A humpback whale appears out of nowhere, leaps out of the water for a full breach and slamming back into the ocean right next to an astonished kayaker.
I was not expecting this calf to show up right next to me, I was actually watching from a safe distance one of the whales slapping its tail in front of the Collaroy surfboats when suddenly out of nowhere this youngster breached right next to me. Fascinating and frightening at the same time! There was a pod of 4 whales, 2 mums and 2 calves, and and times they would be together, at times they would split and this is what happened when the calf breached next to me, I had no idea it was around.
I have experienced this before but always from a safe distance, this time, although absolutely exhilarating, it was way too close to my liking. Those calves are over 4 tons in weight and we don't want them to get too close to a tiny 12kg surfski.
I go on my surfski about 3 to 4 times a week depending on the sea conditions. The whale season is on right now, they are heading back South to Antartica after having giving birth in the warmer waters of Queensland, so it's definitely not uncommon to bump into them at Narrabeen beach, they come and rest in the Narrabeen/Collaroy bay before continuing on with their migration.
I was just paddling out there on my own Sunday morning and was joined later on by the Collaroy surfboats ladies crew who were training in the vicinity as well.

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Filmed at Narrabeen beach by Australian national Gaetan Guilhon on Sunday, October 10, 2021. Gaetan, 45, works for a networking hardware business.