Ready? Go, go, go!” As our guide gives the signal, I throw my fin-clad feet over the side of the inflatable tender and try to slip into the cold Norwegian sea with as little noise or splash as possible. Deftness is a priority, to avoid startling the creatures that we have travelled so far to see. Moving with grace is challenging in the cumbersome dry suit I’m wearing to withstand these icy waters - all for the rare chance to swim with orcas in the wild.
Any discomfort is well worth it for the sight that appears before me as I dip my mask below the surface. Dead ahead, a pod of orcas is swimming towards the tender, and one in particular seems to be charging in my direction at breakneck speed. Among the fastest of marine mammals, orcas can swim up to 72km/h, quicker than a great white shark. While
