Divers came face to face with a giant humpback whale and captured the meeting on video (5 photos + 1 video)

Amazing footage was filmed off the coast of French Polynesia, where a curious humpback whale approached a group of divers and for an hour swam alongside them.





Professional diver Kayleigh Grant filmed a huge a mammal swimming between divers back in September. whale swam up so close that his fins were only a couple of centimeters from girls - she and her friends even had to dodge them. Animal spent almost an hour in the company of people before sailing further on her own affairs.



Grant said that while whales don't harm humans, they meetings are still dangerous because of the huge dimensions of these animals: “You need be careful, simply because due to their size, even a slight blow tail fin can be dangerous to humans. And indeed - majestic mammals can reach 19 meters in length and weigh up to 53 tons.

Grant added that such meetings are very rare, and happened to her only a couple of times in her ten-year career as a diver.

She added: “There are whale seasons. They are not near all the time, unlike sharks, so if you're a diver, you're in luck see them maybe once a year. If you are an ordinary person, then this is a big luck; This is a once in a lifetime experience."





This behavior, like that of the whale in the video, is observed only in juveniles that have recently been separated from their mothers and remain curious and much more playful with people than more adult whales.

Grant said: “It was really wonderful. It's strange that such an animal is aware of its size and approaches with curiosity and intention to play. It's really rare when they show such an interest. He stayed with us for an hour or more, he seemed quite playful and restless. This has only happened to me a couple of times. I have encountered whales hundreds of times. It's like babysitting a 40-ton child. They have a really playful nature of a toddler of any kind, even human baby."



Humpback whales are popular with whale watchers because of their acrobatic performances, including spectacular jumps when they throw their bus-sized bodies completely out of the water and strike on the surface with pectoral fins or tails.

Humpback whales are not only curious and friendly, but also famous with his whale song. Their song can last for hours and is used to communication and attracting potential partners. Some hunchbacks may publish a song that can be heard at a distance of more than 30 kilometers. Also, these animals are long-lived - they can live from 50 to 100 years.

Although humpback whales are not the largest of their kind, they are can reach 19 meters in length and weigh 53 tons. alone fins can reach 5 meters in length, and tails - up to 5 meters in length. width. The females are usually larger than their male counterparts.