awkwardsituationist:

after spending three days in a boat searching for polar bears in nunavut’s repulse bay, joe bunni, dentist by trade, eventually spotted one approaching him.

“we cruised at a distance, so we didn’t disturb the bear. once we were sure it was relaxed with our presence, i slipped quietly into the (two degree celcius) water with just a mask and fins, attached to the boat by a rope,” he recounts.

‘it’s amazing when a huge, powerful animal comes beside you,” he added, noting the seven hundred pound female came within twenty inches of him.

the polar bear swam away only seconds after getting these shots, which show, in his words, “the power and elegance of a wonderful creature struggling to survive in a fast-changing climate.”