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Antarctica - Breaking The Last Frontier
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| Posted by Jerome Konen on 24/02/05 |
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| Leopard Seal attacks |
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| Photo by Tina Engeln |
| Video still showing the Leopard Seal approaching too close. |
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23 February 2005 - 4:00pm, a Leopard Seal appears on the water surface around the boat. This one seams to show some interest in our presence. Quickly we slip into our drysuits and we get into the water. Pascal and I we decide to use dive tanks for deeper underwater shots, Tina and Guy are just free diving.
The Leopard Seal approaches the first time but stays at a certain distance - I start to feel some excitement. Perfectly balanced, like a dance he performs different figures in the water. Just beautiful - my thoughts that same moment. Seconds later, the Leopard Seal gets face to face, I feel my heart beating - what's happening?
No way to breath, no way to leave, the Leopard Seal approaches again and again. With his big mouth open, he tries to grab the camera several times. Finally I can push him away, too close he's coming now. A last bite - one more scratch on the camera housing.
After a while, the Leopard Seal becomes rapidly nervous, therefore the situation unpredictable, time to leave now the water. The predator is now dictating the rules.
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