Whale watchers get ‘encounter of a lifetime’ when massive beast surfaces, video shows

A massive humpback whale got so close to a California whale watching group that it could “hear his barnacles moving,” video showed.

The Gone Whale Watching San Diego group posted a stunning video of Snowflake the humpback whale getting extremely close to the whale watchers.

“Snowflake, one of the most well-known Humpback Whales in Southern California, gave us the encounter of a lifetime,” the group wrote on Facebook. “Capt. Dom and First Mate Taylor went out to do some filming, and never imagined the surreal day they would experience.”

The whale jumps out of the water close enough to nearly splash the camera.

The captain said it was “out of control” and they were both stunned by what they were seeing.

“On this day, we got to encounter the most prolonged ‘mugging’ we’ve ever experienced, with numerous spyhops, close passes, and even lunge feeding,” the group said. “It is always fun spending time with an old friend, and it sure seemed this whale was enjoying our company!”

Humpback whales are massive animals. They can be 62 feet long and can weigh up to 53 tons, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

This story was originally published December 10, 2020 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Whale watchers get ‘encounter of a lifetime’ when massive beast surfaces, video shows."