Massive sea creature gave boaters a ‘reward.’ See ‘rare’ California sight

Boaters got the chance to experience an “incredible” California sea creature sighting.

A group of bystanders aboard a boat off Newport Beach were given a “reward” from a humpback whale after it decided to go snooping around the vessel, according to an April 10 Instagram post by Newport Whales.

On “special occasions,” whales will get up close and personal with boaters, a “rare” experience that whale watchers call “mugging,” the whale watching company said.

“Mugging” involves whales circling stationary boats, and because you can’t force a whale’s curiosity, these experiences are “treasured.”

The whale can be seen blowing air and showing off its tail before diving back into the water, the video showed.

Humpback whales reach sexual maturity between 4 and 10 years old, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Calves stay near their mom for up to a year before weaning, with the mother being “protective” and “swimming closely and often touching them with their flippers,” according to NOAA.

Commenters were in agreement that the sight was “a dream,” with one person saying, “I want to experience this.”

“On my bucket list,” another wrote.

“Wow!” someone said.

Newport Beach is about a 50-mile drive southwest of downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Massive sea creature gave boaters a ‘reward.’ See ‘rare’ California sight."