This was the moment a group of friends encountered a pod of whales while fishing off the coast of Australia near Sydney last year (September 30).

In footage that has recently emerged online, multiple whales - speculated to be humpback - are seen approaching the small vessel to the shock and awe of its crew.

The filmer told Newsflare: "Me and some buddies were out on a small boat having a fish when we saw some whales pop up from the water from a distance.

"We headed a little closer to get a better look.

"When we thought we lost them they popped out of the water right next to us!

"[The] scary part was the fact that these whales were way larger than our little boat."

Me and some buddies were out on a small boat having a fish when we saw some whales pop up from the water from a distance. We headed a little closer to get a better look. When we thought we lost them they popped out of the water right next to us! Scary part was the fact that these whales were wayyy larger than our little boat.