Divers in near miss with humpback whales

[dipsydoodle]

A group of friends snorkelling off the coast of California got closer then they expected to a pair of feeding humpback whales.

Shawn Stamback was in the water when he was surrounded by a school of small fish, attempting to evade the predators below.

The whales breached and collected a huge mouthful of fish and water, and narrowly missed the divers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23429591 includes video

[Le Taz Hot]

1. Cool video

But I thought whales only ate krill. I think the sardines might just be a coincidence. (I'm sure there are marine biologists on DU that will correct me if I'm wrong.)

When I was younger we used to go deep sea fishing off of either San Simeon or Morro Bay in the winter -- when the California Greys (and others) are migrating. We used to see just as many whales as the Whale Watcher boats AND we'd come back with a limit of fish.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Humpbacks seem to feed on most small schooling fish

More here : http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/3105/20130722/watch-two-divers-narrowly-avoid-being-eaten-humpback-whales-video.htm

They may not like sardines in tomato sauce though.

[Le Taz Hot]

3. Ah, see?

Ya learn something new everyday. I was just at the Monterey Bay Aquarium 2 or 3 weeks ago and hanging from the ceiling are whale skeletons, including one of a humpback. You can't even believe how huge these things are. And so beautiful and graceful. And to think we hunted them almost to extinction. I'm glad their numbers are (slowly) on the increase.