day, little did she know that a humpback whale was stealthily making its way toward her. What’s curious about it, though, was how the whale started acting odd out of nowhere, and it showed no signs of leaving her alone to boot. Was this animal sick?
Meet Nan Hauser
Nan Hauser might be an unfamiliar name for some, but she’s actually made quite a name for herself after she got featured in a National Geographic show. Her stellar work pertaining to underwater life is truly incredible, so it’s safe to say Hauser is the person to contact should one hope to learn more about dolphins or whales.
On top of that, Hauser became a beloved personality in the environmental community after she made great efforts in putting up a whale sanctuary in Rarotonga, the same place where she lived. Since it housed over 600 types of water species, it made it the perfect area for endangered sea creatures. So, imagine Hauser’s surprise when she went snorkeling. What could’ve happened?
Out of Nowhere
Among Hauser’s favorite activities to do was snorkeling, so when she headed out for a quick dip one bright day sometime in 2020, she didn't expect anything special to happen. When the woman finally took the plunge, she was caught off guard when a dark shape slowly moved toward her. It took every ounce of Hauser's courage not to freak out until she realized this was a humpback whale!
Judging by its sheer size of 60 feet, Hauser couldn’t believe this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came today of all days. She was delighted to have some company while she swam, but her happiness came to a halt upon noticing the whale’s strange behavior. Why was this majestic creature acting this way?
Looking from Afar
It wasn't the first time Hauser had seen humpback whales, yet there was something truly special about this one. Not only was it friendly, but it was as if the animal wanted to say something. Hauser was determined to find out what was happening since it wasn’t she’d get to be this close to a humpback.
Naturally, Hauser practiced all safety precautions and avoided getting too near, let alone touch the whale. She simply observed its behavior further while occasionally swimming back up the surface. Just as when Hauser took another dive, the lonely whale began to swim to Hauser—would this unexpected move put the marine biologist in danger?
Uneasy Thoughts
Most folks know that humpback whales aren't known to be social creatures, unlike dolphins. So, whoever would see Hauser swimming alongside this gargantuan species would surely freak out, especially since she looked so small next to it! Still, it can’t be denied that this whale had plans of its own as it didn’t retreat.
In fact, Hauser revealed it continued swimming to her like it was the most natural thing in the world. All of a sudden, she realized being too close might not be a good idea considering Hauser didn't even have the proper equipment to handle the situation. Plus, her colleagues at the boat had no idea what was going on!
Seeking Some Security
It was undoubtedly an exciting moment for Hauser, but she also couldn’t disregard the fact that she might be in grave trouble if she wasn’t careful. Of course, there haven't been many reports about whales attacking or gravely harming people; it's still entirely possible the animal would hit her accidentally and injure her head.
More importantly, Hauser only had a snorkel plus a camera on hand, which weren’t of use in case she needed to protect herself. She mentally prepared herself for what was to come when suddenly Hauser was hoisted above the whale's head as if carrying her. Why was this animal adamant at interacting with Hauser?
Meet and Greet
This was one of those moments that Hauser believed why she was meant to venture into marine biology—seeing the whale up-close-and-personal made her heart swell with joy. Apparently, the creature swam nonstop until she was situated nicely on its head, and it didn’t stop there, too. The humpback attempted to communicate with Hauser by nudging her several times!
It seems there was nothing the confused woman could do but wait and see what this whale was up to. Was it asking for food, or was it simply enjoying her company? Either way, Hauser had no clue what it really wanted since this type of encounter isn’t common.
An Ironic Situation
Among Hauser's tasks as a marine biologist is to draft some rules surrounding the safety of all aquatic life. They promote these guidelines to as many people as possible, telling them to leave these creatures in their natural habitat, especially when they come in close contact.
At the back of her mind, Hauser chuckled to herself, thinking about the irony of the whole thing—here she was being “harassed" by none other than a giant whale when back home she was the one in charge of making sure it happens to them. Yet her thoughts were interrupted when the humpback began acting weirder by the minute, making Hauser feel even more uneasy.
Trapped and Scared
Out of the corner of Hauser’s eye, she noticed the whale’s nudging was becoming more frequent, and it was beginning to twist its body in the water. Suddenly, the woman was pushed down beneath the whale’s fin, seemingly trapping her. If she doesn’t act fast, chances are she might drown or face serious injury!
There’s no denying that Hauser is an avid whale-lover, and she’s always been active in their preservation, mainly since she’s a member of the Cetacean Research and Conservation. She knew these animals have always been friendly early on but based on how this one is acting right now, perhaps she's been wrong all along—or was she?
Impending Disaster
For over ten minutes, the animal kept on splashing around as if it was trying to shake her off. Meanwhile, Hauser tried to hold on for dear life, wondering whether this was going to be the end for her. All that time, she wasn't sure whether she was even conscious at that point!
Still, Hauser tried her best to swim away from the humpback since it had zero plans of quitting his strange behavior anytime soon. One wrong move and she might end up with a traumatic brain or spinal injury, and she'd get lost at sea forever. Would she ever have the strength to escape from this crazy underwater tumble?
