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Kayakers nearly flattened by excitable humpback whales

While on an adventure tour across the Penn Islands of British Columbia, the adventure group noticed two whales starting to breach in the area.

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Ok look, we’re all for sight seeing and whale watching.but from a distance.

While all of the boaters were keeping their distance, experts say this video shows how careful we have to be around the whales because they can close the gap between us and them very quickly.

In a shaky video captured from the kayak, the whale can be seen rising from the water and breaching just metres from the raft, nearly landing on the kayakers. Stapinsky knew they needed to get out of the way, but it wouldn’t be easy. “They can swim way faster than we can paddle”. Federal regulations in Canada require all vessels to stay at least 100 meters (328 feet) away from whales and to back off cautiously when unexpected encounters like these happen.

She said the baby jumped up first, then the mom- who was really close to them.

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“I wanted them to have the experience but I didn’t want it that close”, Stapinsky said.

10 whales