An amazing video has emerged of an paddle boarder having a close encounter with a huge whale.

The video, captured earlier this month off the coast of Bega Valley, Australia, shows the massive animal breaching right next to the man's paddle board.

The paddle boarder wrote online:

''The first I knew I was catching something out the corner of my eye as it breached within 2 inches of the paddle board.''

''The wave its bulk created breaking the surface of the water actually pushed the board up and back.

''At the beginning it was pretty frightening, then I quickly realised it was passing me by for a look and the next several seconds were pure elation,'' he continued.

How does a 45 foot 40-50 ton southern right whale sneak up on you? While paddling on a murky day I had stopped to look around and whilst holding the go pro in the opposite direction to where I was looking 'fluked' the perfect footage of the massive animal coming up for a very close look at me. The first I knew was catching something out the corner of my eye as it breached within 2 inches of the paddle board. The wave its bulk created breaking the surface of the water actually pushed the board up and back. The first couple of seconds were pretty frightening, then I quickly realised it was passing me by for a look (you can see its eye check me out as it glides past) and the next several seconds were pure elation at what was happening. As you can see at the end of the footage I was pretty stoked with my once in a lifetime encounter. Happy to talk through the experience if interested. Cheers Ant Little