Trying to Control Herself
It was hard not to panic at that moment since Hauser was underwater most of the time, but she had to seek ways to push herself since fear was beginning to get the best of her. She knew that being calm and collected was the only way she’d get out of there alive!
Being thrown around in the waves is truly a terrifying experience, so one must commend Hauser for maintaining a calm exterior. Help was actually nearby, yet it was something she didn't have access to at the moment. Perhaps, only a miracle could save Hauser from this horrible circumstance.
Helplessly Watching
As mentioned previously, Hauser didn’t embark on this expedition alone since she typically brings her photography team to assist in capturing the beauty underwater with their professional skills. Unfortunately, they can’t do anything to relieve Hauser from her sticky situation, despite being only a few feet away from her.
Why, they even forgot about the reason they were there in the first place; all they cared about was Hauser's well-being! As much as they would want to jump in, they might cause even more problems and put themselves in the same danger. How could they stop the humpback from all harming Hauser at one once?
Drop Those Cameras
Enough was enough—now was the perfect time to help Hauser, or else it might be too late for her. The entire crew couldn’t stand looking from the sidelines any longer and dove headfirst to assist their beloved friend. First, they tasked all videographers to drop their equipment and suit up in their diving gear. No one in their right mind would want to see Hauser get injured or worse on camera!
While everyone was busy coming up with a plan, Hauser continued her scuffle with the humpback despite getting tired. Good thing she had some marine knowledge and strategies in mind, so she’d at least know what to do. Yet, she didn’t anticipate what was about to happen next.
Eye to Eye with Trouble
It may seem like Hauser’s situation was a lost cause, but she was still finding ways to keep her perspective positive. Interestingly, she thought of one way that might probably help alleviate the whale’s mood, and that’s by staring at it eye-to-eye. Hauser did this several times but to no avail.
As luck would have, these attempts only made the whale push Hauser further out to the sea. At this rate, it seems like all hope is lost, and Hauser thought maybe she should just float away and accompany the humpback wherever it wanted to go. That is until the animal came into the picture!
Coming in Fast
Never in Hauser’s wildest dreams did she imagine another whale'd swarm her while she was still swimming with the first whale in the first place. Much like the other one, this new whale was acting the same way, breaching and flipping its huge tail without a care in the world.
As a marine biologist, Hauser was in awe at this incredible display of strength, but she had no intention of being in their way since she was only inches away from being fully hit. On top of that, she noticed another dark entity that formed nearby, so Hauser suspected if there was likely a third whale coming.
Not What She Expected
By now, it’s safe to assume Hauser’s had enough of surprises, mainly if it involves humpback whales. With so many of them surrounding her, it’s like she’s had enough of them to last a lifetime. Yet, Hauser might not have a choice in the matter since these whales reportedly do their bi-annual Pacific migration.
Based on this information, there’s a chance she was right smack in the middle of such an event since it's not often a group of whales would be hanging out in the same place. She kept her hopes up that everything would be over soon, but once again, Hauser was within the midst of yet another aquatic creature. What could this animal be this time?
A Look of Disappointment
A few minutes ago, Hauser assumed a baby whale was coming her way again, considering it was migration season. That would have been a better option when she realized the third species was a ferocious tiger shark that might snap her leg apart the minute it felt provoked.
Her instincts kicked in immediately, and she began freaking out at the thought it being attacked head-on. Well, Hauser wasn't going anywhere then, so she swallowed her fear and put on a brave front. This is definitely going down in history as one of Hauser’s most memorable experiences to date—unless something crazier would happen.
Unabashed Predator
Whenever one mentions the word shark, people would immediately shudder at the thought since they’re known to be aggressive, despite how some folks would argue they were actually gentle creatures. Believe it or not, tiger sharks are second to great white sharks if one talks about how frequently they pounce on unsuspecting swimmers.
A few years ago, a tiger shark attacked a famous surfer named Bethany Hamilton, and while she emerged alive from the encounter, she also lost one of her limbs. Thinking about that incident made Hauser all the more worried, so she would be extra cautious if she wanted to stay alive!
Whales or Sharks?
Come to think of it, Hauser would likely choose to be in the company of five whales than be with a lone tiger shark that might eat her alive. She couldn’t stop thinking about this predator, so much that she almost forgot about the two whales swimming and splashing in her vicinity.
Hauser was done stalling and chickening out—she had to get out, and fast! She already saved a bit of her energy anyway, so she might as well make a break for it. As such, Hauser positioned herself behind the whales, took a long and deep breath, and swam as far as her tired arms would take her. Would she outswim a tiger shark, though?
Understanding What Happened
Luckily for Hauser, she was wearing a nice wetsuit and some fins, so that would surely help her get as far away as possible She eventually reached the boat unharmed, but it also took a toll on the amount of energy she had left. Everyone was glad she finally made it out alive, and the crew quickly pulled her in.
Once she was in safe territory, her colleagues spoke to her about what was happening underwater while she was tossed and turned about. Listening to what transpired took Hauser’s breath away, and she finally collapsed out of exhaustion. It was then she realized why the humpback was being weird.
