During a Pacific Ocean adventure, free diver Yanna Xian had an unforgettable experience when she encountered a playful humpback whale.
The humpback whale actively approached and played with the diver in Moorea. (Video: SWNS)
Yanna Xian (24 years old) and her boyfriend Mitch Brown (27 years old) were enjoying a vacation in the waters off Moorea, French Polynesia, when a curious humpback whale, approximately two weeks old, unexpectedly approached them.
The video shared by SWNS on January 10 shows the inquisitive creature appearing from a distance, swimming on its back close to the water’s surface and gradually making its way towards Yanna. It displayed a friendly and playful demeanor, even nearly bumping into her while frolicking.
Due to its massive size, the movement of the water caused by the whale pulled Yanna towards it, prompting her to swim backward to avoid a collision with the animal.
“We were all amazed,” Brown, who recorded the video, shared. “There was definitely a moment of connection between Yanna and the whale. It was an unforgettable memory!”
The humpback whale displayed a friendly and playful demeanor, even nearly bumping into Yanna while playing.
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) can grow to lengths of 12 to 16 meters and weigh approximately 30 to 36 tons when fully grown. They belong to the suborder Mysticeti, which means they use a special baleen plate to filter food from the seawater instead of using teeth to chew their prey. This species primarily feeds on mollusks and fish.
M. novaeangliae is known to be one of the friendliest whale species, especially the young ones, which are always curious about their surroundings. Many instances of humpback whales actively interacting with divers have been recorded worldwide, making them a “cornerstone” of the whale-watching tourism industry.
With a widespread distribution across the world’s open oceans, humpback whales are not classified as endangered. They currently inhabit four main populations in the North Pacific, Atlantic, Southern Ocean, and Indian Ocean.
