You know how sailors used to tell stories of sea monsters and beasts of the ocean? Have you ever wondered why they did that? Was it just to make their own adventures sound wild and daring? Did they really think there were monsters out there? This video won’t answer those questions, but it does help you understand why they might have thought there were actually monsters in the deep.
This is a pod of whales, obviously, breaching the surface to the amazement of an Alaskan cruise group. But I can hear a sailor of the past screaming about the great mollusk monster or something.
“My bfs mom just casually sent us this from her cruise to alaska.”
I don’t know exactly what kind those whales are, but, based on looks and location, I would guess humpback (that could be super wrong, please let me know if it is). Humpbacks often travel in pods of around 2-15 whales. I’m counting at least 4 in this video, but I think I might see a fifth.
The crowd reaction is also pretty great in this clip. The people screaming in the background aren’t being over dramatic, and the woman behind the camera is absolute gold. The extremely calm “I’m freaking out“ is probably the best part, in my own opinion.
Vessel strikes on whales are unfortunately quite a common occurrence, and documentation is essentially limited to observation of whale carcasses. According to NOAA, the estimated rate at which vessel strikes on humpbacks are actually reported is just 10%, and it’s a measly 2% for blue whales.
Related: Whale Swallows Two People in a Kayak and Spits Them Back Out, Humpback Whale Bumps Long Island Boat Out For Memorial Day Cruise, Gray Whale Breaches Next To Snorkelers (Watch)
Image Credit: lindseehoweyadoin via TikTok