Life Aquatic Expeditions

02/16/2025

Happy World Whale Day from the Life Aquatic Expeditions team!

World Whale Day takes place on the third Sunday in February. That means that it’s on a different date every year. It’s celebrated on that same Sunday all around the world.

World Whale Day was initially created in Hawaii to celebrate the native humpback whales. Over the last 40 years, it has become an international day to celebrate all whales and to raise awareness of the risks they face.

02/07/2025

New study finds that humpback whale songs have a similar structure to human language
Maybe someday we can interpret what they are saying!

The animals’ complex songs share structural patterns with human language that may make them easier for whales to learn, a new study suggests.

01/02/2025

Happy New Year!!!

The Life Aquatic Expeditions team is l👀king forward to our 2025 adventures with our awesome participants!!!

09/17/2024

Happy World Manta Day from the Life Aquatic Expeditions team.

World Manta Day is returning on 17th September 2024! This special day has been created to celebrate manta rays and to raise awareness of the threats that these beautiful, mysterious, ocean giants face.

09/13/2024

Happy Belated World Dolphin Day from the Life Aquatic Expeditions team!

09/04/2024

Looking back at an amazing time in beautiful Aitutaki and a fun drop with mum, bub and es**rt during our Life Aquatic Expeditions Cook Islands adventure.

We already have dates locked in for next August and spots are filling so if you want to swim with Humpback whales in the beautiful South Pacific please reach out to us.

https://www.lifeaquaticexpeditions.com/

08/14/2024

Absolutely wonderful first couple of days in beautiful Aitutaki, Cook Islands with a fantastic group of new and returning Life Aquatic participants for our whale swim trip expedition.

If you're interested in encounters like this, please reach out to us for your next adventure.

Photos by Life Aquatic Expeditions Owner, Shane Keena &
Dr. Lei Lani Stelle

05/19/2024

Humpback whales are on their way to the Cook Islands and you can join them!

The southern population of humpbacks feed in Antarctica during their summer and then migrate to the South Pacific to mate and care for their calves in the warm, tropical waters.

Life Aquatic Expeditions is offering a unique experience to snorkel with these amazing animals while learning from experts. Each trip is limited to 8 participants for personal interactions.

The trip is led by Lei Lani Stelle, PhD - a marine mammal biologist with over 30 years experience in the field, and Shane Keena, MFA - a professor of art and award-winning photographer. We will provide presentations on the natural history, ecology, and local culture and also photo-document your experience.

You can find more details at
https://www.lifeaquaticexpeditions.com/copy-of-trip-pages

Sign up soon to guarantee your spot!

04/22/2024

Earth Day, 4/22/2024

The 2024 theme for Earth Day is "Planet vs. Plastics" and aims to raise awareness of the harms of plastic pollution for human and planetary health.

Earth Day is a global event which aims to highlight the importance of protecting the environment.
It takes place every year on 22 April.

It was set up in 1970 by Ga***rd Nelson, a US senator and environmentalist, and Denis Hayes, a graduate student at Harvard University.

They came up with Earth Day as a way to engage the public and push green issues to the national agenda.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." The Lorax- Dr.Seuss

Respect and protect.

04/20/2024

Experience a once in a lifetime opportunity to swim and interact with humpback whales in the South Pacific! We are limiting each trip to 8 participants to insure the maximum in water whale encounters for this adventure!

Beyond the amazing southern hemisphere population of Humpback whales, the island of Aitutaki, located in the Cook Islands, offers picturesque white-sand beaches, diverse reefs with cerulean blue waters, and a unique culture for a true South Pacific experience.

Marine biologist, Dr. Lei Lani Stelle, and wildlife photographer, Shane Keena, will lead this expedition. We will provide workshops on humpback whale ecology and photo-document all aspects of the trip, including your underwater whale interactions.

https://www.lifeaquaticexpeditions.com/copy-of-trip-pages/cook-islands-2024

03/23/2024

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL SEAL DAY with this runny nosed fella!

March 22, 2024

"International Seal Day takes place on March 22. It is a day set aside to raise awareness about seal conservation around the world. It's also a day for us seal lovers to honor this amazing sea mammal. Seals are not only adorable and attractive, but their presence in the world today has a significant impact."

03/11/2024

Splitsville.

The water clarity in Guerrero Negro allowed for the opportunity to create some "split" shots by Life Aquatic Expeditions Co-owner and photographer Shane Keena during week #1 of our Baja Gray Whale expedition.
Taken while out with the great folks from Marios Tours

If you are interested in joining us next year, please reach out as spots are already filling.

Gear used: EOS-5D3, 8-15mm USM, , Zen 230 dome port.

03/06/2024

The Soul Window.

Eye to eye with the magnificent Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in Ojo De Liebre, Baja California, Sur.

Taken during week 1 of our Grey Whale expedition.

Photo by Life Aquatic Expeditions Co-Owner Shane Keena with the great folks from Marios Tours

EOS-5D3, Nauticam Housing, Zen 230 Dome port.

03/02/2024

A Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) boop so close to the boat you can even see the barnacles out filter feeding! Very cooperative visibility (by Baja lagoons standards) and the right underwater gear all lined up for a unique boop image of this charismatic megafauna.

Whale barnacles are species of acorn barnacle that belong to the family Coronulidae and typically attach to
baleen whales. Certain barnacles are cetacean species specific, like the Cryptolepas rhachianecti (seen here) which attach themselves specifically to Gray whales.

Photographed by Life Aquatic Expeditions co-owner Shane Keena in Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Guerro Negro, Baja California Sur during week one of our Life Aquatic Expeditions gray whale trip and with the great folks from .

EOS 5D3, 8-15mm USM, , Zen 230 dome port.

03/02/2024

Exciting final day with the gray whales. Lots of courtship behaving including the infamous "Pink Floyd" (x2)! Ended with a friendly calf!
Beautiful sunset from Pachico's Eco Tours - San Ignacio Lagoon
Whale images by Life Aquatic Expeditions guest naturalist Eric Austin Yee