How close" THIS close:
A B.C. family had a thrilling experience off the coast of Vancouver Island when a humpback whale spent almost an hour rubbing up against their boat, spinning around, and flapping its fins.
"...Aleks Mount was whale watching with his family on Tuesday, northeast of Campbell River, when the whale got friendly.
When they first spotted the humpback about 100 metres away, Mount said he immediately shut off his engine, intending to keep his distance.
But the whale dove underwater only to resurface less than a minute later below their boat.
Mount said he and his family were at first terrified of the creature, which he described as the size of a school bus.
"All it has to do is flip its tail and the boat will be in the air."
Luckily, Mount said, the whale only hit the boat once with its fin, leaving a slight bend in the boat's railing and a few minor scratches. ..
...Andrew Trites, director of the marine mammal research unit at the University of British Columbia, said despite hearing a few recent reports of humpbacks engaging with boats, this is the closest one he has seen."
Story here.
Mount's video footage shows the whale spinning and flipping around just inches from the boat, occasionally spraying them from its blow hole.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIVUshFYesM[/ame]
A B.C. family had a thrilling experience off the coast of Vancouver Island when a humpback whale spent almost an hour rubbing up against their boat, spinning around, and flapping its fins.
"...Aleks Mount was whale watching with his family on Tuesday, northeast of Campbell River, when the whale got friendly.
When they first spotted the humpback about 100 metres away, Mount said he immediately shut off his engine, intending to keep his distance.
But the whale dove underwater only to resurface less than a minute later below their boat.
Mount said he and his family were at first terrified of the creature, which he described as the size of a school bus.
"All it has to do is flip its tail and the boat will be in the air."
Luckily, Mount said, the whale only hit the boat once with its fin, leaving a slight bend in the boat's railing and a few minor scratches. ..
...Andrew Trites, director of the marine mammal research unit at the University of British Columbia, said despite hearing a few recent reports of humpbacks engaging with boats, this is the closest one he has seen."
Story here.
Mount's video footage shows the whale spinning and flipping around just inches from the boat, occasionally spraying them from its blow hole.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIVUshFYesM[/ame]
