ocean storytelling

Are Orcas Dangerous? What I Learned in the Water

So many people fear orcas.

It’s understandable.

Most of what the public knows comes from two extremes: the tragedy of Blackfish, where captive orcas turned violent in unnatural tanks, and, more recently, headlines of wild pods sinking yachts. 

These are the stories that reach the masses, stories of danger.

But that’s not the story I know.

I’ve had the privilege of swimming with orcas in Baja, Norway, and New Zealand, spending hours in the water with them, watching, listening, and learning.

 I’ve seen them hunt with precision, communicate in ways we barely grasp, and yes, even play.

In New Zealand, I spun underwater like a dolphin, curious how they might react. 

The orcas swam around me, studying me, as much as I studied them.

In that moment, I was overwhelmed with emotions, but it wasn’t fear. 

It was awe, respect, and reverence for the intelligence of these beings.

Never once have I felt fear in their presence, only humility.

There is just something about orcas that pulls at people.

They embody mystery and majesty in equal measure. They’re emotional, intelligent, and connected to their families in ways that remind us of what we’ve lost as humans.

They are the ocean’s storytellers, and we’re only beginning to understand the language.

If there’s one truth we all seem to agree on, it’s this: Orcas do not belong in aquariums.

They do not belong in concrete tanks, performing tricks for crowds. 

They belong in the ocean, where their songs can travel for miles and their pods can live as they were meant to… FREE!

There are still around 70 orcas in captivity today, and every one of them deserves freedom.

Meanwhile, wild orca populations are slowly recovering, thanks to stronger protections and the decline of destructive fishing practices. 

With time and continued effort, their numbers will rise again.

And that gives me hope.

Because if there’s any species that deserves to continue its reign as the true master of the ocean, it’s the orca.

I was once asked, “If you could spend your life with only one animal, which would it be?”
Without hesitation, my answer was orcas. 

Well, maybe with a little hesitation.

Orcas are addictive in the best way, the kind of presence that changes you. Once you’ve shared the water with them, once you’ve looked into their eyes, you’re never quite the same again.

The reality is, people fear what they don’t understand.

And for generations, we’ve misunderstood orcas, labeling them “killers” while locking them behind glass.

Image by Brad Roaman

That glass made them crazy… as it would any of us.

But when you meet them where they truly belong, in the open ocean, you realize just how wrong we’ve been about orcas.

We have nothing to fear from them. 

The only thing we should fear is living in a world without them.

I AM THE SHARK WHISPERER???

“I am the Shark Whisperer.”
That phrase was floating through my head today during a morning jog.

“Eli the Shark Whisperer.”

It’s a label I’ve heard many times throughout my career. And even back when the media buzz was loudest, I never liked it.

Never believed it.

Never wanted it.

In fact, I absolutely hated being called that.

Because deep down, it never felt true.

It made me feel like I was a fake.

Image by Juan Oliphant

Image by Juan Sharks

The truth is, as much as I know and understand shark behavior, especially the species I’ve had the privilege of working with closely for over 18 years, I really don’t know much about sharks.

They are, and likely always will be, a mystery to me.

Image by Paul Spielvogel

Image by Paul Spielvogel

I have been blessed with sharing countless hours with sharks, especially lemon and tiger sharks, and I have been allowed extended glimpses into their lives; which has allowed me to learn things and behaviors about these animals that few get to see, or understand.

But even with that, the idea that I am, or was, some sort of whisperer, makes me laugh. 

The thought that anyone could be considered a shark whisperer is a silly idea to me, because there are over 500 different species of sharks.

Each one is unique… different personalities, different behaviors, different instincts.

Unless you’ve spent meaningful time with every single species (and no one has), claiming some kind of mastery over them all is... well, it’s just not real.

And let’s be honest, these are wild animals.

Even with the tigers I’ve spent all these years diving with, I never allowed myself to feel comfortable.

I never fooled myself into thinking I could cozy up to them like a pet.

I’ve always known that if I screw up, there’s a price I will pay.

That reality keeps me sharp, and It keeps me honest.

From Ripley’s Believe it or Not, annual book.

From Ripley’s Believe it or Not, annual book.

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I have seen a few other people out there being called the same thing… and maybe they are?

A few shark pros I know have been diving with the same reef sharks for 20 plus years, and know their sharks intimately, they for sure are deserving of that kind of title.

They have a deep understanding of their sharks, and for that, I do give them props, I have mad respect for them.

But just like me, they lack experience with other species of sharks, and probably, just like me, may find that name uncomfortable.

Don’t get me wrong, I truly appreciated that people would say that about me.

Because it meant they respect my work, and it is a good feeling when people see what you have done, and show some love.

I think at our core we all want to be appreciated for our life’s work, but to be called some kind of master, just never sat well with me, because I knew that I wasn’t.  

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Anyway, as we move forward, I am sure I will see new stories pop up, with new “Shark Whisperers”, all with amazing images, trying new things and sharing new behaviors with us.

Which is the way it is supposed to be, Passionate Shark Divers, should always be moving what we know about sharks forward, and someone NEEDS to continue carrying the torch; showing people the beauty of sharks and what sharks can be like.

Who knows…maybe, just maybe, someone will show up, that truly is a real Shark Whisperer, and they will be able to come in and finally get a tiger shark to lay down on their lap, or the ultimate, roll a great white.

Now, that is a person that I would love to dive with and learn from.

But until that day comes… the world is stuck with the one’s that we do have.

Including a fake one like me.


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