A new viral video captures the moment when a group of kayakers was surprised by humpback whales breaching. The clip shows several kayakers in the water when, suddenly, a whale breaches.
Check it out:
To make the video even more exciting, a second whale soon appears and seems to be a calf. As the video continues, the whales approach closer and closer to the kayakers, whose excitement only grows. It’s an astonishing moment for anyone who loves the outdoors.
According to @whalesnation, who posted the video, the amazing moment was captured by a group visiting Costa Rica.
“An encounter they’ll never forget,” they said in the post.
In the comments, many question what the whales were doing. Some wonder if the action was a show for the kayakers, while others suggest the whales were curious and using the behavior to check out the boaters.
Why Do Whales Breach?
So what causes whales to breach the water like this?
There are actually a number of reasons. The Marine Mammal Center says researchers believe breaching is a way for whales to communicate with one another. The sound of the massive splash can actually travel for miles.
“A whale breaching is among the most spectacular behaviors you can see in nature,” says the organization, which focuses on ocean health and education. “During a breach, the whale propels itself out of the water in either a spinning or non-spinning motion. It’s considered a full breach if more than half of the whale’s body ascends above the surface, and a half breach if less than half of its body ascends.”
If you want to see a whale breaching, the best days are windy days with rough water. Choppy waters can reduce the sound of whales, as the extra noise muffles their communication. However, breaching is loud enough to overcome this.