Humpback whales put on dazzling show for California tour group
Two humpback whales float vertically in an almost-dance for passengers aboard a whale watching boat in Dana Point on Oct. 19, 2023. (Danawharf.com)
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Passengers aboard a whale-watching tour that departed from Dana Point, California, were treated to a spectacular sight as two humpback whales gave the performance of a lifetime.
On Thursday, the Ocean Adventures vessel neared two humpback whales that were curious about the boat.
For more than 30 minutes, the two humpback whales “mugged” the boat, meaning they showed interest in the boat, got close and behaved curiously toward it.
The two whales swam around the boat and rolled, showed off their tails and peeking their heads out of the water in a motion known as “spy hopping.”
“Watching them glide through the glassy water seeming to look at us as we watched them was magical,” said a spokesperson for Dana Point Whale Watching.
Drone footage from the encounter shows the two whales floating upright, as if performing a ballroom dance for the passengers aboard the boat.
It was a day chock full of breathtaking marine mammal interactions, the company said.
Over the day’s trips, whale watchers were treated to the sights of several pods of bottlenose and common dolphins, sea lions, one minke whale (which gave passengers a sniff of its famously stinky breath) and a massive fin whale creating a large cloud of mist from its blowhole.
Four other humpback whales were also spotted during the day’s trips.
To see video of the whales in action, click here.
