An incredible moment was captured on camera in late August in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. A pair of recreational paddleboarders were approached and circled by two large Southern right whales.
The whales were, quite literally, within touching distance of the paddlers. The video shows the impressively-sized animals gently tapping on the paddleboards with their fins. Photographer and paddler Maxi Wells said conditions were “perfect” for capturing the unique event.
Despite capturing some undeniably impressive footage, it is important for paddlers to note that whale watching regulations require boaters/paddlers to keep a minimum 200 meters away from killer whales and 100 meters away from all other whales at all times.
Responsible paddlers endeavor to follow these rules, and rare exceptional encounters do not represent a typical paddling experience.
