# A curious sperm whale swims right up to tourists snorkeling in the Dominican Republic. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 20, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071 "2015-11-20T13:23:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/1 "2015-11-20T13:23:49Z")
I’ve never seen sperm whales up close like this before. 🆒 They are so massive compared to people. This one wanted a belly rub. 😃 > **[Incredible moment a curious sperm whale swims right up to tourists](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3325747/Incredible-moment-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-tourists-snorkeling-Dominican-Republic.html)** > > These incredible photographs show the moment lucky divers got up close and personal with massive whales, as they swam alongside the majestic mammals off the Dominican coast. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/2 "2015-11-20T13:53:45Z")
Good Lord. I’d freak. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/3 "2015-11-20T14:13:03Z")
Heck, I freaked when some manatee swam within 10 feet of me in Florida. I can’t imagine how much I’d freak if this happened! (I didn’t have my glasses on and all I saw was a giant floating black spot. It wasn’t until I got back to my blanket and put my eyeballs on that I saw what it had been.) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/4 "2015-11-20T14:55:36Z")
I’m curious what sounds these people might have heard from the whale? Something that huge must make noise just swimming around. Add in any vocalizations. but I’m guessing. This thing may be like our stealth bomber. totally quiet. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/5 "2015-11-20T15:15:15Z")
Why did a whale need a snorkel? ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/6 "2015-11-20T15:19:46Z")
Love that guy who head-bumped with it. I wouldn’t be afraid, look how tiny it’s mouth is. Now if[this ever happened to me](https://www.google.com/search?q=whale+shark&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj608Cypp_JAhUCVyYKHTszDEYQ_AUIBygB&biw=1095&bih=913#tbm=isch&q=whale+shark+diver&imgrc=Tv6PZQrUsvV4uM%3A), I’d pee my wetsuit! It kind of makes me think of [this…](https://www.google.com/search?q=star+trek:+the+original+series+the+doomsday+machine&biw=1095&bih=913&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLQz9U3MCssz1Di1U_XNzRMMkvOMjWrzNWSyk620i8pA6L4gqL89KLEXKvUgszi_JTU4keMgdwCL3_cE5bymLTm5DVGJy48ioVUuNhc80oySyqFpLh4pOD2aTBIcXHBeTwA-yFal4sAAAA&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjG7-fBp5_JAhUDbiYKHWbMA0cQ_AUICCgD#imgrc=uAS5GEXDW4YeWM%3A) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/7 "2015-11-20T15:47:10Z")
I’d be worried that it would slap it’s tale and kill someone. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/8 "2015-11-20T16:09:54Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Good Lord. > > I’d freak. I would too. Years ago I saw a video of a woman swimming with a pilot whale ([found it!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynfvv0qg-zE&feature=player_detailpage#t=60)) when it suddenly grabbed her by the leg and swam straight down with her. She was pretty far down when, for some reason, the whale decided to turn around and bring her back to the surface. She was completely at its mercy and would have drowned if the whale had not brought her back up. I would not want to be in the water with any animal big enough to overpower me. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/9 "2015-11-20T18:29:14Z")
I didn’t know their lower jaws were so narrow. It’s nothing like the way you see them portrayed in drawings or movies. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/10 "2015-11-20T19:36:49Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > I didn’t know their lower jaws were so narrow. It’s nothing like the way you see them portrayed in drawings or movies. Still big enough to kill you. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/11 "2015-11-20T19:52:10Z")
What an adventure… Adventure = terror in retrospect. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-curious-sperm-whale-swims-right-up-to-tourists-snorkeling-in-the-dominican-republic/738071/12 "2015-11-20T20:02:48Z")
Nifty!