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Video: Kayaker has rare encounter with a blue whale
Stretching for over 90 feet in length, and weighing more than 180 metric tons, the blue whale is, to the best of our knowledge, the largest animal that has ever lived. The creatures were hunted to near extinction in the early part of the 20th century, but appear to be making a comeback now.
A kayaker at Redondo Beach, California recently had the rare opportunity to see one of these magnificent creatures up close and personal, and lucky for us he was wearing a GoPro helmet cam at the time. The footage he captured is stunning, with some fantastic views of the whale, both above and below the water, giving viewers a true sense of the size of these animals.
I have to say, this guy is definitely braver than I am. Watching the whale from a kayak would be a humbling enough experience, but getting into the water, and seeing it pass by underneath, would be equal parts terrifying and awe inspiring.
Check out the video below.
A kayaker at Redondo Beach, California recently had the rare opportunity to see one of these magnificent creatures up close and personal, and lucky for us he was wearing a GoPro helmet cam at the time. The footage he captured is stunning, with some fantastic views of the whale, both above and below the water, giving viewers a true sense of the size of these animals.
I have to say, this guy is definitely braver than I am. Watching the whale from a kayak would be a humbling enough experience, but getting into the water, and seeing it pass by underneath, would be equal parts terrifying and awe inspiring.
Check out the video below.
Filed under: Paddling, North America, United States, Video
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 7)
pvondrazy Oct 19th 2011 3:56PM
This would have scared the SH*T out of me! Amazing video.
dolores Oct 24th 2011 7:00PM
Oh my gosh! How lucky you are to have done that! Amazing. I especially loved it when you went underwater so we could all see the majestic whale. Thank you!
morgan havens Oct 19th 2011 4:08PM
Send out the Zanesville, Ohio cops to shoot this blue whale. About the only animal they haven't killed in the last 24 hours.
davide463 Oct 19th 2011 4:11PM
Wow!! Now there's something special. Thanks for sharing.
cathie Oct 19th 2011 4:13PM
i would love to see the video with out a break for loading every few seeconds, it really takes away from the enjoyment of it
christine Oct 19th 2011 4:42PM
Absolutely breathtaking!!!!!
Cathie Oct 19th 2011 4:31PM
What an absolutely beautiful experience you shared with us. Made my day!
Ken Oct 19th 2011 4:36PM
Once in a life time event, kodo's to kayaker.
danielle Oct 19th 2011 4:42PM
i'd literally crap my pants
sondbr Oct 19th 2011 4:45PM
What a wonderful video!! And, it's one of the only ones I've seen that really has the perspective to show how HUGE those animals are. It's on my bucket list to see a huge whale like that in the ocean and this has motivated me even more to do that. Whales are such magnificent animals that must be preserved at all costs. We can't go to zoos to see them, so the more in the ocean for people to see the better!!! Yes, we can see killer whales at aquariums and places like Sea World, but they can't be compared with the other gigantic whales in the sea.
Roy Oct 19th 2011 4:50PM
He just lucky he didn't get eaten by the 20 ft great white swimming next to the blue whale! I'm so jealous. They should been tossed a football field by that blue whale.
Rad666 Oct 19th 2011 4:50PM
"Unbelievable encounter caught on tape" ----- VHS, Beta or 8mm?
John Oct 19th 2011 5:16PM
It would have been really cool if he could have filmed the whale swallowing him and then spiting him back out.
montecarlo Oct 19th 2011 5:45PM
It's a darn good thing it was'nt a sperm whale that wanted to say hello."
Big Pete Oct 19th 2011 5:56PM
Having recently come back from a trip to Alaska, my wife and I took a 7 hour boat trip outside Seward. When our captain announced a whale sighting he said they stay at least 100 yds. away from the whales. He then put the boat in neutral. 15 seconds later another sperm whale rose approximately 15 feet from the boat. Quite a sight to see. He then commented that 2 years ago he sighted a whale off the Alaskan coast and approximately 100 days later the same whale was sighted in Hawaii. That meant the whale swam appr. 80-100 miles a day. On a side note once you smell whale breath(when they break water) you may never want to smell it again. Best vacation ever.
Rick Oct 20th 2011 3:03AM
it would have been sweet if the whale had eaten him a-la Pinoccio
KS Oct 19th 2011 6:07PM
TOTALLY AWESOME!
Phil Oct 19th 2011 6:38PM
That was an amazing video. Better a Blue Whale then a Great White. Both hang out along the Cali coast. My son and I saw the exhales of a pair of whales last year up in Mendiceno County. We were sitting in a roadside rest when I saw them. It was pretty cool even though we were at least 1/4 mile away. I can't imagine what it must've felt like for the dude in the kayak.
Wolf Oct 19th 2011 6:25PM
Doesn't look to me as if it was planned/staged at all. Guy happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Seems like it was just a fluke...
Malaycobra Oct 20th 2011 8:21AM
Fluke..Hah! I see what you did there...