冰雪世界 5

from the relentless battering of the southern ocean

In the depths something stirs

Humpback whales

They have travelled over 5,000 miles to reach these waters

The whales are harvesting krill

shrimp-like creatures

that begin to swarm here as soon as the ice retreats

Diving into the heart of the swarm

teams of whales spiral round each other in close coordination

Now they turn

blasting air from their blowholes

and ascend towards their prey

The krill becomes concentrated

as the spiralling net of bubbles draws inwards

The team of whales work round the clock

for the boom is short lived

Summer is already fading

and the whales will soon be forced north as winter returns