The 40ft, 80,000lb beast rose out of the water in Mountain Bay, California, almost within touching distance of a shocked pair of kayakers who couldn't believe their eyes.

Humpback whales are very curious and playful animals and get very friendly with kayakers and boaters. Laws state that nobody can approach a whale within 100 yards of them but it decided to take them by surprise instead.

No need to zoom in! Extraordinary moment gigantic 40ft humpback whale surfaced within arm's reach of a stunned holidaymaker.

The humpback whale has been described as the largest mammal, bigger than the elephant.

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from 12–16 metres (39–52 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. An acrobatic animal known for breaching and slapping the water with its tail and pectorals, it is popular with whale watchers off Australia, New Zealand, South America, Canada, and the United States.

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