The 40-ton humpback whale treated onlookers to an incredible aerial performance, soaring several meters into the air just a stone’s throw away from a boat filled with astonished spectators.
Hello, Whale: A humpback whale leaped out of the water off the east coast of South Africa, surprising onlookers aboard a tour guide’s boat.
Having a Whale of a Time: The humpback whale had been swimming along the water’s surface but disappeared for 20 minutes before suddenly breaching from the ocean.
Flying Fish: The stunning images were captured by Steven Benjamin, a marine tour guide who happened to have his camera with him at the critical moment.
The 31-year-old, who was documenting the migration of over 1,000 whales from the South African coast to the warmer waters of Mozambique and Madagascar, observed as the whale frolicked in the ocean.
Benjamin believed that the humpback’s show had concluded after it had been submerged for 20 minutes. However, the whale resurfaced suddenly, extending a fin towards the onlookers before gracefully plunging back into the water, creating a colossal splash.
The gigantic creature was evidently having a whale of a time, while the marine tour guide watched in awe from the safety of a boat off Port St John in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.
The breathtaking display of strength and agility left Mr. Benjamin “impressed,” as he had never before been able to get so close to a humpback whale.
Mr. Benjamin remarked, “It’s common to quickly see massive breaches like this from a distance, but it’s exceptionally rare for them to happen close to the boat with the camera ready.”
“I got this opportunity purely by luck. We were focused on this whale while it was doing normal tail slaps and half-head breaches.”
“It took a 20-minute break and then, out of nowhere, committed one massive breach.”
The 31-year-old amateur photographer was documenting the migration of over 1,000 whales from the South African coast to the warmer waters of Mozambique and Madagascar when the humpback made its appearance.
Splashdown: The entire boat ‘erupted in cheers’ when the whale crashed back into the water, leaving Mr. Benjamin astonished.
Close Encounter: Humpback whales are known for their acrobatics but do not typically perform such displays when they are in such close proximity to boats.
He continued, “I was in awe. I had never seen a breach that big, frontal, and high before. The entire boat erupted in cheers when it landed.”
Mr. Benjamin, originally from Cape Town, began photographing marine life just six years ago. The amateur shutterbug won his camera in a local photography contest, enabling him to capture better and more significant shots.
He added, “People can’t believe it’s a real picture; everyone always does a double take and is left impressed.”
These acrobatic creatures can grow up to 50 feet long and are renowned for their breaches, despite weighing up to 40 tons.
Humpback whales were hunted nearly to extinction during the 1960s, but a ban has allowed their global population to rebound to approximately 80,000 individuals.
