A rare encounter was caught on camera by a drone as a humpback whale breached just metres away from a long-distance swimmer near Cape Town, South Africa.

Footage captured by Steve Benjamin shows Texan swimmer Sunnye Collins midway through his 7.5 km swim from Robben Island to Big Bay in 13 degrees Celsius waters.

Benjamin told Newsflare: "Midway through the swim, a humpback whale surfaced beside her escort boat, creating an extraordinary encounter between athlete and ocean giant. The event was officially observed by the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association.

"Each summer, humpback whales gather along the Cape coast to feed on krill driven into Table Bay by nutrient-rich upwelling. Once hunted to the brink, their numbers have rebounded dramatically over the past two decades, and sightings around Robben Island, Table Bay, and Cape Point have become increasingly common."

Surprise encounter! On October 23, 2025, Texan long-distance swimmer Sunnye Collins completed the iconic 7.5 km Robben Island to Big Bay crossing near Cape Town, South Africa — a marathon swim in icy 13 °C (55 °F) water without a wetsuit, the first Texan to officially complete this swim. Midway through the swim, a humpback whale surfaced beside her escort boat, creating an extraordinary encounter between athlete and ocean giant. The event was officially observed by the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association and captured by wildlife cameraman Steve Benjamin of Animal Ocean Expeditions. Each summer, humpback whales gather along the Cape coast to feed on krill driven into Table Bay by nutrient-rich upwelling. Once hunted to the brink, their numbers have rebounded dramatically over the past two decades, and sightings around Robben Island, Table Bay, and Cape Point have become increasingly common.

The encounter highlights Cape Town’s growing reputation as one of the world’s premier marine wildlife destinations — where whales, dolphins, penguins, and seals can all be seen within sight of the city’s famous mountains. Filmed by wildlife cameraman Steve Benjamin of Animal Ocean Expeditions, the footage captures both the thrill of cold-water endurance swimming and the wild, living ocean that makes Cape Town unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Surprise Encounter ! Whale surfaces near long-distance swimmer during iconic Robben island crossing, Cape Town, South Africa. On October 23, 2025, Texan swimmer Sunnye Collins completed the iconic 7.5 km Robben Island to Big Bay crossing near Cape Town, S