Filed under: Travel News
Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL
As whale watching trips go, this couldn't get much better really, could it?
A small group of lucky tourists had an extremely close encounter with two humpback whales, who decided to brush up against their inflatable boat.
The group can be heard literally screaming with excitement as the majestic animals circle their boat during a trip in Hawaii.
Maria Harvey, a crew member for the tour company, Captain Zodiac Rafting Expeditions, told Hawaii News Now that the female humpback bumped against the boat as if she was scratching her back, adding: "It was absolutely incredible."
She managed to record the 10-minute encounter, off Kona, using an underwater HD GoPro II camera mounted to a pole, and reassured the tourists that they weren't in any danger.
According to Go Hawaii, the humpback whales head to the area from December to early May.
Travelling an incredible 3,000 miles of ocean in less than two months' time, the whales migrate from the gulf of Alaska to Hawaii for breeding and birthing in the islands' warm and shallow waters.
Their annual migration is a delight for both visitors and residents, and the best time to see them is at the peak of their numbers between January and early April.
Truly an experience of a lifetime...
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