Paddleboarding With A Humpback Whale

Paddleboarder Rich German recently had this close encounter with a humpback whale near Laguna Beach, California. During the beginning of the video you'll notice that the whale actually approaches him and swims underneath his board. You'll even see the whale dive several times and show it's tail!

Marine specialists urge all who enter the ocean to not approach, surround or attempt to touch the humpback whales if they come close to them. Instead, they should keep a safe distance and circle the whales from behind if need be.

If you find yourself in open water and close to whales, be mindful of these obvious signs of distress: rapid changes in direction or speed, erratic swimming patterns or escape tactics, like prolonged diving or underwater exhalation. Remember, the whales were in the ocean long before we did!

Humpback whales were hunted as early as the 18th century. By the 19th century, many nations (the United States in particular), were hunting the animal heavily in the Atlantic Ocean and to a lesser extent in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The late-19th-century introduction of the explosive harpoon allowed whalers to accelerate their take. This, along with hunting in the Antarctic Ocean beginning in 1904, sharply reduced whale populations. During the 20th century, over 200,000 humpbacks were taken, reducing the global population by over 90%. North Atlantic populations dropped to as low as 700 individuals.

Credit to 'RichGerman'.