Free diver hitches a ride with Beluga whale
April 7th, 2008
© Dan Burton
36-Year old free diver, Julia Petrik, is pictured catching a ride on a whale in Russia’s White Sea waters.
Temperatures above the ice were as low as -15C (5F) and during the free-dive Miss Petrik swam to depths of 82ft, wearing only ultra-tight wetsuits, face masks and flippers.
Miss Petrik, one of the world’s top free divers, swims underwater with no air tanks and can hold her breath for up to two minutes.
© Natalia Chervyakova
After entering the water she grabbed hold of a passing Beluga Whale for a lift - a moment captured by British photographer Dan Burton.
Beluga Whales only live in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters and are protected from the sub-zero temperatures by a thick layer of blubber. The elusive whales are an unmistakable all white in colour with a distinctive melon-shaped head and can grow up to 16ft in length.
more pictures of the event can be found here: The Arctic Circle