Sperm Whales

For centuries, we have been fascinated by the sperm whale – the world’s largest toothed predator. Now you can experience an intimate underwater journey to connect with these majestic and gentle goliaths.

Inspired by a life-changing childhood experience, Gaelin Rosenwaks set off on a journey to tell the story of sperm whale families through photography and film. In the waters off Dominica, she observed – eye to eye – the close bond between mother and child firsthand. What she found is that these animals live in matriarchal family units made up of remarkable females that stay together for generations. Like elephants and humans, they take care of one another.
 
Rosenwaks’s years as a marine biologist, diver, and underwater filmmaker and photographer prepared her to tell this beautifully stirring story with never-before-seen photographs of the world’s most marvellous ocean species.

“"With deep reverence and curiosity for the sperm whale's existence, the author, marine scientist and photographer Gaelin Rosenwaks traveled to one of the few places where they can be seen by humans: the 'Kool-Aid' blue waters off of Dominica in the Caribbean. ...Rosenwaks witnessed them diving for squid a mile beneath the surface, sleeping (vertically!), grooming, nursing, at play." --THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW”

 “With deep reverence and curiosity for the sperm whale’s existence, the author, marine scientist and photographer Gaelin Rosenwaks traveled to one of the few places where they can be seen by humans: the ‘Kool-Aid’ blue waters off of Dominica in the Caribbean. …Rosenwaks witnessed them diving for squid a mile beneath the surface, sleeping (vertically!), grooming, nursing, at play.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“With deep reverence and curiosity for the sperm whale’s existence, the author, marine scientist and photographer Gaelin Rosenwaks traveled to one of the few places where they can be seen by humans: the ‘Kool-Aid’ blue waters off of Dominica in the Caribbean. …Rosenwaks witnessed them diving for squid a mile beneath the surface, sleeping (vertically!), grooming, nursing, at play.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

“Rosenwaks’s photographs carry us one step closer to the whales than words seem able to do. The majestic mammals sally forth in a colorscape of saturated blues, subtle greens, and softly modulated grays—and rarely appear alone. Most often in small groupings of two to five, they play, nap, nurse, twirl, and occasionally make what appears to be meaningful eye contact with the photographer. Most captivating are several double-page spreads that simultaneously capture the scale and complexity of social interactions. We see mothers, aunts, and cousins napping or nursing or just swimming while juveniles frolic at the surface of the water. One can’t help but notice, with joy and fascination, the vibrant community life that is at play here.” —PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE
“With deep reverence and curiosity for the sperm whale’s existence, the author, marine scientist and photographer Gaelin Rosenwaks traveled to one of the few places where they can be seen by humans: the ‘Kool-Aid’ blue waters off of Dominica in the Caribbean. …Rosenwaks witnessed them diving for squid a mile beneath the surface, sleeping (vertically!), grooming, nursing, at play.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

“Rosenwaks’s photographs carry us one step closer to the whales than words seem able to do. The majestic mammals sally forth in a colorscape of saturated blues, subtle greens, and softly modulated grays—and rarely appear alone. Most often in small groupings of two to five, they play, nap, nurse, twirl, and occasionally make what appears to be meaningful eye contact with the photographer. Most captivating are several double-page spreads that simultaneously capture the scale and complexity of social interactions. We see mothers, aunts, and cousins napping or nursing or just swimming while juveniles frolic at the surface of the water. One can’t help but notice, with joy and fascination, the vibrant community life that is at play here.” —PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE

“Rosenwaks shares her passion for these mysteries of the open ocean, giving us an exquisite glimpse into a world that most of us will never see.” —James Prosek, artist and author of Ocean Fishes

Gaelin Rosenwaks is a marine scientist, explorer, photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Global Ocean Exploration, which conducts expeditions in every ocean to alert the public to the challenges facing our oceans. She has appeared as an expert on the Discovery Channel, the Science Channel, CBS News, and the National Geographic Channel. Her forthcoming documentary, Finding Physty, will release in 2022. 

Carl Safina’s nonfiction about the living world has won him a MacArthur Foundation 'genius grant', as well as Pew, Guggenheim, and National Science Foundation fellowships. His writing appears in the New York Times, Time, Audubon, and National Geographic, and his PBS series Saving the Ocean can be viewed online.

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