Dawn Brancheau nuzzles her star performer.

In 2009, our family got to see the Orlando Sea World show featuring Dawn Brancheau.

Since then, she died when the whale she was training pulled her underwater.

Now, OSHA is holding hearings on the work place safety of Sea World.

One of the witnesses today said he saw the whale grab Dawn Brancheau by an arm, not her pony tail.

According to the Chicago Tribune, one of the witnesses says he saw the whale pull her arm under water.

Here Dawn Brancheau extends both arms.

I can’t tell you whether the whale Brancheau was working with that day was the one that killed her, but there was no appearance of trouble from where we sat.

We were in the nosebleed section, but I had a long lens.

Dawn Brancheau relaxes on her back, a signal for the whales to mimic her.

And the crowd loved the performance.

One advantage to sitting in the top row was that we left the show dry.

Except may those who did not bring or buy raincoats.