Sea creature has boaters thinking they’re in a ‘simulation’ off CA coast. See it

Sea creatures off the coast of California made for a moment where boaters thought they were in a “simulation.”

On June 19, onlookers got the chance to see a minke whale and “watched it surface erratically around the boat” before they got the opportunity to witness “some EPIC dolphin action,” according to a Facebook post by the San Diego Whale Watch.

The long-beaked common dolphins were “on fire” as they ate “baitball after baitball” onlookers said.

The outing was “one for the books” as the minke whale returned to boaters and “hung out” by surfacing around the vessel, the group said.

Minke whales are the smallest baleen whale in North American waters and can reach lengths of up to 35 feet and weigh 20,000 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

They usually are spotted alone or in groups of two or three and use side-lunging as a way of feeding on schools of fish, the NOAA said.

As the whale watchers looked for more potential wildlife, they came across a “playful” pod of long-beaked dolphins along with the “most gorgeous golden sunset,” the group said.

The “glimmering rays” peeked through the clouds, and “everything lined up perfectly” making for a “breathtaking” moment, the group said.

This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Sea creature has boaters thinking they’re in a ‘simulation’ off CA coast. See it."