A surface-feeding blue whale capsized a 23-foot inflatable boat Wednesday off San Diego, spilling two people overboard.
The dramatic incident was captured on videotape, and a still photo shows the giant whale breaking the surface, its mouth agape, moments before the boat flipped over.
There were no injuries, and perhaps just as remarkable is that the footage survived the harrowing event, which occurred at about noon, 12 miles offshore.
Another boater assisted the two capsize victims, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
In the accompanying CBS News video report, viewers can see the whale opening wide as it feeds on krill at the surface–it was not trying to attack the boat–and the boat tilting upward.
Dale Frink, the photographer, explains in the news report how he kept his camera safe.
On his Facebook page, Frink explained the scary encounter:
“If you haven’t heard about it already, I was out whale watching today in San Diego when the boat I was a passenger on was overturned by a lunge-feeding blue whale. I was not driving and I was not in control of the Zodiac.
“Neither I nor the captain was hurt save for minor bruises. The captain was doing her best to follow good whale-watching practices by maintaining a distance of greater than 100 yards (I would say we were about 150 yards away) and going into neutral once the whale turned to cross the bow, but unfortunately the whales came up exactly behind us with no time to react.
“Most of the people who think that the video ‘looks bad’ are justifiably concerned for the safety of the whales. I can agree with that, as someone who emphatically encourages safe boating around whales, I feel confident saying that the captain was doing everything within her ability to be safe and respectful for the animals.
“Accidents happen, however, and things would have been a lot worse if proper protocols and modern safety equipment not been in place.
“I am grateful to the captain of the nearby vessel who pulled us out of the water, and to the folks at Vessel Assist who brought me back in.”
This is the beginning of the blue whale season off Southern California. The exhales feed exclusively on tiny, shrimp-like krill. Lunge feeding is done horizontally or vertically. When krill is at the surface, blue whales will lunge upward with their mouths open, taking in giant mouthfuls of krill.
Boaters are urged to exercise caution whenever in the vicinity of these majestic mammals.
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