A US man who along with his wife decided to sell everything, buy a boat and explore the wildest reaches of the Pacific Ocean after being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy has captured the extraordinary moment a humpback whale breached right in front of him in French Polynesia.

Ryan and Nicole Levinson, who before their travels lived in San Diego, were swimming a mile off the shore of Mo'orea in the South Pacific when they came across the male humpback.

The clip, filmed on August 27, shows the two divers - who document their offshore sailing adventures online as Two Afloat - swimming in the sea when the whale swims to the surface and makes a spectacular leap out of the water.

“We heard (and felt the vibrations from) this male 'singing' before we saw him. Soon after that, he launched out of the water in a beautiful breach close enough that we felt the splash,” Ryan said.


“His power and grace was astounding.”

Ryan has a genetic disorder called FSH Muscular Dystrophy that causes his muscles to weaken over time. On the pair's YouTube channel, he explains: "My wife Nicole and I decided to sell everything, buy a boat, and sail into our dreams while I am still physically able to do so. The unique challenges we face only adds to the adventure as we sail, kiteboard, surf, dive, and explore the remote corners of the South Pacific.

“The unique challenges we face only adds to the adventure as we sail, kiteboard, surf, dive, and explore the remote corners of the South Pacific,” Ryan has written online.

We were swimming in the open ocean a mile offshore from Moorea, French Polynesia. We heard (and felt the vibrations from) this male "singing" before we saw him. Soon after that he launched out of the water in a beautiful breach close enough that we felt the splash. His power and grace was astounding.