Unusual ‘clicking sounds’ lead divers to ‘show of a lifetime.’ See creature encounter
A group of divers in Costa Rica recently geared up and jumped into the water off Del Coco Beach.
They were immediately bombarded by loud “squeaky sounds.” The sounds, which typically come from bottlenose or spotted dolphins, are not unusual. But this time, divers noticed that the sounds became more intense and were mixed with unique “clicking sounds.”
That’s when “two massive shadows” came at the group, and “the most incredible thing happened,” according to a Sept. 27 Facebook post from Rich Coast Diving. It was two false killer whales, and one of the approximately 13-foot to 16-foot-long creatures stopped just feet away from the divers.
The animal “started shaking and dancing and twirling and twerking and blowing bubbles,” the scuba diving center wrote on Facebook. “It was so close and just stayed there giving us the show of a lifetime!”
The divers watched “in shock, trying to comprehend what was happening” for two minutes, according to the post.
False killer whales are a type of dolphin known to inhabit offshore tropical and subtropical waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are highly social animals and typically live in small groups.
The boat’s captain said a whole pod of false killer whales passed close to the dive site, likely causing the loud clicking and squeaking noises that the divers heard.
“False killer whales are known to be social and playful creature and we can only guess what it was trying to communicate (to)us,” the diving center wrote. “What a day!!!”
Social media commenters shared their awe at the encounter.
“What an amazing experience! So jealous,” one person wrote on Facebook. “Most of us will never have a magical encounter like this.”
“Incredible encounter! Good for you for capturing this once in a lifetime experience,” another person commented.
“Wow wow wow! Incredible,” a third comment said.
Del Coco Beach is on the northwest coast of Costa Rica.
This story was originally published October 2, 2023 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Unusual ‘clicking sounds’ lead divers to ‘show of a lifetime.’ See creature encounter."