It Was Her Hero
Later during the day, Hauser took some time to check the video footage her friends took while she was in the water. There’s bound to be something that would explain the animal’s questionable conduct that day. Just when she was about to give up, Hauser finally got her answer—what did she see?
It turns out the humpback wasn’t trying to drown Hauser; it was the opposite. No one saw the tiger shark coming, but it somehow knew it was in the vicinity and so wanted to put Hauser out of harm’s way. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but the video was solid proof that what Hauser said was true!
Bidding Farewell to Her Savior
If Hauser could sum up her entire ordeal in one word, it would have to be life-changing. As she lay on the boat's floor, it finally sank in that she was just rescued by an animal she spent half her life protecting! Of course, she also acknowledged the fear that came with this encounter, given she almost lost her life.
As they all went their way to the shore, Hauser didn’t think there would be another event that would unfold. Just by the side of their boat, the same whale made one final breach before disappearing into the depths of the Pacific. It was indeed a sign that the humpback wanted to make sure she was all right before leaving!
Skeptics Surfacing
Whenever a viral video is released, there's bound to be a couple of skeptics who would do everything in their power to discredit what's being shown. True enough, that's precisely what happened when Hauser shared the harrowing footage of her and the humpbacks, and as expected, the backlash came from the public.
Some folks argued that it’s impossible to know what the animal’s intentions were. Since she’s a woman of science, Hauser respects these opinions since they weren’t there firsthand to experience it! Humpbacks are also omnivores, which meant it never intended to feed on Hauser at all. This piqued her curiosity, so Hauser decided to do a bit of research on whale and human relationships. What did she find?
Carved in History
Over the years, there have been reports of humpback whales going out of their way to protect those around them, even if they were of different species. Another marine biologist named Robert Pitman shared that this was just in their nature, so what Hauser has been through is legitimate.
If there weren't any video taken that day, people would assume Hauser was just making the story up to become even more popular—but she isn't. The video captured how the whale did what it could to shield the marine biologist, making it a historic video as far as scientists are concerned.
Giving Back to Whales
Amidst all the trauma she felt, Hauser was grateful she was granted the opportunity to be one with nature, even if it almost cost her life. She just hoped she could somehow give back or return the favor somehow, although Hauser certainly had no plans of swimming with them again anytime soon.
The irony of it all is that Hauser made sure these animals were thoroughly protected for almost three decades, and in the end, they were the ones who guarded her! With all the hullaballoo surrounding the event, Hauser eventually became a minor celebrity in her community—everyone wanted to hear the story straight from the horse's mouth.
Going Viral
Hauser was one of those scientists who enjoyed sharing whatever discovery she’s made in her online platform. So, when the story happened, it was only apt that she’d update her followers and reveal what lessons she's learned from it. It was also an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn more about whale preservation!
So much attention has been focused on Hauser that she thought it might be a good idea to write a memoir about her career and all the exciting stories that came with it. The whale and tiger shark encounter was just one of the many tales she had, and it was this type of material that even Hollywood folks would love!
An Instant Celebrity
Many people were curious about Hauser’s story, so it didn’t take long before various TV programs invited her to guest star so she could tell the tale of how she escaped from a risky situation. Among those who asked her was the award-winning The Ellen Degeneres Show, badgering her with multiple text messages until she eventually gave in and responded.
In the interview, there Hauser shared her belief on how whales have a helpful nature, adding that not only were these animals intelligent, but they were willing to risk their lives to save others—even those who are of different species!
They’ve Got the Smarts
Most of the type, people are more familiar with the blue whale since it’s probably the most common one out there, so when everyone found out that Hauser interacted with the lesser-known humpback whale, they were astounded. How could this massive creature help Hauser without any hesitancy?
One of the theories experts are studying is that humpback whales probably view humans as their own younglings. So, like any protective parent, they only want them to be safe no matter what. Some may argue that perhaps the animal was simply curious about Hauser; in any case, we’ll never know until further research is done on these species.
Stories About the Underwater Kingdom
We all know that there's a whole different life under the sea, and it's not just because of the incredible animals and plants one can find. Back in the day, there have been multiple claims about how they're used to be a lost city called Atlantis, and explorers used to spend countless expeditions to find it.
This concept has even been played out in Tinseltown, with multiple movies like Indiana Jones capturing the hearts of film lovers everywhere. There’s just something about discovering an untouched sanctuary that’s quite appealing, so one can’t blame why deep-sea divers can’t always get enough of what’s beneath the surface!
An Unforgettable Experience
Hopefully, this story will help people erase their doubts about humpback whales and tiger sharks, and perhaps they can one day voice their support to protect them from poachers as well. Awareness is vital, especially for those who aren't used to interacting with wild animals.
Hauser’s experience is truly one for the books, and it will also serve as an educational tool to help promote diving safety. Who knows, it might even encourage those who are on the fence about taking up marine biology. As for Nan Hauser, we’re confident that her love for the sea will only grow stronger with what happened—there’s so much of the ocean left to explore after all!