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Natalia Avseenko swims with beluga whales wearing a wet suit in the White Sea off the coast of northern Russia on April 10, 2011. A skinny dipping Russian researcher took a ten meter sub-zero plunge in a bid to get up close and personal with two beautiful 15 foot long beluga whales. Scientists believe that the whales could be more friendly with humans if they swim naked – but as these pictures show the clever-looking marine mammals called Matrena and Nilma seem happy to swim with the same lady whether bears all or not. Champion free diver, Natalia Avseenko, 36, from Moscow gamely jumped into an ice hole in the White Sea off the coast of northern Russia. She was able to hold her breath and swim underwater for an incredible 11 minutes. The pictures show her swimming in the minus one degree Centigrade waters – cold enough to kill a normal person in 15 minutes. Beluga whales generally shy away from conventional scuba divers because they dislike the bubbles they produce. It is thought the synthetic materials used to make wet suits smell bad to them. (Photo by Viktor Lyagushkin; Source: Flickr)


Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia



Two-time world champion free diver Natalia Avseenko swims with the white whales (beluga) in the White Sea, Russia
11 Feb 2014 13:02:00