Russian freediver Natalia Avseenko, belugas whales and dolphinariums
June 21, 2011 5:54 PM Subscribe
Russian freediver Natalia Avseenko recently swam naked with belugas whales in sub zero water.
The belugas are being tamed for placement in various dolphinariums around the world. Placing marine animals in these commercial facilities is not without controversy.
The belugas are being tamed for placement in various dolphinariums around the world. Placing marine animals in these commercial facilities is not without controversy.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's request -- mathowie
From the first non-video link:
Natalia Avseenko, 36, was persuaded to strip naked as marine experts believe belugas do not like to be touched by artificial materials such as diving suits.
posted by Tomorrowful at 6:00 PM on June 21, 2011
Natalia Avseenko, 36, was persuaded to strip naked as marine experts believe belugas do not like to be touched by artificial materials such as diving suits.
posted by Tomorrowful at 6:00 PM on June 21, 2011
Ri-i-i-i-ght...
posted by Trochanter at 6:01 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Trochanter at 6:01 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hey, how'd you find that Flickr set?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:03 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:03 PM on June 21, 2011
was persuaded to strip naked as marine experts believe belugas do not like to be touched by artificial materials such as diving suits
Yeeeees. Were these marine experts possibly male? And present? With cameras?
posted by Justinian at 6:05 PM on June 21, 2011
Yeeeees. Were these marine experts possibly male? And present? With cameras?
posted by Justinian at 6:05 PM on June 21, 2011
Those whales look very glum.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:07 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:07 PM on June 21, 2011
If you look at the likes you can see that yes they are male, with cameras, and it doesn't seem to be a big deal.
I thought the photos and idea were interesting and neat, but the fact they're being prepared for tourist traps isn't great news.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:08 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I thought the photos and idea were interesting and neat, but the fact they're being prepared for tourist traps isn't great news.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:08 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Seeing the nudity blurred out, I'm reminded of the David Cross bit about John Ashcroft and the Lady of Justice's stone cold titty.
It's a good thing someone's protecting us from that nudity, before we all whip out our schlongs and go to town.
posted by secondhand pho at 6:09 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
It's a good thing someone's protecting us from that nudity, before we all whip out our schlongs and go to town.
posted by secondhand pho at 6:09 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
The need for nudity is one of the most dubious claims of all time, excellent, but dubious.
posted by Keith Talent at 6:13 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by Keith Talent at 6:13 PM on June 21, 2011
Interesting that half the comments here are saying 'Nudity isn't a big deal' and the other half is saying 'Nudity? Obviously some GUYS thought that up! Wowza!' and no one is talking about anything aside from the word 'naked.'
posted by shakespeherian at 6:18 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by shakespeherian at 6:18 PM on June 21, 2011
Interesting but not surprising. I'd also like to point out that the water was very cold.
posted by MrFTBN at 6:20 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by MrFTBN at 6:20 PM on June 21, 2011
Pretty sure I saw this event commemorated as a CD cover at the yoga studio I go to
posted by Greener Backyards at 6:26 PM on June 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Greener Backyards at 6:26 PM on June 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
Is this one of those "there's porn for everything" things?
posted by Trurl at 6:27 PM on June 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Trurl at 6:27 PM on June 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
I found it via Google when I saw this story a couple days ago. I was searching for pictures purely for scientific research purposes, of course.
posted by fings at 6:28 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by fings at 6:28 PM on June 21, 2011
Vladivostok used to have (perhaps still does - old video here) a rickety, rusty enclosure in the sea right next to a city beach. It housed 4 beluga whales. What magnificent creatures! But I can't imagine that the whales were comfortable in that small enclosure.
posted by vidur at 6:29 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by vidur at 6:29 PM on June 21, 2011
I found it via Google when I saw this story a couple days ago.
I saw it somewhere too. It may have been part of HuffPo's news-and-entertainment mix that day.
posted by Trurl at 6:34 PM on June 21, 2011
I saw it somewhere too. It may have been part of HuffPo's news-and-entertainment mix that day.
posted by Trurl at 6:34 PM on June 21, 2011
Judging by the white flowing gown, it looks like she also may have married a beluga at some point.
posted by planetkyoto at 6:45 PM on June 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by planetkyoto at 6:45 PM on June 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
If you look at the flickr set, you can see her buttocks are clenched so tight they're corrugated. But really, those two nude shots (without the blurs) are beautiful, and I'm glad somebody did it at least once.
posted by Faze at 6:56 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by Faze at 6:56 PM on June 21, 2011
The whales are naked, too, ya know.
posted by jonmc at 6:59 PM on June 21, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by jonmc at 6:59 PM on June 21, 2011 [6 favorites]
I found it via Google when I saw this story a couple days ago.
I saw it somewhere too. It may have been part of HuffPo's news-and-entertainment mix that day.
I had seen it on English Russia.
posted by vidur at 7:04 PM on June 21, 2011
I saw it somewhere too. It may have been part of HuffPo's news-and-entertainment mix that day.
I had seen it on English Russia.
posted by vidur at 7:04 PM on June 21, 2011
I don't like to be touched by diving suits either, so the next time I see you all at the beach, you know what to do.
posted by Brocktoon at 7:09 PM on June 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Brocktoon at 7:09 PM on June 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
I don't like to be touched by diving suits either, so the next time I see you all at the beach, you know what to do.
Step away from the beached whale?
posted by vidur at 7:16 PM on June 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Step away from the beached whale?
posted by vidur at 7:16 PM on June 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
lady is ripped
posted by LogicalDash at 7:33 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by LogicalDash at 7:33 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the English Russia link; it was bugging me how each set of photos overlapped partly but not completely. That's undoubtedly not the original source, but at least seemed to be fairly complete.
posted by Forktine at 7:38 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by Forktine at 7:38 PM on June 21, 2011
You have to be friends with the whales to get all the photos. Not all of them have her tagged.
posted by TwelveTwo at 7:46 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by TwelveTwo at 7:46 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
It's astounding that she was able to stay down for almost 11 minutes, in water of that temperature, with no wetsuit.
Also, naked.
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 7:47 PM on June 21, 2011
Also, naked.
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 7:47 PM on June 21, 2011
It's a good thing sexual harassment dolphin wasn't around.
Also, really beautiful pics - I loved the ice from underneath, and the pics with her in the white dress as well as naked were really pretty. (The wetsuit gives the pics less of an arty feel).
posted by ianhattwick at 7:57 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also, really beautiful pics - I loved the ice from underneath, and the pics with her in the white dress as well as naked were really pretty. (The wetsuit gives the pics less of an arty feel).
posted by ianhattwick at 7:57 PM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
those whales are about 5000 times more awesome than anything. too bad they have to go die in captivity now
posted by facetious at 8:07 PM on June 21, 2011
posted by facetious at 8:07 PM on June 21, 2011
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