MIAMI – “A massive explosion of water.”
That’s how a fisherman described video he shot of a humpback whale breaching the water off Key Biscayne earlier this week and posted on Instagram.
Ryan Preston was with a group of fishermen in 50 feet of “crystal-clear” water just south of the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse.
“We were suddenly stunned by an enormous splash that erupted from the depths,” he said. “We stared in awe as a baby humpback whale came out of the water, breaching several times. Then, as if showing off, the whale rolled onto its back and began slapping the water with its pectoral fins, almost as if it knew we had our phones ready to capture the moment. Within seconds, the whale breached right next to the boat—an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime encounter.”
They feed in polar waters and migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed and give birth, according to “Mammals of the World.”
They typically migrate up to 9,900 miles each year.
There are about 135,000 of them worldwide.
The adult humpback whale is generally 46 to 49 feet and weighs 1,500 pounds.
