Twirling Finback Whale Gives Watchers A Once-In-A-Lifetime View (VIDEO)

Few people ever get to experience an event like this.

Last week, about 10 miles off the coast of Dana Point, California, Capt. Larry Hartmann found his boat in the middle of a swarm of finback whales, a rare event by itself, according to Grind TV. The event left him and the four passengers in awe.

But then they got an even rarer treat.

One of the whales, measuring about 60 feet long, decided to do a little twirl for the boat, giving them a full view of its underside. By comparison, the boat only measured 34 feet in length.

Finbacks are the world's second largest whale species.

From Grind TV:

There were between 6-10 fin whales, each measuring about 60 feet, and at times they'd accelerate as they neared the boat, then dive beneath its hull. At several points he was concerned for the safety of his passengers because a collision appeared imminent, and fin whales have been known to breach.

WATCH:

Comments

[RockmanRotties]

10:20 AM on 07/06/2011

Beautiful! I want to jump in and go with this whale away from the problems and sickening WORLD! :)

[FTracy3]

02:25 PM on 07/06/2011

What's stopping you?

[RockmanRotties]

09:27 PM on 07/06/2011

It is an expression, that's all. :)

[zelda777]

04:30 PM on 07/04/2011

I think that was a friendly hello from an intelligent being. Save the whales!

[mamacat]

07:33 AM on 07/04/2011

Many years ago a friend and I were on a 34 passenger boat between LA and Catalina Island, as a large whale decided to swim in front of the boat. When the tail came up, under the bow, we realized that that same tail was wider than our entire boat, and that with one swat the whale could have destroyed our boat, if so inclined.
It was amazing to see the whale propel itself through the water faster than us, with our diesel engine, with the slow up and down motion of its tail.

[Igor Purlantov]

12:25 PM on 07/03/2011

Great video. That is definitely a once in a lifetime view. Finback whales are incredible to watch in person.

[nosmiley]

12:42 AM on 07/01/2011

Glad someone captured this. It's interesting.
Arianna knows that whales are never together as "swarms", but perhaps her lackeys don't know any better.
Whales, dolphins,Orcas, and pilot whale groups are referred to as PODS when traveling in a social group of more than two.

[rascal barquecat]

12:07 AM on 07/01/2011

Now that is a cool home movie.

[valluhree]

08:58 PM on 06/30/2011

Nature is truly, undeniably beautiful.

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

08:30 PM on 07/01/2011

Yes, and as much fun as it might seem to go to their "house," I'll never go underwater in the ocean. Too many BIG animals, besides mean animals, live there. Not our place. I contemplate coming back as an underwater animal....but....then I think....no thanks. I think. You see? You got me wondering again....

[Mr Anonymous]

10:55 PM on 07/01/2011

I didn't know animals were mean, I thought they were just hungry.

[kareemachan]

11:34 AM on 07/02/2011

I feel sorry for you if you pass up the chance to see the amazing, beautiful, astounding world of our oceans. I'm a scuba diver, but even if you just use a mask and snorkel, it's amazing. And as for the big mean animals, they really mostly want to be left alone. You should try it at least once - especially as the supposedly non-existent climate change is endangering reefs all over the world. :-(

[fumes]

08:35 PM on 06/30/2011

mind-altering seaweed?

how did he roll it?

and how did he keep it lit?

[Jon Malone]

07:29 PM on 06/30/2011

whale thought it was the Bob Barker? lol anyhow, ive seen dolphins jumping ahead of a cruise ship i was on as a kid. freaking fantastic. nature is just awsome!

[kareemachan]

11:35 AM on 07/02/2011

Watching dolphins riding a bow wave is like watching the definition of "fun"!

[bad spelling grammar]

07:24 PM on 06/30/2011

thats so cool

[zumajim]

07:19 PM on 06/30/2011

Whales flashing nice ladies on a boat! What next? Congressmen tweeting naked pictures of themselves? Oh, for shame...

[MFM008]

06:20 PM on 06/30/2011

the whale was so happy they didnt harpoon it, it twirled for joy.