A kayaker in Australia had the experience of a lifetime when a humpback whale swam beside his surf ski. According to 7News Australia, the humpback whale followed paddler Glenn “Nish” Annear from Coogee Beach to Bondi—a distance of over two miles. In an interview with Annear, the paddler said the whale was so close to his surf ski he could nearly touch it with his paddle.
Drone pilot Jason Iggleden captured the footage of the humpback whale and kayaker sharing the ocean. Iggleden’s footage is credited to Drone Shark App, an Australian drone company monitoring beaches for shark and marine life activity.
This is an active time of year for humpbacks off the coast of Australia. According to the Guardian Australia YouTube post, “Up to 50,000 whales are expected to pass Australia’s east coast during the annual migration from Antarctica to the Great Barrier Reef.” Fortunately, North American kayakers don’t have to take a trip to Australia to spot a humpback whale. Humpbacks travel throughout the U.S. and Canada’s east and west coast during the summer months.
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