Baby sea creature soars through air stunning onlookers, California photos show

Boaters with Monterey Bay Whale Watch witnessed an exhilarating acrobatic showcase on the water off the coast of California.

On Aug. 30, a humpback whale calf stunned everyone onboard by jumping completely out of the water and soaring through the air before splashing back down.

The “little” one “put on quite the breach fest during the afternoon trip,” the tour group said in a post on Facebook recounting the action.

The fact that humpback whale babies weigh thousands of pounds makes it even more of a spectacle. While humpbacks are widely known for their surface athletics, the explanation as to why a baby would breach so dramatically could go many ways.

“Humpbacks breach for a variety of reasons,” Monterey Bay Whale Watch said. “It was likely to stretch growing muscles and probably as a form of play as well.”

Humpback whales are known by whale watchers as some of the most dynamic and entertaining ocean animals, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These massive creatures are beloved by boaters for their spirited jumping and surface athletics. They also sing to their lovers during mating season — songs that can be heard from 20 miles away.

Humpback whales are born weighing around 2,000 pounds and measuring up to 15 feet in length, according to the Marine Mammal Center. As adults, they reach nearly 90,000 pounds and 60 feet in length.

This story was originally published September 5, 2024 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Baby sea creature soars through air stunning onlookers, California photos show."