Incredible moment a snorkeler is taken for a ride by a baby whale

2018-10-05

Flipping crazy! Incredible moment a snorkeler is taken for a ride by a baby whale

Curious youngster leaves its mum’s side and approaches one of the swimmers
Australian photographer Eamon Porter captured the rare moment on his drone
He said: ‘The calf was very curious and decides to come in for a look’

Rare footage has emerged of the extraordinary moment a baby humpback whale sneaked away from its sleeping mum to cuddle up to a stunned diver – by swimming under her and LIFTING her from the water.

The incredible drone footage shows the two divers keeping a safe distance while the baby happily plays and splashes around and mum enjoys a quiet snooze.

Soon the curious youngster leaves its mum’s side and approaches one of the women – flipping onto its back as it does so.

The curious youngster leaves its mum’s side and approaches one of the swimmers

The calve, which will eventually grow to weigh up to 50 tons, seemed in a playful mood

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It swims underneath the snorkeler and then amazingly – using its pectoral fin – scoops her onto its belly before the pair come to rest, motionless, and stomach to stomach for a few precious seconds.

Eventually, the calf slides away and uses its tail to push itself forwards and away from the shocked swimmer.

Although all seems serene, events could have taken a turn for the worse had the baby – which will eventually grow to weigh up to 50 tons – swung its tail in the wrong direction hitting the diver, which could have been fatal.

This picture shows the calve surfacing while the two swimmers approach in French Polynesia

One swimmer takes a back seat as the other takes the rare opportunity to swim with a whale

It swims underneath the snorkeler and then scoops her onto its belly before the pair rest

Australian photographer Eamon Porter captured the rare moment on his drone off the coast of French Polynesia.

The 29-year-old said: ‘The calf was very curious and decides to come in for a look at the people.

‘It approached upside down and pushed one of the swimmers onto its belly out of the water. It showed nature and humans connecting.

‘I love how in this instance nature came to the human. Not the other way around.

‘I’m sure the mum knew the humans were close by but she had enough trust for her baby to interact with the humans despite possibly only being a few weeks old.’

The photographer said the mother whale trusted her child enough for it to swim with humans

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