Breaching humpback whale lands on small boat
Boaters and whale watchers off the east coast of the US got a surprise over the weekend when a humpback whale breached and landed on the bow of a 2.7-metre vessel.
The boat operator reported no injuries and no damage that affected the seaworthiness of the vessel, according to officials in Plymouth, on Cape Cod Bay in Massachusetts.
Several boats were around the whale Sunday when it made the jump.
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Whale watchers were left stunned when the humpback launched itself out of the water. TMX
Video footage shows it launching its body out of the water and its head slamming onto the front of a boat, tipping the rear of the vessel out of the water as it slid back into the ocean.
Humpback whales can grow up to 19-metres long and weight up to 48 tonnes.
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The whale launching its body out of the water and slammed onto the front of the boat. TMX
They are popular with whale watchers because of their acrobatic displays — including spectacular breachings in which they launch their school-bus-size bodies entirely out of the water and slap the surface with their pectoral fins or tails.
The Plymouth harbourmaster said collisions like that off Plymouth are rare and can be dangerous for both boaters and whales.
The harbourmaster recommends that boaters stay at least 90 metres from humpbacks to minimise such meetings.
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