As a school of fish swirls above, a marlin prowls through the blue water, its distinctive stripes glinting in the sun. This is the stunning moment caught on film by wildlife filmmaker\u00a0Alex Westover.<\/p>\n
Westover shared the spectacular video on\u00a0Instagram\u00a0with the caption \u201cmarlin magic\u201d. He describes\u00a0the event as\u00a0\u201ca rare encounter with one of the ocean’s fastest and most powerful predators.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marlins are a type of billfish (a group which includes\u00a0sailfish\u00a0and swordfish). These predatory fishes are known for their rapier-like rostrum which they slash through the water to stun prey.<\/p>\n
Westover was freediving when he had the close-up encounter with the graceful marlin. Seeing these open water predators in the water is very rare.<\/p>\n
This incredible moment is a reminder of \u201chow little we still know about life beneath the surface,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n